Not all Broadway smash hit musicals have fared so well on transferring to London’s West End but Wicked at the Apollo Victoria theatre is now in to its seventh year. Testimony that some shows do have appeal on both sides of the Atlantic as this show in London continues to defy gravity!
Wicked the musical has played successfully at the Apollo Victoria theatre in London, home previously to another long-running show, Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s roller-coaster spectacular, Starlight Express, which is rumoured to be coming back to the West End. The Apollo Victoria theatre is one of the largest theatres in London with an overall capacity of 2208 making it the second largest commercial theatre in the West End, behind the London Palladium, which has an auditorium of 2286.
Which makes it all the more remarkable that shows continue to sell out at these huge venues. Amazingly Wicked is now the 18th longest-running West End musical of all time and in September celebrated its landmark 2500th performance. The Olivier and Evening Standard Award-winning London show has already been seen by almost 5 million people since its West End premiere in 2006 and is now booking through to November 2013.
Theatre star Louise Dearman returns to the show on 29 October 2012, but this time in the role of green-skinned Elphaba as opposed to her previous role as Glinda the Good. Also returning is Katie Rowley Jones as Elphaba’s younger sister Nessarose.
Gina Beck will now star as the golden girl Glinda the good.
When Dorothy famously triumphed over the Wicked Witch, we only ever heard one side of the story. Gregory Maguire’s acclaimed 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, re-imagined the land of Oz, creating a parallel universe to the familiar story written by L. Frank Baum and first published as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900. Wicked the musical has taken this story and turned it in to a spectacular musical which has won both popular audiences and critical acclaim. Music and lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz.
Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University: the blonde, pretty and very popular Glinda and a quirky, misunderstood green girl, Elphaba.
Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their lives take very different paths and their friendship is put to the test. Glinda’s unwavering desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, has unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
The under-lying question is who is really good and who is really evil? Are people born evil or is it consequences that turn them evil? Or is our perception merely a judgement on publicity or a certain spin on a story? One man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter. The show also touches on prejudices and indeed preconceptions, is someone picked upon because of the colour of their skin?
Wicked the musical is an extravagant, spectacular show with amazing set design, fantastic make-up and costumes but above all wonderful music and songs.
‘A major hit with audiences and critics alike’ – BBC News.
‘A wicked and wonderful vision of Oz. A remarkable kaleidoscope of magical shocks, surprises and sensations, Wicked works like a dream.’ – London Evening Standard
