WICKED depending on the novel by Gregory Maguire. Songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, e-book by Winnie Holzman. Wicked The Musical, the spellbinding and spectacular hit musical, will be the untold tale of the legendary witches in the Great Wizard of Oz.
Wicked tells the tale of Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch with the West and her connection with Glinda, the Excellent Witch of the North. Their friendship struggles through their opposing personalities and viewpoints, rivalry over the identical love-interest, their reactions towards the Wizard's corrupt authorities, and, in the end, Elphaba's public drop from grace. The plot is set largely just before Dorothy's arrival from Kansas, and includes a number of references to well-known scenes and dialogue within the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.
When Dorothy famously triumphed more than the Wicked Witch, we only actually heard 1 facet of the tale. Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, Wicked: The Lifestyle & Times of the Wicked Witch with the West, created "one of the great heroines of fantasy literature" - Los Angeles Times, explaining how a misunderstood, green girl named Elphaba became "wicked" but her unlikely friend, Glinda, became "good".
The exceptional team that has brought this captivating story to life on stage consists of a lot of of Broadway's most celebrated creative talents. Winner of 15 major awards, this "spectacular spectacle" - New York Post transports audiences to a fantasy land of wizardry and witchcraft with Grammy Award-winning new music, Tony Award-winning sets and costumes, and stunning special effects.
The Washington Post calls Wicked "a breathtaking success tale of a magnitude the theatre has not witnessed since the peak years with the Phantom with the Opera". Now you can experience this magical new musical adventure in London and discover that you've not been told the whole story about the Land of Oz...
The Apollo Victoria Theatre was built as a 'super-cinema' and originally called the New Victoria Cine-Variety Theatre when it opened on 15th October, 1930 showing the film "Old English" and a stage show called "Hoop-La". This strikingly art deco cinema was designed, as were all super-cinemas of the period, with facilities for stage shows that would precede the cinema films. Provincial Cinematograph (PCT) invited Ernest Walmsley Lewis to submit plans to build the cinema close to Victorial Station. The theatre is now a Grade 2 Listed building with a seating capacity of 2348.
With two frontages along busy roads, it is alleged that taxi drivers called the theatre "Sing-Sing". Since its opening the theatre has experienced many highs and lows. The theatre is now 1 with the leading West End theatres and has hosted such musicals as The Sound of Audio with Petula Clark, Camelot with Richard Harris, and Fiddler on The Roof with Topol.
In 1984 the theatre hosted Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express, a show which required much building work to be done towards the auditorium due to the show's special effects. After eighteen successful years the show ended on 12th January, 2002.
Since this time the Apollo Victoria has undergone much restoration work, returning the theatre to its former glory. Bombay Dreams previewed from 31st May 2002 with its opening night on June 19th, 2002. The show ran until June 2004, when it moved to America. Three weeks later Saturday Night Fever moved in exhilarating the West End with its 70's style music until 18th February, 2006.
On March 28th, 2006 Billy Joel's smash hit Broadway show Movin' Out opened for an eight week run. Since that time, further restoration work has continued until Wicked, The Untold Story with the Witches of Oz opened in September 2006 and is still performing to packed houses today.
Now seen in the theatre, are the emerald green iron railings. The black and silver-channelled foyer walls have been restored and the ceiling is back with its prismatic dazzling silver ornaments. Further work will probably be carried out on this spectacular theatre, but it is already a national treasure.
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