Wicked is one of the most popular shows on stage, and not without good reason. The show is currently celebrating its 10th year on Broadway and its 7th year on the West End, and this year it embarked on its first UK and Ireland tour. Boasting over 90 awards internationally, its draw is understandable. For this reason, when I went to see Wicked this summer I was obviously very excited! Not only did Wicked’s reputation precede it, but it had also been on my to-watch list for about four years.
Possibly the
biggest draw is Wicked’s consistently talented cast. The performance I saw
featured notable Wicked star Gina Beck in the role of Glinda, and brilliant
understudy Hayley Gallivan in the role of Elphaba. Beck was hilarious and heart-warming, while Gallivan was incredibly
powerful. Her performance of Defying Gravity was show stopping!
The stage looked
incredible too of course, and I often found myself drawn the way the actor
interacted with the sets, especially during actor Ben Freeman’s show stopping
rendition of Dancing Through Life, where the ensemble’s exceptional dance
skills were showcased.
In fact, the
ensemble were one of the most connected and impressively energetic I have seen
in a show, however, my personal favourite performance of the night came from
Marc McBride, ensemble cast member and understudy Boq, who made the occasionally
annoying role extraordinarily likable with his bouncy movements and childlike
tone. A star!
Overall I was
extremely impressed with this production of Wicked, and was extremely grateful
that many of the cast members came to the stage door after the performance. It
gave a few audience members an opportunity to congratulate cast members and ask
some questions (We received some useful tips for Harriet Thorpe, the cast’s
Morrible). Overall the production was brilliant, the ticket process were
reasonable and the experience as a whole will be something I won’t be
forgetting in a hurry!
Verdict - 4 1/2 Stars
Verdict - 4 1/2 Stars
