Wicked – The Musical: Review

I’ve always enjoyed musicals – the genre, the experience, the magnitude of it all. There is just something extra special about going to an iconic theatre, being part of a live audience, and seeing ace performances on stage in front of you.

While Little Man is a movie buff, I want him experience the wonders of theatre too. And Wicked is a great choice to introduce kids of his age to musicals. So when I got the opportunity to review the show, I was thrilled. Needless to say, it was a ‘wicked’ show!!!

Choose your seats well…

Your experience of a live show can be doubled or halved depending on your seats. Unlike a movie theatre where everything is on one screen, in a Broadway musical there is something going on at different levels and parts of the stage. From the live band and conductor just below the stage, to the varying sets, to the actors ‘flying’ across the stage – you’ve got to see it all to experience the full effect of a show.

Which is why where you sit is crucial. If it’s your first time to a particular theatre, why not choose the best seats with the help of SeatPlan, that gives you a virtual idea of exactly where you will be seated, so you know whether your view will be restricted or not. Getting the perfect seats through them made our experience of the show so much better, especially since this was my son’s first musical.

Wicked – Defying Gravity since 2006

Yes, you read that correct, 2006. Wicked – The Musical has been playing at the gorgeous Apollo Victoria Theatre since 2006! That’s close to two decades!!

Inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked tells the story of an unlikely yet profound friendship between the beautiful and popular Glinda the Good and the green-coloured misfit and always misunderstood Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West. Following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their lives take on conflicting paths that challenge the essence of their friendship and their beliefs, and eventually lead them to their destinies.

Elphaba (currently played by Lucie Jones) and Glenda (currently played by Helen Woolf) are undoubtedly the show stealers, their captivating voices making their characters come alive on stage. But the supporting cast isn’t lacking either – each actor portrays their role to perfection.

The sets, lights, effects, sound and of course the music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz make it a show audiences and critics applaud, and want to keep coming back to.

Wicked has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy Award and ten theatregoer voted WhatsOnStage Awards (including three for ‘Best West End Show’), among other accolades. While it is a story about witches and does have a green-faced protagonist, it is suitable for ages 7+. Entertaining from start to finish!