Wicked
Location: Apollo Victoria
Date Seen: Thursday 14th April
Seen With: 3 friends
Understudies at This Performance: Helen Woolf as Glinda
Summary
Wicked
has a huge fan following worldwide. Recently, I was disappointed with the
Broadway production feeling that it lacked a certain magic sparkle to it and
with the actor playing Fiyero lacking any depth at all. I had been wanting to
see the West End version again for some time
especially with Oliver Saville in the role of Fiyero (I previously saw him cover
Raoul in The Phantom Of The Opera). As I love seeing an understudy, I knew we’d
get one when my friends booked the tickets as Savannah was on holiday but to get the second
cover was a pleasant surprise which I’ll explore in my review.
Acting
Each
actor plays their character to a high standard and you can clearly identify the
different personalities. Emma Hatton’s Elphaba is strong willed with a
mischievous edge in contrast to Helen Woolf’s well poised and uptight Glinda.
What is beautiful is seeing how each of them clearly changes throughout the
performance to show Glinda’s loving side and Elphaba’s caring side. Oliver
Saville’s Fiyero commands attention whilst clearly having a connection with
Emma Hatton. The whole cast does a great job of transitioning from the naïve
school days to fear trodden Oz.
Music & Songs
I
can’t think of many people who couldn’t sing part of a Wicked song as the songs
have become so well known. They have impact and the score is highly memorable. ‘Defining
Gravity’ is probably the most well known song but there are songs such as ‘No
Good Deed’ that really demonstrate the power of the orchestra and the vocals of
the lead actors.
Choreography
The
choreography of Wicked is cleverly put together making the most of the ensemble
and space on the stage. The routine featured in the instrumental piece of
‘Dancing Through Life’ is one of my favourite routines with lifts and in sync
couples dancing together.
Direction
Strong
direction has meant that nothing has been left amiss in Wicked. Intimate scenes
are tastefully displayed whilst oozing with passion and big group scenes have
been directed to create a buzzing atmosphere without distracting from the key
moments.
Set/Lighting
The
arch of the theatre provides much of the set for this show with its staircases
and metalwork as well as the dragon suspended from the ceiling. Other pieces
are brought onto stage such as benches, blackboards, podiums, Dorothy’s house
etc to set up each scene. The lighting is used to great effect in this show to
highlight when Elphaba is conjuring magic.
Costumes
Wicked’s
costumes are some of my favourite in any musical. They are over the top and
colourful throughout, filling the stage for visually spectacular group numbers.
The leads’ costumes really are the triumph of this show and I’ve actually spent
a lot of time away from the theatre researching them. Elphaba’s Act 2 Dress and
Glinda’s Bubble Dress are the two stand outs with their layers, colours and
craftsmanship. As an aside from this blog, I am currently attempting to make
Glinda’s dress and it is spectacularly complex.
Stand Out Performances
Emma
Hatton as Elphaba - She has such a voice on her and it really does blow you
away. She plays Elphaba with so many dimensions that you really feel you can connect
with her.
Helen
Woolf as Glinda - Glinda is a tough role to fill but Helen did the role
absolute justice. I believe the way she delivered Glinda’s journey from self
centred child to a strong-headed woman. Her opening vocals gave me goose bumps!
Oliver
Saville as Fiyero – the best Fiyero I’ve seen as he captured his charm, had
real chemistry with Emma Hatton and has a great voice. I’d love to come and see
this again with him opposite Savannah
as well!
Mark
Curry as The Wizard – this was by far my favourite representation of the wizard
I’ve seen. He came across as a family man with a real sincerity throughout and
I loved his vocal arrangement in his songs.
Show to Show Comparisons
I
have to compare this to the Broadway version which left me feel cold. The West End version seemed to have some much more energy to
it. I’m not sure whether the Apollo Victoria assists in this as the stage is
smaller and you instantly feel a greater part of it in comparison to the
Gershwin Theatre. The actors just seemed to be more together and the chemistry
between actors was stronger and more believable. I’d like to see it again on
Broadway to hopefully prove me wrong, but in my eyes the West
End version reigns.
Would I Recommend?
Yes
- It’s a timeless show about friendship and believing in yourself
Overall Verdict (Out of 5 Stars):
5 Stars