Wizard of Oz, Minories Garden, Colchester.

IT'S the summer so that means another theatrical adventure with the area's most popular and established open air theatre company.

That's Chameleon's Web and following a number of successful adaptations by local writers, the troupe have done it again with James Potter's faithful and slick version of the Wizard of Oz stories.

James, who also appears variously in the show as the Wizard, Dorothy's father, a poo-flinging obsessed flying monkey and a Munchkin, has taken the classic tale we all know from the film, added some bits we might not know from the books, then drizzled some lovely comedic touches throughout which makes this something new and fresh.

Delivering his one-liners and set scenes with aplomb is a great cast made-up of some new Chameleon's Web names as well as familiar faces.

Paisley Pascal is a lovely Dorothy, sweet and feisty in places but also balancing it out with a sad vulnerability that demonstrates her character's odd predicament.

She is well served by her companions, Peregrine Maturin-Baird a loveable dopey Scarecrow, Jemma Douglas as a super no nonsense Tin Man, and the excellent Ivy Dillon who almost steals the show with her silly but entirely adorable cowardly Lion.

Jo-William Henry Tanner, for such a 'family' show, is a suitably mean witch, while Mia Wallis Humm and Heidi Mussett provide great comedy turns as the one sole member of the Emerald City's Army and the leader of an all female army, made-up of men (you'll see!), which tries to take over the city.

One small criticism would be the amount of time it took to change each scene but when you're trying to capture the wonderful world of Oz, and in such an inventive way, it's a small price to pay.

The tour ends this weekend on Saturday, August 12, at Tollesbury Community Centre from 7pm and then on Sunday, August 13, at St Mary's Church, Wivenhoe, at 2pm.

For tickets call 0333 6663366 or go on-line at www.ticketsource.co.uk/chameleonsweb

NEIL D'ARCY-JONES