Wicked has already completely sold out for it’s run at the Hippodrome which just goes to show the splendour of this production. We had amazing seats in the centre of the stalls – a perfect view of the stage and the gigantic Dragon flying over head that comes alive throughout the show. The curtain raises and you’re smacked in the face by a heart-pounding chorus and full stage movement. It sucks you in right away and you’re left mesmerized for the whole duration – if ever there was a workshop on ‘How To Create The Perfect Opening To A West End Show’ Marc Platt and the rest of his production team would be leading the way.
[otw_shortcode_quote border=”bordered” border_style=”dashed”]”…be wowed by the epic staging, costumes, story line and of course outstanding spine-tingling songs!”[/otw_shortcode_quote]
For those who have yet to see this magical piece of theatre, Wicked is the untold story of the Witches of Oz. A prequel to The Wizard of Oz if you will, that shows the rise of The Wicked Witch of the West and Good Witch Glinda! Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them? That is the question of the night with relationships that will stay with you for many moons to come after curtain fall.
The costumes in this production are incredible. Gigantic dresses, wigs, makeup and animal suits completely suck you into the wonderful world of oz – a real spectacle – and the set is pretty darn impressive too. Despite on the move with it’s UK tour, the staging at The Hippodrome does indeed rival the Apollo Victoria and totally encapsulates the weird and wonderful world of Oz and the Emerald City.
[otw_shortcode_quote border=”bordered” border_style=”dashed”]The curtain raises and you’re smacked in the face by a heart-pounding chorus[/otw_shortcode_quote]
For me it’s the songs that make this musical my absolute favourite. With epic scores and oh so powerful high notes, classics like ‘Defying Gravity’, ‘The Wizard and I’, and ‘Popular’ give the show a Disney-like feel and leave you humming tunes for days on end after you leave the theatre. My personal fave comes in the second act ‘No Good Deed’ a deliciously dark song with poignant lyrics as with so many of the others. The story line dances elegantly with clever and subtle nods to the original story, all whilst still creating a whole new and magical world of its own.
The touring cast were fantastic and really made the story their own in these traditional roles. Helen Woolf stole the show for me with her part as Glinda, she was a complete delight, really throwing herself into the over-dramatised good witch character with so much energy! Bold movements, fantastically chirpy vocals and a real soft side at times, Helen played the role to perfection and brought so much humour to the table that I don’t remember seeing before – the best Glinda yet for me! Amy Ross was also fantastic for Elphaba and handled the big songs with ease putting her own spin on things throughout. A huge character to play and Amy really hit the nail on the head. The role of Fiyero – often cast as a celebrity role – was played so easily by Aaron Sidwell who, like Emily, thoroughly threw himself into his part – the perfect brainless disney-esque prince!
Wicked is an outstanding piece of musical theatre and one everyone needs to experience. A clever and touching story jam packed full of incredible songs that will leave you and the whole family well and truly wowed.
Grab a ticket to see this INCREDIBLE show! (affiliate link)
Have you seen Wicked before? Which witch is best? What’s your favourite song?
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xax