Posted: Sunday 29th July 2007

Wicked, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, opened in London's West End in September 2006. The musical originally opened in 2003 on Broadway and despite mixed critical reviews the show found acclaim through word-of-mouth. Now a Tony-Award winning musical, Wicked celebrated a cast change on Tuesday 24th July 2007 at London's Apollo Victoria.

For those who are unfamiliar with the musical, Wicked tells the story of the witches of Oz, Glinda and Elphaba. In The Wizard Of Oz, Glinda is portrayed as The Good Witch whilst Elphaba is The Wicked Witch of the West. In Wicked the picture isn't so black and white and the story discovers how Elphaba came to be know as wicked by exploring the friendship between Glinda and Elphaba which formed when they met at school. Elphaba was an outcast due to her green skin colour whereas Glinda was the most popular girl in school and the object of all of the boy's affections. As the two witches become closer, their lives begin to cross-over a little too much and a journey to see The Wizard of Oz changes their lives forever.

Tuesday's new cast unveiling saw Dianne Pilkington take on the role of Glinda, Oliver Tompsett as Fiyero and Andy Mace as Dr Dillamond. Kerry Ellis and Susie Blake continued in their roles as Elphaba and Madame Morrible respectively.

Of the new cast members, it was Pilkington who was the most impressive. Despite intially being a little annoying with her helium voice, her performance was rooted deeply in comedy and she managed to win over the crowd with her portrayal of Glinda. Vocally she was a force to be reckoned with and her voice had strong opera leanings. Pilkington was reminiscent of Katherine Jenkins both visually and vocally. She also displayed impeccable comedica timing and frequently had the audience in stitches.

Despite the new cast changes it was still Kerry Ellis who was the star of the show. her portrayal of Elphaba was simply magnificent and she reached her peak with the close of Act 1 whilst singing Defying Gravity whilst suspended in the air. Her voice is truly magnificent and she poured every ounce of her energy and passion into every note she sung. Elphaba is the character that the audience is supposed to sympathise with but Ellis made you want to sympathise with her. Her performance was honest and touching and you believed that she was fighting to fit in. The scenes with Elphaba's sister Nessarose (Katie Rowley Jones) were touching and the chemistry between the two actresses was believable.

Highlights from the show include Glinda's shining moment whilst singing Popular, the romantic duet As Long As You're Mine between Elphaba and Fiyero and the menacing No Good Deed.

At 2 hours and 50 minutes long, Wicked never outstayed its welcome. The songs and dance routines kept the audience on the edge of their seats as did the magnificent performances from the cast. Mention must also go to Susie Blake who makes Madame Morrible a larger than life character with a constant air of menace.

A big part of Wicked's success is its spectacle. It is by far the most visually stunning show I have seen in the West End. From the magnificently detailed sets through to the impressive dragon which regularly moved and breathed smoke, the show was a visual treat for the eyes. The costumes looked incredible, the make-up (especially the flying monkeys) was realistic and the set-pieces were absolutely amazing. The face of the Wizard of Oz was suitably creepy and menacing and Nigel Planer put in a good turn as the corrupt Wizard.

It's not difficult to see why Wicked has become the musical juggernaut it has. The show is irresistable and great fun for the whole family. The teaming Of Kerry Ellis and Dianne Pilkington is a complete winner, and the two actresses have a fantastic chemistry that keeps your attention and never once loses you. During the musical numbers their harmonies were truly breathtaking and once the show was over you felt sad that the magic had finished.