IF YOU follow the Yellow Brick Road, it runs between Leeds and Birmingham, and more precisely the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

The Wizard Of Oz has come up with the box-office goods at both theatres, and this Christmas season, the co-production is turning the Leeds theatre into Kansas and Oz once more, after Birmingham hosted the show last winter.

In her Leeds debut, Helen Owe takes on the role of Dorothy for a third time, while Michael Cahill is reviving his turn as The Scarecrow from the first Birmingham show in 2003.

"It's just a fantastic part, and it's lovely to forget life around you for a couple of hours in a world far removed from the norm, " says Helen, explaining her reason for accepting the invitation to visit the Land of Oz once more.

"I don't think I could get a better role. I'm 26 now, but I look younger, probably 18, and I still get asked to show my birth certificate in pubs."

Unsurprisingly, she loves Dorothy. "She's a great because a lot of 'girl' roles are girlie, but Dorothy is feisty and always stands up for herself, though she also has her girlie streak.

"From what she learns from the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion, she grows up and goes back home appreciating what she had all along."

Helen had not seen the 1939 film since childhood when she landed the role. "I then made the decision not to watch it until quite late in the run, " she says.

What did she think of Judy Garland's performance?

"She just has this innocence about her, even though she was 16 or 17 when she made the film, but then she always had that wide-eyed, child-like look, " Helen says.

Whereas Judy Garland's performance is frozen in time, Helen is playing Dorothy anew this season.

"I've not made a conscious decision to change her; the performance has just happened and it's all in the script, but what I have been able to do is think more about the character. You can always improve some things from the previous year."

Michael Cahill was initially "slightly wary" about playing The Scarecrow again.

"It's always nice to be asked back but when we first did it, it was very exciting in its newness, so there's always a danger that the chemicals might not be right this time, but judging by how rehearsals have gone I'd say the director Rachel Kavanaugh has got it absolutely right."

Michael deliberately began with a blank page, rather than retracing old steps.

"I made the decision to start the characterisation from scratch again, " he says. "You have to be truthful to the story and the look, but you also have to make it stand out on its own as a new performance."

The Wizard Of Oz, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, now until February 3. For little Munchkins aged eight plus. Box office: 0113 213 7700