What is this feeling, so sudden and new? My excitement at seeing Wicked again, that’s what! Kerry Ellis returns to this record breaking show in a blaze of green glory.
In my mind, a show like Wicked needs no introduction; it’s hard to imagine walking through London Victoria without seeing the eye-catching green signs adorning the Apollo Victoria Theatre. After winning over 100 international awards and defining the careers of many musical theatre performers, I have to remind myself that Wicked has only been around for 9 years. But like any musical, it often goes through cast changes to keep the performances fresh. So I went along to watch this spectacle once again but now with a new leading lady playing the green witch Elphaba herself.
Dance now wherever you may be! Michael Flatley may have given up his crown as the Lord of the Dance but I still watched this show in a state of childlike glee… for the most part.
Sometimes I get a gut feeling about whether I’m going to enjoy a production before I’ve even walked through the door. Normally I mistake this for hunger and grab a chocolate bar that I really don’t need, but this time as I walked through the doors of the Novello Theatre I had an uneasy feeling telling me that I was not going to be impressed by this show. But, Mamma Mia! has been running for 16 years and is still going strong, so I told myself to watch it with an open mind. Now don’t get me wrong, I love ABBA and can often be found belting out Dancing Queen in a karaoke bar or on a dance floor. I figured that I would spend the evening happily singing along to a corny show with a crazy storyline and great performances. I should have listened to my first gut feeling.
Given the cast listing for this show, I expected to like it more than I did. Give the songs more punch and the acting more flair.
If I could give it 6 stars, I would! Any high school class studying the play should see this production to truly appreciate it. Any aspiring actors should too, it’s a real masterclass.