The UK tour of a beloved musical is coming to Watford next week.

Ballet Theatre UK’s production of The Wizard of Oz will be performed at Watford Colosseum on Monday, December 23, and Tuesday, December 24.

Join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion (and Toto too) as they seek the Wonderful Wizard - only to find that there’s no place like home.

The Wizard of Oz is a two act, full-length ballet adaptation of the iconic tale by L. Frank Baum, told through the magic of classical dance.

Set to a classical score which brings the story to life, this production is family friendly and is the perfect way to introduce children to the classical ballet.

Emily Boswall stars as Dorothy, and we sat down with the dancer ahead of the show’s premiere in Watford.

What is your first memory of the Wizard of Oz?

My first memory of The Wizard of Oz was sitting down with my mum on a rainy Sunday afternoon to watch Richard Thorpe’s 1939 film on video for the third time that week. The magical world I would get teleported to when Dorothy steps out of her grey, dull house from Kansas and into a colour-filled fantasy land of dazzling images will never get old. The pure magic around the whole film is something so original and timeless.

Where will you get your inspiration from when characterising your role?

My main inspiration when characterising my role will be Judy Garland’s interpretation of Dorothy. She perfectly portrays an innocent and wholesome country girl from Kansas, but when faced with an entirely new world you can literally see a glimmer of adventure in Garland’s eye which suddenly creates a courageous character. She portrays each side of Dorothy perfectly, something which I aspire to master when developing this role.

Watford Observer:

Do you think there is a lesson to be learnt from Dorothy’s journey?

Dorothy has got to be one of my favourite heroines of all time and I think that we can all learn from her perseverance. She never gives up and conquers her obstacles, calmly determined to overcome these all by herself. She is also no stranger to making unexpected friends, who are so different to herself, but teaches us that good friends may come in unlikely places and may not look or be anything like us. But I think that the biggest lesson to learn is that no matter how glitzy and appealing a world may look, there really is just no place like home.

What will be your greatest challenge with this role?

I think that this role will be so enjoyable but also very challenging. Everyone knows and loves the famous story of The Wizard of Oz and living up to the legacy that Judy Garland left behind will be a true test. Dorothy is so loveable and making audiences connect with my personal portrayal of her will be challenging. I think the real difficulty will be connecting with Dorothy through dance. Not many ballet companies have performed The Wizard of Oz, so I will have to pull inspiration from other areas including my previous dance training and personal life experiences.

Watford Observer:

What would be your advice for young ballerinas?

I would tell any young and aspiring dancer to be ambitious and that no dream is too big or unrealistic. If you have determination teachers will see a spark in you and when auditioning or simply just attending a weekly class your teacher or director will favour an ambitious hard worker over anyone else any day. I would also say that it is a good thing to be corrected by your teacher; take this as a compliment that they want you to succeed and not a negative comment to bring you down. Always work hard, never give up and always dream.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, Monday, December 23, 3pm, and Tuesday, December 24, 1pm. Details: 01923 571102 watfordcolosseum.co.uk