Review: Wicked at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre

Wicked

Apollo Victoria Theatre

Performance: Thursday 19th July 2012

Wicked is a show that is extremely close to my heart. The first time I saw the show a few years ago I walked out the theatre a different person. However I have struggled to put my finger on what the magic ingredient of Wicked really is. I don't think there is simply one answer. For starters there is the mind blowing music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Then there is the memorising emerald costumes, storyline and cast. On Thursday 19th July 2012 I was fortunate enough to see this show again. This was my first time seeing the new cast as I wanted to give them time to settle into their roles. I plan to be completely honest in this review and hope you find it worth your time.

The show begins with the big ensemble number 'No One Mourns The Wicked' which is led by the character of Glinda. This number reminded me just how strong Wicked's ensemble is. They all work together and quickly draw you into the world of Oz. This song really gave Gina Beck, who took the role of Glinda from Louise Dearman last December, the chance to show off her voice which is very different to Louise's. She played Glinda very simply, unlike many actresses who go very over the top with Glinda. I found it extremely refreshing to watch such a different interpenetration of the character. Gina acts and sings with such elegance and her 'Popular' had the audience in stitches of laughter. I though her 'Thank Goodness' lacked that extra bit of emotion that gives the audience goosebumps, but I think this is something that will come with time and I look forward to her 'Thank Goodness' giving me goosebumps in the not so distant future.

It is always a privilege to watch Rachel Tucker portray Elphaba. Elphaba is an extremely complex character and goes on a huge journey throughout the show. What I love most about Rachel Tucker's performance is that she simply understands Elphaba. I wasn't watching Rachel Tucker playing Elphaba, I was watching Elphaba go on a massive journey. I love how Rachel holds back during 'The Wizard And I' until the climax of the song. It is always amazing to look around the theatre and see how engaged every single audience member is. Rachel's voice demands your attention and every single eye in the building is glued to her throughout the whole song. However it is Wicked's anthem 'Defying Gravity' which really blows everybody away. There is something about this song, I always find myself having to hold back the tears the whole way through it being sung. The lyrics mean so much and the orchestrations are memorising. It is also a song that you need to hear live, as nice as it is to listen to on a CD nothing will prepare you to how it is to hear it sung live. Again, the climax of the song cannot be described in words and left me in a trance for the first five minutes of the interval. Literally I could not move and say anything apart from 'wow'. Lets just hope I didn't start dribbling.

Matt Willis was better than I expected. He wasn't the strongest Fiyero I have seen but I liked how he has made the part his own. For example he obviously isn't as strong a dancer as Mark Evans, who previously played Fiyero, but Matt cleverly used this to his advantage and got extra laughs. He had great stage presence, and most importantly his chemistry with Gina Beck and Rachel Tucker was strong.

As Wicked is currently in-between Wizard's, I saw the wonderful Christopher Howell as the Wizard and the fantastic Kieran Brown as Doctor Dillamond. I have to say Christopher Howell was born to play The Wizard! It was amazing to finally hear the songs 'Sentimental Man' and 'Wonderful' being sung as they were written to be sung! Christopher was also a bit of a rebel and even threw the odd rift in there! It really was a breath of fresh air. He is definitely the best Wizard I have seen to date and should play the role full time! Kieran Brown was also a great Doctor Dillamond, he made the whole audience fall in love with him and his voice really shone during 'Something Bad'.

In Act 2 of Wicked the story really starts to get exciting. I was sitting next to some teenagers who hadn't seen the show before and I loved watching their faces (without looking like a stalker) as the story took all its twists and turns, they were getting so excited and it really reminded me of how I felt during my first trip to see the show. 

One part of act 2 that really stood out for me was 'The Wicked Witch Of The East' scene. Lillie Flynn and Adam Pettigrew really take the characters of Nessarose and Boq to the next level. Normally when an actor or actress puts extra emotion into their voice when singing they sacrifice a few notes, which is perfectly acceptable as it gets the point across. However the extraordinary Lillie Flynn put so much emotion into her voice without sacrificing any of the notes during 'The Wicked Witch Of The East'. She made me feel Nessa's pain, creating an extremely powerful piece of theatre. The song is written so brilliantly and it was nice to hear Lillie really do the song justice! Adam Pettigrew was also fantastic not only in this scene, but throughout the whole show. His attention to detail and the depth in his performance drew me in and made me fall in love with Boq in a way I never have before. Sometimes I feel the character of Boq can be forgettable and completely overshadowed by the other characters. Adam certainly did not let this happen and was my favourite Boq to date!

I have to say I love Julie Legrand. Just when I think she could not go more over the top with her portrayal of 'Madame Morrible' - she does. She has me in stitches each time I see her and, like Rachel Tucker, it amazes me how she keeps her performance so fresh after playing the same role for such an incredibly long amount of time! All the ensemble were fantastic but I have to mention Chloe Hart. She was hilarious during all the school scenes. I think it is about time they made her an understudy for Elphaba..!

Wicked really is a special show and one that if you haven't seen you really need go and see it! It has something for everyone, I don't know anybody who wouldn't be able to relate to it. Visit www.wickedthemusical.co.uk to find out more and to book tickets.