[Watch] ‘Wizard of Oz’ Show Turns Chaotic: Audience Throws Trash and Food at Actors Over “Atrocious” Performance
The latest Wizard of Oz show at Manchester’s AO Arena has left many theatre-goers frustrated and seeking refunds after what they called an amateurish and disappointing performance.
The production, titled Wicked Wizard of Oz: A Cirque Spectacular, promised a “brand-new, breath-taking Cirque staging” of the classic story with “pantomime meets cirque” flair, but attendees say the show failed to deliver.
Michelle Radford, from Bury, described the experience to the Manchester Evening News: “It was atrocious. I have never seen anything so bad in my life. We thought it would be like Cirque de Soleil, it was presented as a fantastic show. I am speechless for how bad it was.”
She said the performers handling props seemed chaotic, and the acts felt more like an amateur production. “It wasn’t professional at all. There were a lot of people walking out before the break,” she added.
Radford also criticized specific elements of the show. “When it came back on there was a lion dressed as a tiger walking across a tightrope. It was very, very basic, not the ‘spectacular’ event it was supposed to be. The tinman was in a Transformers costume. Toto was a sheepdog. It was laughable,” she said. Radford described the performance as false advertising and said she had requested a refund.
🔥🚨DEVELOPING: Wizard of Oz actors got flooded with trash, food and anything anyone watching could throw during their performance at Spectacular at Manchester's AO Arena.
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) December 26, 2025
One witness wrote: "I have never seen anything so bad in my life."
Several hundred customers are… pic.twitter.com/dGgcPPNFxK
Other attendees shared similar frustrations. One parent, speaking anonymously, said her children struggled to enjoy the show because of inappropriate jokes, including references to Donald Trump and s***** content.
Liam Hopkins, another attendee, said the show’s marketing led him to expect a Cirque de Soleil-style performance, but the reality was very different. “Several elements felt closer to adult holiday entertainment than a family-friendly pantomime,” he said. “While there was effort and enthusiasm from the performers, the overall staging, choreography and pacing lacked the scale and polish you’d associate with a cirque-style spectacle.”
Tracie Ross, a theatre producer from Bolton, attended with her adult daughter and left after just 15 minutes. “During the tornado, they came into the crowd and were shooting the crowd with water guns. It just didn’t hit. The dancers’ costumes looked cheap and tacky,” she said. Ross added that hundreds of people left during the show, and she was disappointed the arena didn’t vet the production beforehand.
Social media has also reflected the dissatisfaction. A Facebook group, The Woeful Wicked Wizard of Oz – A Not-So Cirque Spectacular, has gathered hundreds of complaints from those who attended the Manchester show and other venues. Comments range from disappointment over poor stunts and sound to criticism of inappropriate content and lack of a coherent storyline.
The production company, The World’s Biggest Productions, defended the show, noting its prior success in Blackpool. A spokesperson said, “It was never suggested this was a Cirque de Soleil production. Six of our talented circus cast won silver medals at this year’s European circus festivals. Like all pantomimes, our show contains some jokes in the pantomime tradition of being silly.”
The AO Arena also commented, stating, “As a venue, we have no control over the content of shows and therefore we were recommending people get in touch with the production company.”
It seems this version of the Wizard of Oz failed to meet audience expectations, leaving many feeling let down during what should have been a festive theatre experience. It raises questions about marketing promises versus actual performances and whether families are being misled by flashy advertising.
What do you think about the backlash against the Wicked Wizard of Oz? Was it unfair, or did the show genuinely fail to deliver? Share your thoughts in the comments.