Empire Theatre, Sunderland – 4 April 2015
Wicked has been entertaining audiences in the West End since 2006, and this first UK tour shows just why it is so popular.
Photo by Matt Crockett
To give it is full title – Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, is based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. This itself is based on the L Frank Baum story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the classic Judy Garland 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. And a little trivia fact, Elphaba is named from L Frank Baum.
Although mainly green, the show is colourful and vibrant and tells a story of love, friendship and embracing differences.
Glinda played by Emily Tierney, is saccharine sweet with a strong soprano voice and superb comic timing. Tierney’s performance of comical number ‘Popular’ provides a show highlight but her rendition of ‘Thank Goodness’ which truly allows her to shine revealing the character’s inner vulnerability.
Fiyero, Samuel Edwards, plays such an under used part. He has a ruggedness to his acting and gives the character definition.
Marilyn Cutts was sinister and sickly and marvellously malevolent as Madame Morrible. Steven Pinder combined Doctor Dillamond with his role of the Wizard and shined in both. Carina Gillespie as the tragically beautiful Nessa Rose shows a tough side and her love hate relationship with Boq, Richard Vincent, gives her a hard edge to her character.
But it is Ashleigh Gray as Elphaba, the green skinned heroine, who steals the show It is probably easy to learn the script and play the part but Gray has given layers and depth to her interpretation of the part. Her careful pronunciation of her words and outstanding singing voice allow a powerful emotional intensity. And the show stopping ‘Defying Gravity’ was breath-takingly powerful
There were some lovely nods to the original Wizard of Oz. Nessa Rose’s stripy black and white tights, the origins of the Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow. And the keeping of the original books idea’s that the shoes belonging to Nessa were silver until enchanted then they became ruby red.
Wicked is Sunderland until 25 April and then on tour round the UK and playing in the West End at the Apollo Victoria. Full details at http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/