THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE AS THE WIZARD OF OZ STOPS OFF IN ABERDEEN JULY 9-13 STARRING CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD AS THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST
What can audiences expect when they come see this version of The Wizard of Oz?
Because people know the movie so well, it’s a representation of that but done in a very Nikolai Foster way. He’s put a modern spin on it whilst keeping it in the late 1930s. I really love the idea that it’s a theatrical representation of the movie rather than an exact copy of it and Andrew Lloyd Webber has written some extra songs – including Red Shoe Blues, which I get to sing and it’s FAB-U-LOUS. Audiences that have seen this production already have really loved it. It’s not only a wonderful trip down memory lane for people who remember the movie from their childhoods, it also brings new light to a lot of the characters.
How would you describe The Wicked Witch of the West as she’s portrayed in the show?
[Laughs] She’s a little bit demented, I’ve got to say. She’s a powerhouse of a woman. Of course, the character all stems from the mind of Dorothy, so the character that I play is a landowner named Almira Gulch who in turn becomes the Wicked Witch of the West when Dorothy gets to Oz. In Kansas she’s not a nice woman who wants to get Dorothy’s dog, Toto, put down and she’s threatening the whole village with taking their land from them. She’s a real busybody who then manifests into this green witch who is desperate to get her hands on Dorothy’s ruby slippers. The Wicked Witch of the West become more and more demented as the show goes on and increasingly desperate to get her hands on those shoes. All the time she is worried about coming into contact with water because it’s like Kryptonite to her and she’ll melt. All of this makes her a lot of fun to play.
What prep are doing to play her?
I’ve done quite a few months of prep to play her because it’s a short rehearsal period and I needed to come in with an interpretation that I thought suited the character. It’s my job to give her depth because there’s got to be a reason why she’s so power-hungry. I know that that all sounds deep for something like The Wizard of Oz but I think it has to have some depth, otherwise you’ll just walk on stage and be two-dimensional. It’s great fun to be able to explore that dark side of her and bring it to life on stage.
We’re guessing you get to wear some fabulous costumes and heels?
Of course, darling! That said, I’ve had recent toe surgery, so I’ve got to be really careful. But yes, I’ve got some powerful heels to wear as well as amazing costumes. Of course, I’m no stranger to heels or drag, although this isn’t really a drag part for me. I’m treating it seriously as an acting piece, creating a really strong and vibrant character, no matter what the shoes are. I mean, the important thing about those iconic shoes is that she needs them. Without the ruby reds, she can’t rule the world, so it’s more about the shoes she wants than the shoes she’s got on. The costumes are absolutely extraordinary. The Vivienne [who is also playing the role on certain dates] plays the Wicked Witch sort of like a tall supermodel and I’m playing her a little bit more like Mae West. She’s more voluptuous and more earthy, plus there’s a bit of Darth Vader in there as well. I know it sounds bizarre but I’ve created this character who is a cross between the two!
You’re a personality in your own right but what do you enjoy about disappearing into other characters?
For me it’s an escape from reality. Walking through the stage door, you become someone else. It’s also good for an actor to clear their head completely and leave whatever’s happening in their life at home and then invest in the character on stage. Being on stage is a safe place for me to be because you know the lines and you know what’s going to happen in the story. As soon as you walk out the stage door after a show, you have no clue what is going to happen from one moment to the next because life is very much improvised. I think that’s probably why a lot of actors are quite insecure away from work. For me, as I say, the stage is a safe place and this show boasts an amazing company who are all very supportive of one another.
Can you recall when you first encountered The Wizard of Oz?
My first experience of it was at home in my hometown of Ballarat in Australia, watching it on the telly. I remember it because we had only just got a colour TV and it was like ‘Oh wow, this is amazing’ because it goes from black and white to glorious Technicolor. Of course, CGI has moved things on quite a bit since the film was made but I just fell in love with the fantasy of it. And I used to think that the Wicked Witch of the West was the scariest person ever, although when I watch it now I actually think she’s quite nice. I feel a little bit sorry for her losing her sister when a house falls on her.
Why do you think it’s such an enduring story?
Because Dorothy is full of hope and it teaches people a very important thing in life, namely that home is where the heart is and running away from problems or running away from something that may have occurred at home is not the answer. It’s about love and family and it’s about learning that your actions may hurt other people. That is the big heart of the story, isn’t it? It’s about discovery and it’s about learning to respect and love your family and knowing that they will love you unconditionally.
You’ve done lots of theatre. Can you pick a few highlights?
La Cage Aux Folles was a really good one because I’d never really done drag or anything like that before. It taught me how to do make-up and it taught me how to play and dress up and become different characters. It also finessed my tap dancing. And I had to learn to tap in heels, which was totally different. I just loved all the characters in it. It was quite zany for 1985. It was a really, really great time, I loved doing it and it made me passionate to do other things. Cats was another show that I’d always longed to be in. I remember going to see it when I was 17 and I thought ‘I cannot believe that these people can dance so brilliantly and can sing so well’. And that’s why I thought ‘Right, I need to work on my voice, I need to work on my tap, I need to work on my jazz, my ballet, everything’. It made me think hard about my training and what I really wanted to do in life. Then I got into Cats, which was equally brilliant, and from there I moved into Miss Saigon and I was a West End Wendy.
Tickets are on sale now from www.aberdeenperformingarts.com, phone (01224) 641122 or visit the box office at His Majesty’s Theatre or the Music Hall.
