Wicked
Apollo Victoria Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 22nd January 2013
"Based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West."
Although Wicked is set in the magical world of Oz, it somehow manages to be one of the most touching, relatable musicals of all time. Unfortunately there are not enough stars which I can give to this spellbinding show.
Wicked has it all - stunning costumes and tremendous sets, but what makes Wicked stand apart from the rest is its extremely clever story and its breathtaking score. You will never be able to watch The Wizard of Oz the same way again!
Act 1 is humorous and easy going, the main focus is the establishment of the characters. However, during the second act everything comes together, the surprises do not stop coming. Nothing thrills me more than watching the reactions of audience members who have not seen the show before. Many "oooo's" and "aaahhh's" could be heard and I even spotted a few open mouths.
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Act 1 is humorous and easy going, the main focus is the establishment of the characters. However, during the second act everything comes together, the surprises do not stop coming. Nothing thrills me more than watching the reactions of audience members who have not seen the show before. Many "oooo's" and "aaahhh's" could be heard and I even spotted a few open mouths.
+and+Louise+Dearman+(Elphaba)_credit+Matt+Crockett+(1).jpg)
Louise Dearman recently made Wicked history by becoming the first actress to play both leading roles. She originally played Glinda but recently returned as Elphaba. Louise always played Glinda so effortlessly but I was apprehensive as to whether she would be as good as Elphaba, which is debatably one of the most demanding and iconic roles in musical theatre. What I loved most about Louise is that she seemed to relish every single moment. I couldn't get over just how powerful her voice is, while she sang the climax of Defying Gravity (the Act 1 finale) I became so transfixed and absorbed in Louise's performance that I physically could not move. I completely forgot I was in a theatre along with hundreds of other people, and as the curtain came down for the interval it took me a good few minutes to recover.
Gina Beck's portrayal of Glinda is stunning, she has really grown into the role. Her attention to detail was sublime. Gina plays Glinda with such depth and her voice is delicately beautiful. Overall the rest of the cast are strong. Sam Lupton makes the perfect Boq while Katie Rowley Jones, who was in the original London cast of Wicked, is good as Nessarose. However, I felt something was missing from Ben Freeman's portrayal of Fiyero. Bizarrely his accent slipped a few times and his singing was not always consistent.
If you have not seen Wicked since it opened in 2006, it should be at the top of your list of shows to see. Even after several visits to the show I still left the Apollo Victoria Theatre feeling inspired and blown away. The majority of the cast give world class performances and nearly every single detail is perfect.
Please visit www.wickedthemusical.co.uk for more information and to book tickets.
Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
andrew@westendframe.com
Photo Credit: Matt Crockett
Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
andrew@westendframe.com
Photo Credit: Matt Crockett
Wicked is one of the best musical on Broadway. It is amazing.
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