Cool FM’s Melissa Riddell followed the yellow brick road to Dublin last weekend and watched WICKED at the Bord Gais theatre.
It’s often said, ‘There are two sides to every story.’ Wicked is the story less told. Based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked centers around an unlikely friendship between Elphaba – more commonly known as the Wicked Witch of the west, & Glinda the good.
Elphaba (Amy Ross), the fiery and misunderstood girl with emerald skin is feared by her peers at the Hogwarts like, Shiz University, but when she meets her new roommate, the beautiful, blonde & popular Glinda (Helen Woolf), she is simply loathsome.
We meet the wizard (Steven Pinder) and Madame Morrible (Kim Ismay) separately but we soon learn they are working together to utilise Elphaba’s magical talents for their own benefit which involves gaining control of not just the Emerald City but all of Oz – which might I add, isn’t unlike what happens in, ‘The Capitol’ if you’ve seen or read, ‘The Hunger Games.
When Elphaba rises up against them, she is condemned across Oz as the Wicked Witch of the West and a literal witch hunt commences.
Ross’ performance as Elphaba is irreproachable. Her energy is electric and she leads with fantastic comic timing, not to mention her voice soars effortlessly to the back of the theatre. Woolf matches her flair for comedy, with some utterly hilarious moments, and again has a beautiful voice with an exceptional vocal range demonstrated during her solo moments.
It is difficult to find favor between two characters who are such worlds apart, but so loveable in their own ways, and you’re often left questioning which witch (if any) is Wicked?
The chorus of Ozians must also be credited, they are a delight to watch, maintaining big characters, with fantastic movement and vocals leaving you wishing you could ‘pause’ and ‘rewind’ just to ensure you don’t miss a thing.
From beginning to end the show is a feast for the eyes, from the colourful sets and scenery, to the spectacular costumes and dazzling gowns of the flying monkeys and fellow Ozians, you are never short of something to take your breath away. It truly feels magical.
Wicked continues to be an absolute hit. This production is no exception, the cast are bringing this award-winning musical into theatres across the UK & Ireland, in a truly high-quality production. Wicked is running at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre until Sat 1 September, with best availability from Tuesday 31 July across weekday performances