Wicked - Apollo Victoria Theatre

Review Summary

Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars based on 128 review(s)



Latest Review: "Worst show I have seen in London everScreechey dialogue made my granddaughters ears hurt

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Age Restriction: Recommended for ages 7+, children under 4 will not be admitted. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by adult during the performance. 

Important Info: The producers cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness and holidays. Circle row A Restricted View warning - Balcony wall (row A). It is recommended that these seats are for customers who are 5’8” (173cm) or taller but are suitable for most adults.

A trip to the Apollo Victoria Theatre, next to the famous London Victoria Station, means happening upon the blockbuster musical Wicked. Famous as a quintessential part of the West End and Broadway, with a lasting effect on popular culture to boost, it is a show with true staying power and one that continues to put smiles on faces.

To work out why the show continues to resonate with audiences, one must take a look at its history, taking a trip to the first half of the 20th century.

In 1939 audiences around the world were amazed by the colourful adventure The Wizard Of Oz, the movie adaptation of L Frank Baum’s classic novel featuring Julie Garland travelling down a yellow brick road alongside some memorable companions. The movie popularised iconic characters from the Tin Man to the Scarecrow, whilst introducing new songs into mainstream culture such as Over the Rainbow and We’re Off To See The Wizard. But it also introduced us to two embittered enemies whose rivalry had a tight grip on the Land of Oz – and it’s these two characters who form the basis of Wicked.

In the stage musical, we learn how these two characters came to be. We start the story in the playground as two unlikely friends form the basis of the story. One of them is Glinda, a beautiful and popular girl with high ambitions, whilst the other is Elphaba – cursed with pearl green skin, shunned by her classmates and full of intelligence. Pretty soon their relationship develops into a bitter playground rivalry, one that will mirror the battle between the two later in their lives as they both grow up to become figures we recognise from Dorothy’s adventure – Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West.

This musical production at the Apollo Victoria Theatre features its own memorable songs, which have contributed to its long lasting popularity both in the West End and across the Atlantic on Broadway. Musical numbers include I’m Not That Girl, One Short Day, Popular, Defying Gravity and No-One Mourns The Wicked, amongst a range of others.

In addition to being a prequel to The Wizard Of Oz, Wicked is also an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s source novel, which led to the Broadway adaptation early in the last decade. Now its success is felt worldwide and it is showing no signs of slowing down.

So make sure you catch Wicked as the fantastic musical continues its run at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London’s West End. It has been playing for well over a decade now and long may it continue.

Did You Know?

• Wicked’s full title is Wicked: The Untold Story Of The Witches of Oz.
• Audiences can currently witness cast members like Alice Fearn as Elphaba and Sophie Evans as Glinda. Further performers include Andy Hockley as the Wizard of Oz and Jack Lansbury as Boq, amongst others (all cast members correct as of October 2017).
• There have been many stars involved with the production over the years, including Idina Menzel, who played Elphaba on both sides of the Atlantic, Helen Dallimore and Kerry Ellis, amongst many others.
• Original West End cast members included Adam Garcia, Nigel Planer and Miriam Margolyes, amongst others.
• When it first opened, the show earned five nominations for a Laurence Olivier Award, with a further nomination for Most Popular Show years later (the latter of which it won).