Review: The Wizard of Duz

By Emily Hatwell

As the term comes to a close and formative deadlines creep up, it’s dark when I leave my afternoon lectures but perhaps most importantly, it’s college panto season. 12 South Theatre Company’s offering this year was The Wizard of Duz, a retelling of the L. Frank Baum’s classic story with plenty of suitable Durham-themed adjustments, directed marvellously by Noah Benson and Jamie Duncan. 

I have chosen to neglect a star rating, because as a college panto, The Wizard of Duz truly transcended traditional critical boundaries. Performances were energetic, script cheesy, and the musical choices, well, they were certainly interesting. You could tell in the first half that several performers were a little shaky (understandable due to the quick turnaround), but due to the fairly significant quantity of drinks that the performers were plied with by the audience, they warmed up in the second act to sink appropriately into the mad hilarity that makes panto the wonderful thing that it is. In fact, it was rather difficult to tell who was more intoxicated: the cast or the four audience members wearing black tie in the back row.

All performances stood out in their own unique way, but Justin Adesina as Elphaba was a particular highlight, engaging the audience with a wonderfully camp energy. His ability to respond to heckling was unmatched. Having a lacrosse stick as Elphaba’s broomstick was an enlightened choice, as were the flying monkey stand-ins (Hatfield rugby players). Additionally, having Thea Cave, JCR President of St Cuthbert’s Society, as the wizard provided some true Cuth’s spirit to the production. The core group of Weronica Wrona, Rosie Parkin, Hannah Wilson, and Luisa Pittan Doring provided the core group of Dorothy, the Tinman, the Lion, and the Scarecrow respectively, leading the audience through the story as a humorous ensemble.

Notable additions to the traditional tale included mandatory Hatfield slander (you cannot tell me that not all Hatfielders play lacrosse, hockey, or rugby) and a pair of ruby-red sliders (endearingly termed ‘birkis’). Part of what makes any panto so endlessly fun are these cultural and geographic references woven through a commonly known story, which writers Noah Benson and Rosie Parkin integrated with great skill; this particular panto relocated Dorothy from Kansas to Parsons Field, and later from Oz to Palace Green and House 8, naturally.

It is vital to remember with 12 South Theatre Company’s panto this year is that it’s primary efforts have been to raise funds for the North East Youth Alliance, with a third of all ticket sales, as well as the profits made from sales of popcorn, candy floss and candy canes, going to the cause. This charity aims to better the lives of young people in the North East by increasing engagement and improving services.

Overall, this has been a difficult review to write. As previously mentioned, The Wizard of Duz and many other college pantos like it cannot simply be treated as typical student theatre productions, or even just a normal theatre production. They are simply beyond what we can normally define as good or bad, but are vastly enjoyable nonetheless.

As a result, I would wholeheartedly recommend attending 12 South Theatre Company’s panto this year, as well as supporting the North East Youth Alliance. Particularly, I would recommend indulging in a toad, and going with friends so that you can all revel in what can only be described as an experience that simply cannot be missed.

Image credit – 12 South Theatre Company via 12souththeatreco on Instagram