REVIEW: Wicked at Mayflower Theatre

Well this is one that needs no introduction. Southampton has had another Oztastic makeover, coloured emerald for the return of ‘Wicked’ to Mayflower Theatres stage. This is the Godfather of musicals. When somebody mentions the word musical, ‘Wicked’ is more than likely the first to pop into your head. And if it isn’t, it’s definitely top three at the very least. Anyone who is anyone, theatre lover or not, knows of this musical. It’s more than just multi-award winning, and it’s clear to see why. The soundtrack alone is one that holds more broadway staples than any other. With the movie release of this musical being just around the corner – I only hope that it gets more people into the theatre to see this show. This IS musical theatre. 

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past 21 years (yes it really has been running since 2003!), and don’t know what ‘Wicked’ is about, I’ll give you a very brief rundown. The story is basically a prequel to ‘The Wizard of Oz’. It follows the back story of the Wicked Witch of the West – Elphaba, and the Good Witch of the South – Glinda. It’s a very loose adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel: ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’. Written for the stage by Winnie Holzman, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, it’s so easy to see how ‘Wicked’ has gained more than 100 global awards. It’s even attracted Hollywood again with the two-part Universal Pictures film coming soon, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the roles made famous by Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth. I remember the first time I saw ‘Wicked’ and I just remember thinking, “Yeah, this is the ceiling of musical theatre, you can’t get better than this.” From the story, to the set, to the music, to the overall scale and design. Just immaculate. Chef’s kiss of a musical.

To basically get a standing ovation after every song they sang says all it needs to!

I could talk for days about the incredible cast members that have come and gone before, but in terms of this particular tour – I’m happy to say that this cast can rightly join a big list of theatre royalty. ‘Elphaba’ and ‘Glinda’ are two roles that every actress dreams of playing, and they’re also two roles that are the most vocally challenging in theatre. Reprising her role from the West End is Laura Pick as ‘Elphaba’, and brand new to the role of ‘Glinda’ is Sarah O’Connor. These two were phenomenal. Everything about their performances were just gorgeous. To basically get a standing ovation after every song they sang says all it needs to! Certain riffs and vocal decisions from Laura were sublime, things I genuinely think I’ve never heard an ‘Elphaba’ do before. Sarah as ‘Glinda’ gave a hilarious and heart-wrenching performance, and that voice! WOW! Possibly the best ‘Glinda’ I think I’ve seen. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen this show now, and I have seen some really impressive names in these roles. However I think these two have certainly edged their way towards the top of that list. 

I also saw the show again last weekend (yes the show is that good!), where we had the alternate ‘Elphaba’, Casey Al-Shaqsy, who deserves her own special shout out. She was incredible, and in shows that have run as long as this one, and soundtracks as well known as this one – there are certain, more difficult ways to sing certain parts of the songs that have become very well-known. For me, I’m now always waiting to see if actors will ‘opt-up’ or not. Casey opted-up at every opportunity she could and with ease. Genuinely breathtaking. I think ‘Wicked’ is a show that always has the best cast, they’re all at the top of their games, and that’s the same here. I feel like I could write a full essay on each individual performance, and to be honest I’m sort of gutted that I can’t. To name a couple more notable performances, Carl Man as ‘Fiyero’ was superb. He exudes ‘cool’, even during his infamous dance during ‘Dancing Through Life’ (if you know you know). He was another to use some riffs I had never heard before as well. Finally, Simeon Truly as ‘The Wizard of Oz’ & ‘Doctor Dillamond’ really brought the best out of the characters to life. Usually these characters’ songs aren’t my favourite, and they’re ones that I’m never usually too bothered about. However this time I was fully invested and thought his betrayal of ‘The Wizard’ was just brilliant! 

When it comes to set and design, I mean this is the benchmark to hit. It’s instantly recognisable, it’s big, it’s mobile, it’s just beautiful. No picture will ever do it justice – you need to see in person. From the dragon and flying bubble, to the iconic ‘Defying Gravity’ sequence; its literally breathtaking. The lighting is so clever as well. It paths out where characters are going to go, it diverts your eyes to important details and captures ‘Oz’ brilliantly. This is all without us even mentioning ‘The Wizard’ or ‘Emerald City’ yet! When I say everything turns green for your visit to the ‘Emerald City’, I mean everything is green! And the impressiveness of ‘The Wizard’ really does give a perfect contrast to the facade that he is, exactly like the story. 

One thing I noticed in this particular tour run over previous times I’ve seen it on tour or in London, was the amount of dance. I loved it! Im struggling to recall if these moments of just dance were always in the show or if this is something new. Maybe it was just this brilliant cast but either way, I thought it was a really really nice to see. As for the costumes as well – totally Ozmopolitan.

‘Wicked ’ is a bucket list musical, and in my opinion it should be on everybody’s bucket list

At the heart of this musical is the music. The soundtrack is so well known, but there’s nothing quite like hearing it live. I think ‘Wicked’ is one of the only soundtracks that it doesn’t matter who sings it, it’s always exciting. With soundtracks like ‘Hamilton’ for example, you get so used to hearing that original cast that anything else starts to sound weird. ‘Wicked’ definitely isn’t like that. Again I don’t know if it was just this time or not, but the band were on top form. There were certain guitar riffs or drum rolls that I had never heard, that just elevated the whole song. The music is another bench mark for all other musicals, but I don’t think another musical has really hit the mark since. 

To sum up, I think this was one of the easiest reviews I have ever written. I feel like I could’ve pretty much written it all without even seeing it. ‘Wicked’ is a bucket list musical, and in my opinion it should be on everybody’s bucket list whether you’re an avid theatre goer, or you’ve never been before. In sporting terms, it’s the world cup final of theatre. Seeing this on tour again has certainly made me super excited for the film when it comes out, but it has also got me thinking about when I can get to London to see it again. Everyone has either heard of or listened to ‘Defying Gravity’ at least once, but nothing compares to seeing it live on stage. Even if you don’t enjoy the rest of the show (which is highly unlikely), ‘Defying Gravity’ or any of the many ballads in the show, will make it worth your while. I’m not going to beat around the bush and say about seeing this show – instead I’m going to say this…

You NEED to see this show. If it’s touring near you, go and buy a ticket. If it’s not, try get yourself down to London. It’s a decision you will never regret. Seeing this touring cast in particular will be a treat as well, because as I’ve said – it could be the best overall cast I have seen in this show. ‘Wicked’ is at Mayflower Theatre until Sunday 16th June before continuing on their UK tour. You’d be crazy to miss this one. I wish all of the cast, crew, and company the best of luck going forward, and all the success in the world.