There's one moment that I am sure that most people remember which made them want to work in the theatre industry. There are moments which remind you why you are STILL in the industry.
For me, seeing The Phantom of the Opera for the first time was the first moment. Seeing the second preview of WICKED last night was definitely a moment to add to the list.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The set is square and squished. It must be that the Gershwin Theatre is so much bigger and therefore has a wider stage, but it just seemed so compact. Still looks great though and the dragon is impressive close up. I was in the final row on the mezzanine on Broadway after being lucky enough to get last minute tickets, but here on the front row of the Dress Circle at the Apollo Victoria it does look different. (Update: It is indeed smaller length-ways, in London the two apron cogs touch, whereas they are spread apart on Broadway).
IDINA MENZEL (ELPHABA)
It looks like entrance applause have made their way onto the West End. This exclusively Broadway tradition seems set to make a home here. Given that 80% of this audience were WICKED fans (read geeks) like me, the rapturous applause on Idina's entrance stopped the show.
You really have to respect a multi-award winner and so I can't really criticise her performance. I was pleasantly suprised. I remember feeling a little underwhelmed when I saw the show on Broadway so did expect to think that she was over-rated. When listening to the CD you realise you are only listening to the songs. It was Idina's acting throughout the show, the consistency of the performance that lets you know why she won that award. Very, very good.
HELEN DALLIMORE (GLINDA)
What a lot of pressure for someone in a debut role. Considering that Helen is co-starring with Idina, you have to respect the guts it takes to rise to such a challenge. Helen's voice is very pure and she certainly brings a warmth and pathos to the role that wasn't there with Chenoweth. In the London production Glinda is English, which works about 70% of the time. In What Is This Feeling the american and english pronounciations of "last" and "fast" don't match up which sounds a bit silly. However, the Helen carries of the posh spoilt brat very well.
ADAM GARCIA (FYERO)
Oh dear. Can't sing. Can't act. Has no charisma and can't work with Idina.
MARTIN BALL (Dr DILLAMOND)
What can I say? An absolute legend. Martin has been updating fans of the show with his backstage blog at www.lastminuteliving.com which has given great insight into the Broadway transfer. His Dr Dilliamond was well rehearsed even in supermarket checkout queue and it is everything it should be.
MIRIAM MARGOYLES (MME MORRIBLE)
A bit of a veteran, Miriam brought a lot of humour to the role but you never really believed she was the character. She speaks through the songs, which isn't particularly annoying but it would be nice to hear some of the melody sometime.
NIGEL PLANER (THE WIZZARD)
Reminded me a bit of Marty Crane in Fraiser and looked like George Bush. A very, very different role to the kind of thing we're used to seeing him in but he was fun and a great singer, which for some reason I wasn't expecting.
ORCHESTRA
Very well led by Gareth Valentine. There were some who believe his appointment to the show was taking a big risk and that he simply wouldn't pull it off. Those people were wrong. The music sounded very fresh (new orchestrations perhaps?) and fun. It will be interesting to see if this is maintained once the band get bored of playing the music night after night. Either way, very good. It did feel like the orchestra was being coaxed to slightly faster tempos by the leads, which they need to respond to but otherwise excellent.
SOUND DESIGN
The worst aspect of the show in my opinion. WICKED needs to be loud and the orchestra really needs to be well-balanced with the vocals. I could understand the sound being poor at the back of the Apollo Victoria's very large stalls but not at the front of the Dress Circle.
LIGHTING
Kickass and well deserving of the many awards.
COSTUMES
You see how intricate and amazing they are when the lights are up for the curtain call. In the dark lighting they are lost a little. Adam Garcia's trousers didn't seem to fit well. Otherwise totally award-worthy as they were.
CONCLUSIONS
Just what the West End needs and I hope this runs for a good decade or so! Just what I needed to restore my love of live theatre and has definitely made me rededicate myself to my dreams of writing some kickass West End musical theatre.
