Wicked At The Alhambra Theatre Bradford Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Kat Harrison
A multi-record-breaking and critically acclaimed touring production in Bradford. Yes please!
In the words of my eight year old, “Spellbinding. Magical. Incredible.”
Whilst the phenomenon of Wicked hasn’t failed to escape me, I must admit I knew little about the show prior to my visit to The Alhambra. All I knew was that Wicked is seemingly one of the most successful musicals of all time (where have I been these last two decades?) and that the reviews of this show featuring the somewhat reimagined Land of Oz have been consistently outstanding. And mine will add to the plethora.
Wicked creates a parallel universe to the story written by L. Frank Baum, first published as ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ in 1900. If like me (until yesterday) you’re only familiar with this version where Dorothy famously triumphs over the Wicked Witch of the West, you have only heard one side of the story.
Wicked will make you question things you never thought to question. We accept the Wicked Witch is wicked, after all we all love to hate a baddie. But what if you were presented with the backstory as to why she’s a witch known as wicked and what if wicked, as in bad, should really have taken on the more modern meaning of the word, and she’s actually a witch who is really cool?
Wicked fills in the gaps and in doing so not only sees you analyse the story of The Wizard of Oz but life in general. Is everything really as we are lead to believe, particularly in this day and age of fake news, recently highlighted by Comedian Joe Lycett. Are we all too quick to take what we’re told at face value?
Wicked tells the story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young university students. The popular, golden girl Glinda, and Elphaba, a misunderstood green-skinned girl, instantly disliked and prejudiced against because of her different looks.
Following an encounter with the ‘Wonderful’ Wizard, their lives take very different paths and through an extraordinary adventure in Oz we see the two girls fulfil their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. But is everything really as it seems?
I’m lucky enough to see a lot of musicals and enjoy them too, but I always seem to find myself commenting on the sound not quite hitting the mark. Not this time. Bullseye. The quality was so good, I found myself wondering if the soundtrack was pre-recorded. Testament to Sound Designer Tony Meola and the talents of a pitch perfect cast.
Amongst that cast who are all truly accomplished, the absolute stand out for me was Laura Pick as Elphaba. What a voice. What an actress. Her comedic timing and delivery really elevated her character and immediately drew you in and had you rooting for the underdog. But back to her voice. It’s like silk. And she makes all the elements of her performance seem effortless. Laura’s rendition of ‘Defying Gravity’, one of the most well-known songs from the production, gave me goosebumps. Outstanding.
Brilliantly put-together. A phrase that can be used to describe the cast, costumes and choreography. All the work from those on stage and from those behind knits together, no stitches dropped, to create a truly impressive production.
When I asked my daughter what had impressed her most about the show, she totally surprised me by saying, ‘the lighting.’ Congratulations Lighting Designer Kenneth Posner for capturing the attention and the imagination of my primary school aged theatre buff and undoubtedly the rest of the audience. Through the power of lighting we saw Elphaba soar, felt part of an intense rainstorm, travelled to the Emerald City and bore witness to a clever, crossover confrontation between Elphaba and Dorothy.
As a guide to parents and guardians, Wicked is recommended for ages 7+ with children under 3 years of age not permitted. There’s nothing in it that I wouldn’t let younger children see; maybe one scary scene easily remedied with a cuddle but I’d say its length would perhaps put me off bringing little ones. Whilst the show is totally engaging, 2 hours 45 minutes including a 20 minute interval might be a stretch for mini theatre goers.
As a family, we frequently listen to whole musical soundtracks in the car and whilst I think some of the songs in Wicked might not quite lend themselves so well to easy listening on a journey, they work perfectly well in telling a story in conjunction with the action on stage. The orchestral arrangement is seamless and complements every scene to a tee.
There are no weak links in the cast of thirty-three, led by Laura and Sarah O’Connor who plays Glinda and the twosome make a formidable team. Their friendship is believable and together they manage to create fun, laugh out loud moments, yet also suck you in, with touching, emotional dramatic displays.
Whilst the main plot focuses on friendship, there’s an integral side scoop of a romantic nature. Carl Man as Fiyero plays the dashing, seemingly shallow come good, love interest. His involvement in Elphaba’s life makes for the most interesting twist!
A big shout out to Simeon Truby who not only plays a wonderful, Wonderful Wizard of Oz but exceeds in his role as Doctor Dillamond, whose goat impression should win an award all of its own.
Wicked is fun and it’s exciting. The ‘fairytale’ in itself is massively entertaining but in the context of the wider world, there’s lots we could learn from this thought-provoking show, not least how we treat people who are different from ourselves and thinking twice before jumping on the bandwagon of rumour.
Wicked is unmissable.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Catch it at the Alhambra in Bradford until Sunday 19th May, before it continues its UK tour. Tickets from £22.75 – £22.75 and available to book online at
https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/wicked#scr-booking
For more details about the UK tour – Southampton, Liverpool, Dublin, Sunderland, Cardiff and Manchester, visit
https://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/tour