FRISCH MARIONETTE COMPANY: THE WIZARD OF OZ

(review)

by Sarah Crotzer

Originally published in The Baum Bugle, vol. 62, no. 2 (Autumn 2018), pgs. 34–35

Citations

Chicago 17th ed.:

Crotzer, Sarah. “Frisch Marionette Company: The Wizard of Oz.” Baum Bugle 62, no. 2 (2018): 34–35.

MLA 9th ed.:

Crotzer, Sarah. “Frisch Marionette Company: The Wizard of Oz.” The Baum Bugle, vol. 62, no. 2, 2018, pp. 34–35.

Frisch Marionette Company: The Wizard of Oz

June 2, 2018

Nashville Public Library, Nashville, TN.

The Frisch Marionettes’ production of The Wizard of Oz is so finessed, so capable, and so enjoyable that you might make the mistake of assuming it’s easy. In fact, Kevin Frisch—the current manager of the company, and son of its originators—has spent 20 years refining the adaptation of Oz, and it is one of half a dozen shows he tours across the country.

What is most impressive about the Frisch production is the way it uses limitation to its advantage. Because the show is intended for very small children, the story is necessarily truncated: there are no Kalidahs, poppy field, or journey to the South. In fact, it’s possible that someone who is unfamiliar with The Wizard of Oz (is there such a person?) might be a little confused: it’s a little bit hard to grasp the moral aspects of Baum’s story when the scenes fly by so fast. Instead, Frisch makes the wise decision to treat it as a straightforward adventure quest, with Dorothy’s own journey to the Emerald City motivated chiefly by a desire to find Toto, who is scared when their house lands in Oz and runs away.

The entire 45-minute production is performed by Kevin Frisch and one assistant, so only rarely are there more than three marionettes on stage at once. This leads to a couple of odd set-ups, but for the most part, it works. The Wicked Witch has just one Winged Monkey confidante, in the style of MGM’s Nikko; the “famous four” appear together only once, during the Cowardly Lion’s introduction scene.

With such a simplified cast and story, the obvious question looms: what’s the point? The focus is apparent from the start of the show: music. With eight original songs and one reprise, the entire production is alive with music. Frisch makes the conscious choice not to emulate the style of the MGM film or a Broadway musical, turning instead to early 20th century musical forms as inspiration. Dorothy’s “Over the Rainbow”-style number, “The Grass is Greener,” recalls an upbeat gospel spiritual, while her three Ozian friends each sing of their troubles in a different style of the blues. The menace of the Wizard’s giant head is gently undercut with the one modern melody, an homage to 1970s funk. Some of the songs have more complex lyrics than others—the Wicked Witch’s “silly” song, in particular, wouldn’t feel out of place on Sesame Street—but they are all bright, cheerful, and energizing. The kids at my performance were delighted.

The show has delights for the seasoned Oz fan, too. There are several concessions to the cultural weight of the MGM film: Dorothy’s magic shoes are, of course, red, and the Wicked Witch is a crone in a pointed hat. Frisch has also incorporated half a dozen or so memorable lines from the MGM script, whilst, most pleasingly, several of his designs are clearly inspired by W.W. Denslow’s original illustrations, especially the Tinman and the Lion.

When I saw the show, I was surrounded by dozens of small kids and their parents. That’s a hard-to-please, low-attention-span, wriggly, giggly crowd, and it’s to Frisch Marionettes’ credit that the majority remained entranced and firmly focused on the two-by-six-foot opening of the puppet theatre. Truth be told, many of the kids were clearly taken in by the whimsy and color of the production; stereotype or no, that’s a vital element of the child-pleasing puppet show. The adults enjoyed it too, though perhaps
at slightly different moments: the gentle comedy of the Straw Man’s detachable head; the charm of the Lion’s feline body language; the subtle artistry of Aunt Em’s laundry coming to life in the winds of the cyclone. In America, we tend to
denigrate the skill and complexity of the puppet show and dismiss it as mere “kids’ stuff ”; yet for 45 minutes, we were all taken in by magic—and when it was over, we all left just that little bit transformed.

Authors of articles from The Baum Bugle that are reprinted on the Oz Club’s website retain all rights. All other website contents Copyright © 2024 The International Wizard of Oz Club, Inc. All Rights Reserved.