Take a trip down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City this summer with the award-winning musical phenomenon Wicked. Now in its 17th year of gracing the stage of London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre, the untold story of the Witches of Oz has delighted audiences for over a decade with powerful vocal performances, stunning set design and compelling characters. It doesn’t take a tornado to get swept up in the fateful journey of unlikely friends Glinda and Elphaba – but this is Oz so you can expect to encounter one or two.
With the summer holidays on the horizon and that familiar urge to make the most of the longer days and warm evenings, this is the perfect time to finally see the spectacular show everyone’s been raving about. Just in case you, unfathomably, need a little more convincing, we’ve got five reasons you should treat yourself to tickets for Wicked today…
1. The immensely talented cast
A theatrical production is nothing without the actors who breathe new life and musicality into the beloved characters. This year Wicked will star Alexia Khadime as feisty Elphaba, reprising the role she previously performed in 2008, and Lucy St. Louis, fresh off an enchanting turn as Christine in Phantom of the Opera, as the bubbly Glinda. Other cast members include Ryan Reid as Fiyero, Mark Curry as The Wizard, Caitlin Anderson as Nessarose, Joe Thompson-Oubari as Boq and Simeon Truby as Doctor Dillamond. The gifted ensemble are sure to have you falling under their spell with powerful vocals and charismatic performances that will whisk you away to the magical world of Oz.
2. Its page-turning origins
It’s no secret that Wicked is based on the novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ by Gregory Maguire. His spellbinding story delves into the backstory of L. Frank Baum’s compelling characters in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; fleshing out their lives in a fascinating trip down memory lane. As a result, you can trust that the protagonists and antagonists you encounter in the musical are by no means two-dimensional – Thank Goodness. Brought to the stage by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, you’ll witness the relationships, pivotal encounters, twists of fate and internal battles that led to two unlikely friends ultimately becoming Glinda The Good and The Wicked Witch of the West.
3. The Oscar, Grammy and Tony-winning creator Stephen Schwartz
Speaking of Stephen Schwartz, his name alone should be enough to get you through the doors of Apollo Victoria Theatre this summer. The composer and lyricist has three Oscars, four Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and an Honorary Tony Award to his name. Oh, and sixteen Lifetime Achievement honours. You might say he’s popular. Not only that, but Wicked isn’t the only hit musical under his belt; he also composed Godspell, a long-running success, in the 1970s. Basically, you know you’re in safe hands when it comes to the music and songs of Wicked.
4. Gushings of praise it has received from critics
Don’t just take our word for it, you might have heard but Wicked has had its fair share of glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike. After all, there is a reason why BBC News called it “One of the most successful musicals of all time”. The production has not only a wealth of critical acclaim, with WhatsOnStage calling it “A truly magical show full of imagination and emotion that is not to be missed” and The Guardian crediting it as “An absolute blast. Packed with wit, storming songs and beautiful costumes” but it has also received over 100 awards (including three Tonys, three Olivier Awards, a Grammy and 11 WhatsOnStage awards).
5. You can’t beat seeing it in its London home
Now a West End classic, Wicked recently celebrated playing over 6000 performances in London, and, with extra shows added this Summer, there are now even more chances to experience the spellbinding show. Part 1 of the Wicked movie will hit cinemas next year, and a 10-city UK & Ireland Tour starts in Edinburgh this December, but nothing beats seeing Wicked in the emerald-drenched splendour of the Apollo Victoria Theatre, its original London home for nearly 17 years. Tickets start from just £25.00 with no fees, so you need to snap them up now before they melt away!