Dorothy's Map | George Wood Theatre

Dorothy's Map is a fantasy musical directed by Haley Wen and co-written by Shuhan Zhang and Chenyu Mao (who is also the composer and sound designer). The musical is a part of the FRESH Festival, celebrating new short musicals. 

Despite a limited runtime of 45 minutes, Dorothy's Map is an ambitious musical with a larger vision that will work well for a longer musical. Dorothy (Jiaxi Ye) finds herself feeling lost and unmotivated as her best friend Clara (Zihan Yin) is accepted onto a fashion design course in Paris. Clara reminds her that she's got "Main Character Energy" and that her destiny will come calling... and moments later it does. Guided into an unknown "Other World" by Presbyter (Estella Shi), a magical being, Dorothy discovers her true history and that she's the only one who can overthrow the corrupt monster Margaret (Shuqi Yu). However, things aren't as they seem and monsters might not always be wicked. 

The book details are sadly glanced over to fit the shorter running time, leaving out the vital exposition and providing only the action sequences, and thereby not quite reaching the depth of emotion it needs. The dialogues, perhaps to appeal to a younger demographic or to induce laughter, are littered with slang that can feel flat at times and slightly undermine the otherwise strong writing. However, the core premise and the strong emotional themes do make for a fascinating musical. 

The four performers do an admirable job in their roles with committed performances to really embody the characters. Yu as Margaret balances the hurt and anger of her bitter character well; as well as a having leaning into the twisted narrative. Shi as Presbyter gives an impressive performance, with an ethereal energy as the magical being; underlying it with her own grievances and desperation. Yin is adorable as the ever excited, positive and loyal Clara, whose infectious energy propels the show. Ye does a commendable job as Dorothy, with an earnest and emotional portrayal as she encounters a world she never knew. Ye grounded performance stands out, giving audiences a character to connect with.

The musical's strongest element is the music. Mao's songs (co-arranged by Youyu An) boast beautiful lyrics and catchy melodies that fit each character's own style. The cast shines the most brightly through these songs, allowing them to explore the character's internal dialogue whilst demonstrating their own talent. Yin makes her quick rap feel effortless and even easy as she breezes through the words, with a catchy beat that has the audience nodding along. Yu's introductory song sees the performer making her way through the audience with a chilling, villainous song that grows more powerful in momentum. Shi delivers a brilliant acting through song moment, as she recounts the history of the other world; reliving the decades of history in a few minutes. Her performance is so moving and expressive that the audience can visualise and feel it clearly too. Ye rounds off the cast with beautiful vocals that have a rich emotive quality, which lifts quite a lot of the diluted context.

The stage is relatively empty and simple, yet the essence of transporting from one world to another is made clear through the generous use of bubbles, fog and prop quick change (which is as impressive as it sounds). The wooden archway feels magical and really supports the show well (Scenic design by Qianyu Chen, scenic realisation by Zhaochen Chen, associate Scenic design by Zihe Yuan and stage management by Ning Ye and Zihan Liu). 

The costumes, by Beini Li, especially that of the Presbyter, are well thought out and add charm to the musical. Both Shi and Yu are transformed into otherworldly beings with detailed costuming that are practical, detailed and gorgeous. The Presbyter, in particular, almost resembles a Glinda-like temperament with the colours. Drink Xiao's graphic design plays onto the archways veil during certain emotional moments, adding to a larger world and providing valuable emotional context. Gene Lee's lighting design takes a unique approach, with varying colours and spotlights appearing when magic powers are used, creating a stimulating atmosphere for action sequences. The fog combines with the light to create a neat hazy appearance. 

Dorothy's Map is a strong start and with more time (both in development and for the final runtime), is fated to becomes a fantastic fantasy musical. As it stands, it's still enjoyable but has untapped potential.

★★★☆☆ (3*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review