Review: Wicked dazzles at Southampton Mayflower Theatre
THE magical power of friendship shines bright as the lavish and spellbinding production of Wicked flies into Southampton Mayflower Theatre until June 16th.
Based on the characters created by L. Frank Baum in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the narrative has been completely re-imagined to allow the Wicked Witch of the West to finally give her side of the story. And it turns out in a world of fake news and propaganda, maybe she isn’t quite so terrible after all.
Wicked focuses on the untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young women who first meet as university students and roommates. It follows their extraordinary adventures in Oz as they fulfil their destinies to become Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Arriving in Southampton for a three-week run as part of a 14-month UK tour, the magnificent production blends superb storytelling, with incredible special effects and a stellar cast, revealing just why this dazzling show has won more than 100 international awards and enjoyed an 18-year open-ended run at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre.
On Tuesday evening, The Mayflower was full to capacity and buzzing as the cast burst onto the stage with the opening number and the wonderful Glinda the Good (Sarah O’Connor) appeared in flurry of sparkles. Travelling aboard a bubble, no less, she showcases her impressive vocals with the show’s opening number No One Mourns the Wicked.
Glinda then begins to tell the citizens of Oz a little more about her friendship with green-skinned Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) looking back to their days at university and revealing how the pair went from enemies to unlikely friends.
On the face of it, the two could not be more different – Glinda is dizzy, blond and extremely popular; and Elphaba is a green-skinned social misfit who is desperate to gain the approval of her unkind father. However, when a small act of perceived kindness from Glinda changes the path of their relationship, the pair soon realise they have a lot to learn from each other.
Laura Pick is exceptional in the role of Elphaba, emerging from a shy and downtrodden teen to a brilliant sorceress whose abilities are matched by her strong sense of justice and determination to protect the persecuted.
With her magnificent voice and huge stage presence, Pick’s show-stopping performance of Defying Gravity concludes the first act on an incredible high.
The second act sees the story realign more closely with the familiar narrative of the Wizard of Oz, as the audience learns the tragedy surrounding Dorothy’s arrival in Oz, and how the Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow fit into the picture.
Other principal cast members include the wonderful Donna Berlin as Madame Morrible; Emmerdale star Simeon Truby as the brilliant Wizard of Oz and Doctor Dillamond; and Carl Man as Fiyero; the young prince that threatens to destroy Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship.
With a sensational storyline that deals with many dark issues including propaganda, percussion, murder – and even the re-writing of history to fit a political narrative – Wicked is a truly dazzling show that resonates.
Yet despite all this, it also manages to remain incredibly upbeat acting as a powerful reminder of how kindness and compassion really can change the world.
Wicked is at Southampton Mayflower Theatre until Sunday 16th June. Tickets from £30, to book visit http://mayflower.org.uk
