5 star Review of Wicked by Natalie Anglesey


I'm still flying high after seeing WICKED, the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon which tells the incredible story of the Witches of Oz. It has flown home to where it all began in 2013, at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, for one final time. This must be the fifth time I've seen it and it's lost none of its charm. This magical production not only travelled across the UK and Ireland but has  dazzled audiences in China, the Philippines, Singapore and Switzerland.

If you haven't seen it yet WICKED transports us to the stunningly re-imagined world of Oz, providing wonders beyond the imagination. It's been seen by over 9 million people in London alone. Around the world, WICKED has won more than 100 major awards, including ten theatregoer-voted WhatsOnStage Awards. 

The acclaimed cast features an amazing vocal range from Amy Ross as Elphaba,who sings the big hit song Defying Gravity! This girl is a star! Helen Woolf as Glinda, displays a delightful comic touch while Aaron Sidwell (Steven Beale in EastEnders) is Fiyero, and Steven Pinder (Max Farnham in Brookside) plays the dual roles of The Wizard & Doctor Dillamond.

Based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire this innovative musical ingeniously re-imagines the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’. It tells of an unlikely but profound friendship between two sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.


WICKED has music and lyrics by Oscar, Golden Globe, Grammy and Tony Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin; Disney’s Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted; DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt) and is based on the novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ by Gregory Maguire and adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman (My So-Called Life). Scenic designer Eugene Lee and costume designer Susan Hilferty each won 2004 Tony Awards for their stunning designs. Music arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton) and Stephen Oremus (Disney’s Frozen). Musical staging is by Wayne Cilento and the production is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello. 
This may be your last chance to see this wonderful musical in Manchester. Perhaps a bit too scary for the little ones but nostalgic memories for those of us who saw Judy Garland in the film role of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. But if you haven't seen it yet- give yourself a 5 star treat!

4 DECEMBER 2018 –  5 JANUARY 2019 PALACE THEATRE Box Office: 0844 871 3019


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review of Coram Boy at The Lowry by Natalie Anglesey

Image
Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Coram Boy, is at The Lowry until June 29. Review by Natalie Anglesey .  Ignore any previous reviews you have read of Coram Boy, prior to its current stay at The Lowry this week. My advice is to see it yourself and make up your own mind. I'm certainly glad I did. The majority of reviews have so far been negative with only a few comparing this mammoth work with that of the great Charles Dickens. However, if like me you're a fan of the famous author, you may agree because the themes are concerning corruption of the worst kind. This powerful piece which received a rapturous reception, also features Handel’s glorious music throughout this astonishing production.  Helen Edmundson’s stage adaptation of Jamila Gavin’s Whitbread Award-winning novel, premiered at the National Theatre in 2005 before transferring to Broadway. Prepare to be impressed – as I certainly was - when I saw it at The Lowry.  The time period is the 18th century with...
Read more

Twelve Angry Men at The Lowry - Review by Natalie Anglesey

Image
  Twelve Angry Men The Lowry, Salford Review by Natalie Anglesey   Following previous record-breaking West End seasons, and a critically acclaimed tour in 2023, Bill Kenwright Ltd’s powerful production of  Twelve Angry Men  is at  The Lowry  this week until   2 nd  March 2024. Ever since the powerful fifties film starring Henry Fonda, which was nominated three times for Academy Awards, and since then, several stage productions over the years, this splendid court-room drama has never failed to impress me. Now there’s the chance for you to see Reginald Rose’s knife-edge courtroom drama at The Lowry all this week. The cast is now headed by  Jason Merrells  ( Casualty, Emmerdale )  taking over the role of Juror 8 from Patrick Duffy for the 2024 tour. He subtly holds  the whole production together. The cast also includes   Tristan Gemmill  ( Coronation Street, Casualty ),   Michael Greco  (EastEnde...
Read more

The Osmonds - A New Musical next year!

Image
The Osmond's new musical is coming to Manchester!  M y best friend was an avid Osmond fan in her teens and she still is. Personally I've had the pleasure of interviewing Donny Osmond for @BBCRadioManchester and I also became a fan!  It's that kind of unfailing dedication that the Osmonds have held on to over the past 50 plus years.Now Osmondmania is returning to Manchester with a musical by Jay Osmond which tells the story of the brothers from Utah who were in the spotlight as children and went on to sell over 100 million records gaining a huge army of fans. From their star residency on The  Andy Williams  Show, to the arrival of Donny and Marie, The Osmonds lived a remarkable life recording chart topping albums, selling out vast arena concerts and making record breaking TV shows - until one bad decision cost them everything. Directed by  Shaun Kerrison  and choreographed by Olivier Award winning  Bill Deamer , this brand new musical features a chart...
Read more