MUSICAL REVIEW: Wicked UK Tour ★★★★

Wicked

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Saturday 14th December 2013

Ever since I first heard the soundtrack last year, I was always looking forward to eventually bering able to watch the show, which, now I have gotten round to seeing, did not disappoint. Firstly beforehand, I was third row from the front, which is the closest I have ever been to any production, and this really made a difference I believe to how I saw the show, because it felt very powerful and more drawn to it then I think I would have been if I was further back. So onto the show, where act One start with ‘No one mourns the Wicked’, a song about the death of Elphaba, the wicked witch of the west, before Glinda turns up and is questioned whether she was friends with Elphaba whilst a student, and this leads into the past, taking place at college, and the story starts.

Essentially Wicked is one of the best things I have seen on stage, mostly because of the raw talent and the fresh energy and enthusiasm that was brought onto the stage, especially from the main principles, Nikki and Emily, who both put their own spin on the iconic characters and really made it their own. The way both of the character's personalities change throughout the show, especially between the end of act one and the start of act two, is flawless and really shows off how talents these actresses really are. Their flawless notes, especially Nikki’s lasting notes in ‘Defying Gravity’, really gave me goosebumps, and along with ‘For Good’, these two songs were easily the highlight of the show for me due to the presence set onstage from both actresses.  

I was thoroughly delighted with all the twists and shocks in the show that I was previously unaware of, most notably Nessarose turning Boq into the Tinman after being Jealous that Boq was in love with Glinda and not her, Fiyero being turned into the scarecrow, the offstage presence of Dorothy and references to Toto, and the biggest shock of the show being that Elphaba never actually melted from the water but inside ran away with Fiyero at the very end of the show, making a nice touch and round up to the whole show, with a last few lines of ‘For Good’ playing.

Everything about this show was just spellbounding, and this doesn't just include the performance going on onstage, but the detail to set and props, costumes and lights, and most importantly the music and lyrics, which without Wicked would not be the show it has become today. Every line, prop, scene, entrance and exit had clearly been thought through and this is visibly clear when watching the show, and all of this just shows.

Overall, Wicked was a magical experience which I thourghly enjoyed throughout, and leave me walking out of the theatre humming the tunes all the way home!