Wed 1 Oct

The Wizard of Oz… but not as you know it!

Director, Sarah Punshon and Set and Costume Designer, Yoav Segal share their creative vision with us based on the new adaptation, written and specially commissioned by Theatre by the Lake from Sonia Jalaly.

This Christmas, Theatre by the Lake will present a brand-new adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, specially commissioned from writer and theatre maker Sonia Jalaly. With director Sarah Punshon and set and costume designer Yoav Segal, both recently nominated in this year’s UK Theatre Awards for their outstanding work, at the helm, audiences can expect a Keswick Christmas show that is fresh, imaginative and unlike any Oz you’ve seen before.

A bold new take

Jalaly’s version begins in a Cumbrian cottage, where Dorothy dreams of escaping to her old life in London. Swept up by a storm, she is transported into a world of witches, wizards and flying monkeys. But beyond the familiar landmarks of the yellow brick road, Jalaly has rooted her adaptation in contemporary questions about adolescence, rebellion and identity.

“I’ve always been fascinated by stories that mix magic with the everyday,” Jalaly says. “In this Oz, Dorothy’s journey speaks to the turbulence of being a teenager, testing boundaries, pushing against expectations, and finding your own voice.”

A creative team at the forefront

Director Sarah Punshon, whose career spans acclaimed work for Theatre by the Lake (Dial M for Murder, Of Mice and Men, The Caretaker) as well as national stages and television, brings her trademark energy and inventiveness to the production. “This story has captivated audiences for over a century because it speaks to something we all recognise: the longing for home, the courage to face our fears, and the joy of discovering what we already have within us,” she explains. “I’m excited to share this magical journey with audiences in Keswick this Christmas.”

For designer Yoav Segal, whose Pinocchio (Watermill Theatre) and Cable Street (Southwark Playhouse) were both named among the UK’s top shows of 2024, this Oz is an opportunity to create something both spectacular and immediate. “By exploring what’s going on in Dorothy’s life, Sonia and Sarah have found a new angle to tell the narrative. It feels very contemporary, looking at the misinformation wizards of the modern age for teens living online. My design aims to fuse an organic, tactile, punk-ish and ecological aesthetic, so that the acting, puppetry and music burst vividly off the stage.”

Steampunk spirit, timeless themes

Audiences can expect playful touches of steampunk style threaded through the design, reflecting both the industrial grit and inventive spirit of Baum’s original tale. With a gender-reimagined Tinwoman and both Lion and Scarecrow played by local Cumbrian talent, the production also embraces inclusivity and celebrates homegrown voices.

Above all, this is an Oz that balances festive spectacle with heart. “It’s about friendship, courage, resilience, and finding belonging,” Punshon says. “Qualities we need more than ever.”

About the writer

Sonia Jalaly is a writer and theatre maker from Manchester, based in London. Her plays include Jack and the Beanstalk and Aladdin (Lyric Hammersmith), Happy Birthday Without You (Kiln Theatre/Paines Plough, winner of Best Newcomer at the Greater Manchester Fringe), Catch (Clean Break) and Cold Chips and Pick n Mix (Royal Exchange, winner of the Manchester Culture Award). For television, her credits include Supertato (CBeebies), Class Dismissed (CBBC), Justin’s House (CBeebies) and The Amelia Gething Complex (CBBC)