TQS StaffSince it’s first performance ten years ago, Wicked the musical has been one of the most acclaimed musicals of it’s time, with throngs of super fans going to enjoy the show time and time again.
Conceived as a prequel to the Wizard Of Oz, Wicked follows the story of the Wicked Witch from childhood, her mistreatment at the colour of her skin, her abusive father, selfish sister and her unlikely but true friendship with Glinda the Good.
Wicked is perhaps most famous for it’s stirring song Defying Gravity
On stage this is undeniably mind blowing, with flawless powerful singing and close, dissonant harmonies.
The character of Glinda the Good provides humour and entertainment, with the song ‘Popular’ being the one key light-hearted moment throughout the production.
Both of these performances were my highlights of the show, however both were in the first half meaning that the second half for me felt a little…flat.
The most enjoyable aspect of any musical for me is the variation of moods, tempos and music; with racaus and jolly chorus pieces alongside moving ballads. Wicked however seemed to lack this variety, it was all very much on a plateau level of slightly downbeat but not especially moving.
I was also disappointed with the costume and set design. Aside from the Emerald city scene the design lacked colour and interest and the costumes could have taken more inspiration from the vivid techni-colour for which the original Wizard of Oz is famous.
Wicked is certainly a good show which I would recommend going to see. However maybe because this show has received so much hype over the past ten years, I felt it was all a little anti climatic.
Put simply, Wicked is no Mamma Mia.
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