2007’s annual dramatic production was a massive success, from the impressive scenery and explosive music to its cool costumes (including some rather noticeable cross-dressing) and engaging plot.

The Wizard of Oz is a well-known tale, derived from the novel by L. Frank Baum. It is the tale of a girl hurled into the colourful Land of Oz as a result of a tornado that casts her home right up into the sky. In Oz, Dorothy embarks on a whirlwind of adventure involving witches both good and bad, a tin man with no heart, a brainless man made of straw, a cowardly lion and of course her little dog, Toto. And of course, we are all familiar with the film, with its host of mischievous Munchkins and its infamous rendition of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ by Judy Garland. But how did our own version compare?

‘For a start it was much more modern’ reports governor Mrs Selby. - ‘I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the way in which the audience became thoroughly involved in it, but I feel that it was also faithful to the original version that we all know and love’.

Who will ever forget Mr. Davies’s brave take on the untraditional role of the bodyguard? Along with ‘head Oompa Loompa’ Kirtijai Pahari, he formed a brilliant, hilarious double act.

The production this year was different to last year’s in that it made full use of a range of technology of which Mr. Pearsall would be proud: the tornado was projected onto a screen, to make it much more realistic and eerie sound effects brought the play to life.

The Wizard of Oz was a frightening, funny and fantastic performance that reflected the phenomenal amounts of effort put into it by all involved. A key element of the play was the vast numbers of characters included in the story. Not only is there the lead characters to consider (including Naomi Lawson as Dorothy); there are Munchkins, monkeys, wizards, witches and the humble inhabitants of Oz.

We would like to thank all the teachers and pupils who managed to make the play such a glowing success: I’m sure none of us will be able to rid ourselves of the tune to ‘Follow the Yellow Brick Road’ for months.