Wicked

Love them or hate them, musicals continue to draw audiences in the West End. What I love about musicals is the glitz and the glam, and Wicked certainly delivers. WICKED first dazzled Broadway in October 2003 and came to the West End in September 2006, bringing Stephen Schwart’s powerful songs to London. Schwart’s impact on the show was illustrated when I invited my friend to join me and she exclaimed, “I’ve been listening to the soundtrack for ages!” Wicked seems unique in that many people listen to the soundtrack prior to actually seeing the production.

Based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the L. Frank Baum’s, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, it sheds a green light on the untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, played by Alexia Khadime, and her friendship with Glinda, the Good Witch, played by Dianne Pilkington.

Stepping out of tube, the green lights shining down from the Apollo Victoria Theatre onto the street lead our way to the theatre entrance just as the yellow-brick road lead Dorothy to OZ.

The Wicked Witch of the West stole our hearts with her powerful and deep, yet impeccably controlled voice. Her passion and energy made her stand out, even amongst the outrageous costumes (designed by Susan Hilferty) and spectacular sets (designed by Eugene Lee). She has previously played the role ‘Nala’ in Disney’s The Lion King (West End). She truly complimented Glinda, who delighted us with every hair-flip and squeal.

The show is famous for being over the top and it did not disappoint! A rain of confetti opened the show in celebration of the death of the Wicked Witch. It took me by surprise as I was marvelling at the giant dragon looking down on us when the confetti was released. During intense moments the dragon’s eyes would illuminate a bright red, it would shake its head and flap its wings above, inciting squeals and gasps from the younger members of the audience. The set for the Emerald City extended beyond the stage by surrounding the audience with green lights. The costumes were different shades of green and gold, made of velvets and satins, and had ruffles, holes, and volume in unexpected places.

Although the production is for pure entertainment, and involves little thought to follow, it does reveal that there are two sides to every story. The show is truly a melting pot of creativity and we left with a new definition of what it means to be Wicked.

Photo From Londontheatredirect.com

Written By: Trish Langenau