What could be better than seeing The Wizard Of Oz on stage for the first time as a kid. Well, I think that if we were to ask the kids from Theatre Bugs and Adelaide Theatre Academy, they’d tell you it’s being IN The Wizard Of Oz. The Norwood Concert Hall stage was filled with young performers having the time of their life. The auditorium was full mostly of proud parents and relatives who got exactly what they paid for. Everyone enjoyed an entertaining evening where this much-loved classic was presented reasonably faithful to the original film. Being quite dated these days, The Wizard Of Oz shows its age. That does not matter though. It’s a classic, and some of its outdated ideals and language are part of its charm. It wouldn’t go well modernised, but we don’t need that (that’s what we have Wicked for). All of the leads performed strongly. Everyone knew their characters, dialogue, and songs well. The supporting cast gave their all, with some exceptional ensemble performances that no doubt made the relatives in the audience quite proud. There wasn’t much scenery to speak of, with a projected backdrop doing most of the work. The costumes were minimalist, but more than adequate, with some excellent standouts. Lighting was well implemented, but sound performance was littered with issues (in fairness, I think that’s been the same for every show I’ve seen at the Norwood Concert Hall, so we’d have to assume it’s a venue-related issue, not crew). A special mention should be made of the ushering staff, who displayed compassion, thoughtfulness, and generosity to this reviewer and his three kids. It was very much appreciated. As always, a great show from the Theatre Bugs and Adelaide Theatre Academy families. Unfortunately their season has ended, so you’ll have to wait to see what they come out with next.