If you’ve not gone to see Wicked in the West End yet, you are seriously missing a genius piece of work.
Celebrating its fifth anniversary this Tuesday, Wicked stars Rachel Tucker as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Louise Dearman as Glinda, the Good Witch, who tell us of their un-told history of friendship, rivalry, and how Elphaba became so wicked throughout the show.
Clever, witty and a green-tinted visual feast, Wicked is enjoyable for theatre geeks and theater noobs alike. With just the right amount of camp mixed with the offbeat darkness of Oz, Wicked completely swallows you up, and Tucker’s voice will long stay in your head even after the show is over.
While you don’t need to be familiar with the story of The Wizard of Oz in order to like Wicked, you will enjoy it so much more if you are. Wicked seamlessly tells us what happened before Dorothy ever set a ruby slippered foot on the yellow brick road, as well what went on behind-the-scenes during and after Dorothy discovered there’s no place like home - revealing answers to questions you may not have even known you had.
The chemistry between Tucker and Dearman is fiery, yet so is the chemistry between Tucker and Mark Evans, who plays the token handsome male in Wicked, Fiyero. Intertwined with all the flying monkeys, sorcery, and iconic pair of shiny shoes, there is also a love story, which really is the cherry on top of this lime green sundae.
The costumes of Wicked are incredibly fashionable and look like the lovechild of Alexander McQueen and Dr Seuss. The set is equally entrancing. There are plenty of “How did they do that?!” moments as Eugene Lee, Wicked’s Scenic Designer, has found incredibly clever ways of producing scenes and effects that are too complicated for the stage at the London Apollo to recreate in a straightforward, obvious way. (How does one believably portray the tornado that lifted up Dorothy’s house in theatre?) It’s shows like Wicked that prove that despite us all being accustomed to 3D films and completely animated worlds like in Avatar - a creative and well constructed set in a show on the West End is equally if not even more enthralling.
Highlights of the show for me were mostly in the first act, with songs like “The Wizard and I” and the act’s finale, “Defying Gravity”, when belted from Tucker gave me serious goosebumps, and maybe even a few camp, glittery tears. (Seriously, she is that good.)
But beyond the music, twists and green body paint of Wicked is its overall “anti-bullying” theme that is so stirring, and also relevant in our current society. Elphaba is, obviously, bright green, and while we know from Kermit that it’s not easy being green, Elphaba shows us that having a different skin color, way of thinking and eccentricities can cause you to be an outsider who is constantly tortured and bullied. We see how Elphaba is vilified for being different and standing up for what she believes in, and its the question of “nurture vs nature” - is someone born wicked or made that way by society? - that Wicked’s creators want to stay with you, long after the last munchkin has left the stage.
Rachel Tucker has announced she will be playing Elphaba in to 2012, while former Busted bandmate Mark Willis will take over as Fiyero, Gina Beck will become Glinda, and Desmond Barrit will be playing the Wizard, staring 12 December 2011.
For tickets and more information, please visit www.wickedthemusical.co.uk