Wicked

Location: Apollo Victoria Theatre

With the popular show Wicked, you are given the opportunity to revisit the land of oz in this spellbinding prequel to the famous novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (which was adapted into the movie The Wizard of Oz) by L Frank Baum. Find out how this magical world came to be as Dorothy arrived, when the two witches are arch nemeses and the Wicked Witch of the West tries to hunt her down.

Wicked is set before the time of Dorothy, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some familiar faces appearing in this hit production. Even the Wizard of Oz himself arrives during the course of the musical, undoubtedly putting a smile on any nostalgic fan’s face.

Wicked began life as a hugely popular, sell out Broadway production, which amazed critics and audiences alike. It was deemed a blockbuster production and caused enough of a stir to spark a national tour of the United States and Canada. It was after this that productions started cropping up all over the world, with everyone around the globe wanting to witness this pre-Dorothy land of Oz. Therefore in September 2006 Wicked opened at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London’s West End, and it has been running strong ever since.

But what story does Wicked focus on? Wicked takes us to a time before Dorothy, when Oz is still the same place we recognise, but certain enemies were yet to be formed. We are introduced to two unlikely friends; one is Glinda the school’s popular girl, with beautiful good looks and much in the way of hope for the future; the other is Elphaba, who has been born with green skin and a less optimistic outlook on life – her only positive attribute is her intelligence, something that she will later come to rely on. This unlikely friendship soon develops into a bitter playground rivalry, setting in motion the chain of events that would lead to them becoming bigger enemies. Out of the classroom Glinda and Elphaba become ultimate foes to one another and subsequently become Glinda the Good Witch and Elpbaba – The Wicked Witch of the West.

The Wizard of Oz is a timeless classic that starred Judy Garland and its popularity has allowed this production to continue strong. Whether or not you are a fan you should get you Wicked Tickets and get to the Apollo Victoria Theatre and enjoy this West End treat.