23/02/2022
A Work In Progress
My new pantomime The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is due for publication at the end of March. It is based mainly on L Frank Baum's children's classic novel of the same name, and has all the well-known characters, Dorothy Gale, Toto the dog, Aunt Emmy, Scarecrow, Tinman, Lion, the Witches of the North and West, the Wizard, the sinister Flying Monkeys and of course the Munchkins and Winkies. Plus a new comedy duo, farmhands Clyde and Cleetus.
Synopsis
A tornado dumps Dorothy's house in Munchkin Country in the Land of Oz. She meets Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion who join her along the Yellow Brick Road towards the Emerald City, where they hope the mighty Oz will solve their problems. Scarecrow wants a brain, Tinman wants a heart, Lion wants courage, and Dorothy simply wants to go home to Kansas. The wicked Witch of the West is desperate to have Dorothy's silver shoes but the good Witch of the North is ever present to help.
Meanwhile Aunt Emmy, Uncle Hank and the two farmhands also find themselves in Oz, and they are directed toward the Emerald City by the Munchkins in search of Dorothy.
The Wizard promises to grant their wishes but on one condition, that they kill the Witch of the West and bring proof of her demise.
Dorothy and her companions set off on their way to Winkie Country which is ruled by the Witch. En route Dorothy is captured by the Flying Monkeys and taken to the Witch’s castle, where she is forced to be the Witch’s slave. The Witch manages to grab one of the silver shoes by trickery. Aunt Emmy and Co. join up with Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion, and they make a cunning plan to rescue Dorothy. Inside the castle, they are foiled by the Witch’s guards and captured. The Witch attempts to set fire to Scarecrow but Dorothy throws some water over her and the Witch melts away to nothing. The Guards turn out to be Winkies and join forces with the goodies. The Winkies want Dorothy to stay and be their ruler but Dorothy says she has to return to the Emerald City.
Back at the palace gate the companions are admitted to Oz’s throne room. They show him the Witch’s broomstick as proof of her death. Toto pulls down a curtain, revealing the Wizard to be an ordinary man from Omaha. He confesses to being “a good man, but a bad wizard”. He grants all their requests and offers to take Dorothy back to Kansas with him in his hot-air balloon. But the balloon flies off without her. The good Witch of the North tells Dorothy to click her heels three times and she and Toto are magically transported to Kansas.
Back home and reunited with her family, Dorothy recounts her adventures but Aunt Emmy is convinced she dreamt it all.
