Wizard of Oz St Helens, Fun for all the family

Just been to St Helen's Theatre Royal to see the Wizard of Oz and very good it was too. With two teenagers who generally don't want to be in the same room as us, let alone come to the theatre, I wasn't sure how much of a success it would be, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was lovely to see them laughing and singing along, forgetting to be cool and joining in with the usual panto banter - even if it is slightly disconcerting to realise that they get the adult humour behind the jokes! 

You generally know what to expect with a panto - and The Wizard of Oz gave us this  - and more. All the usual panto script and jokes were there but there was much more on top of this that I hadn't seen before and it was extremely funny.  Linda Lusardi made a very glamorous Wicked Witch and all the cast did a fantastic job, but the real star of the show was Reece Sibbald playing the Scarecrow.  Pure comedy genius who made even the simplest things funny, he had the audience in stitches whenever he was on stage. The ad libs were particularly hilarious - so much so that I'm hoping it was actually staged so future audiences will enjoy them as well! 

It just goes to show you don't need a cast full of big names or expensive special effects to make a great show, you just need talented actors who engage with the audience and make them laugh. Add in the fact that the Theatre Royal is a lovely venue which doesn't seat too many people, with friendly staff, cheap parking nearby (that you don't have to queue for ages to exit) and a family ticket at not too much over the £50 mark, then it is definitely worth making the trip over from Manchester. 

We've seen many pantos, and watched the Wizard of Oz a fair few times, but this was probably the best version we've seen. The fact we were surprised how late it was when it finished showed how enjoyable the show was as the time flew. It certainly has our recommendation for a family outing to suit everyone whatever their age. 

Wizard of Oz is on at The Theatre Royal until 22nd April with family friendly showings at 1pm and 5pm most days. Ticket prices start from £15 Adult, £13 Child and £54 for a Family ticket. Visit Theatre Royal website  for more information. 

Thanks to David Munn Photography for all photos above.