Wicked
Director: Joe Mantello
Writer: Stephen Schwartz. Winnie Holzman
Based on: Gregory Maguire‘s novel, which is in turn based on L. Frank Baum‘s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz respectively the movie The Wizard of Oz
Cast: Louise Dearman, Gina Beck, Ben Freeman, Harriet Thorpe, Keith Bartlett, Katie Rowley Jones, Sam Lupton, Christopher Howell
[I saw the production in London.]

Plot:
Wicked tells the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West became the Wicked Witch of the West. And it all started in school where Elphaba (Louise Dearman), whose green skin makes her a target for everyone, arrives as her sister’s Nessarose (Katie Rowley Jones) helper, to be discovered as a magical supertalent. Much to the chagrin of popular Glinda (Gina Beck) who dreamed of becoming a witch herself. But more is going on in Oz than it appears at first – and both Elphaba and Glinda are more involved than they initially thought.

I didn’t really know Wicked going into the show. A while ago I watched some of the clips of the Broadway version (mostly because of Kristin Chenoweth), so I knew some of the songs and I was familiar with the story. But seeing it put together like it should be is, of course, a rather different experience and one that really works beautifully. I spend most of the time crying and I loved it.

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