The Wizard of Oz will return to the West End in 2023 and begins previews at the London Palladium on June 23rd, ahead of an official opening night on July 6th, and performances running until September 3rd.
The classic story of The Wizard of Oz follows the adventures of Dorothy and her dog Toto as they are caught up in a cyclone twister and swept away from their native Kansas to the fantasy land of Oz. After landing in Oz, Dorothy tries to find her way back to Kansas and sets off to find the 'Wizard of Oz' in the Emerald City who she believes can show her the way home. On her journey, Dorothy meets and befriends a tin man, a lion, and a scarecrow who all join her and Toto in their quest to find the Wizard and the quartet make their way down the yellow brick road which will lead them to the Emerald City and the wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Producer Michael Harrison commented on the new production. stating “The London Palladium is the home of the summer blockbuster musical, and there really will be no place like the Palladium for Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion, as they embark on their journey down the Yellow Brick Road”.
The Wizard of Oz features music from the much loved 1939 movie starring the late Judy Garland, including “Over The Rainbow” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard” along with some additional songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice such as "Bring Me the Broomstick".
Nikolai Foster will direct The Wizard Of Oz, which will feature a wider creative team that includes magic consultancy by Scott Penrose, choreography by Shay Barclay, sound design by Adam Fisher, set design by Colin Richmond, costume and puppet design by Rachael Canning, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, projection design by Douglas O’Connell, creative consultancy by Mark Kaufman, and musical direction and supervision by George Dyer.
The production is currently showcasing at Leicester's Curve Theatre and will begin casting for the London production at a later date with performances beginning at the London Palladium from June 23rd.
The London Palladium is a large West End venue with a capacity of 2303 seats on three levels. Excellent views are available throughout the theatre due to a combination of the wide stage and steep rakes. The theatre has very few seats with restrictions as there are no support pillars or restrictive bars to cause obstruction to the view, There is however a very slight overhang from the upper tiers making the seats towards the rear in lower price bands good value due to the miniscule restriction this causes.
The front of the Dress Circle also offers very good views of the stage and is ideal for big productions such as The Wizard Of Oz especially for patrons who prefer to view the action from an elevated position with the best seats being located in the front and centre which is reflected in the price. The centre of the Stalls offers a great views of the stage and value can also be found in the front of this section as ticket prices are often slightly reduced due to the height of the stage. Bargain hunters looking for cheap tickets to The Wizard Of Oz can also find good value in the front rows of the Upper Circle which can be good value if you don't mind leaning over a little! As always when booking London theatre tickets it is useful to study the seating plan in detail prior to booking however some seats in the London Palladium that are marked as 'restricted view' can be good value for money, as any restrictions are minimal.