Nikki Davis-Jones in the touring production of Wicked at the Palace Theatre, Manchester. Picture: Matthew Crockett
Wicked runs at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until 16 November before continuing its national tour.
Stephen Schwartz’s spellbinding Oz-based musical Wicked opens in Manchester (the first leg of an extensive UK and Irish tour) and firmly casts its magic over the region, leaving a sold-out audience completely transfixed.
While the show may have been scaled back a little to allow for the various venues it’s touring to, nothing of the show’s magic has been lost. In fact, due to the increased intimacy these venues give to the show, it feels as fresh, vibrant and emotionally impacting as ever before.
Based on the cult novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells of course the story of Elphaba, a misunderstood witch who has had to face adversity from her first breath. But is she really the evil wicked witch to which we have become accustomed, or have the decisions and opinions of others forced her hand on the path she chose?
However you feel about the path the character treads, you can’t help but be won over by Nikki Davis-Jones’ scintillating performance as Elphaba. She brings a great balance between the character’s quirky, geeky side and the feelings of anger and frustration. Her journey with the character is so believable, much more so than most of her predecessors, and her renditions of ‘The Wizard and I’ and ‘Defying Gravity’ are not to be missed.
Her ditzy foil, the good witch Glinda, is played with comic panache by Emily Tierney, who certainly puts her own unique stamp on the role, and avoids the clichéd squeaky Chenoweth-esque performance that many who have played the part before have followed. Likewise, Liam Doyle is the epitome of masculinity in a well-honed portrayal of Fiyero.
But it’s not just the leads that have been well cast – the supporting cast is equally as strong, as is the energetic and sharp ensemble. Marilyn Cutts is devishly delicious as Madame Morrible, George Ure evokes audible sounds of sympathy as Boq, while Natasha Ferguson is strong in the more thankless role of Nessarose. The new idea of doubling Doctor Dillamond and the Wizard of Oz proves inspired, and allows the actor to play both oppressor and oppressed, which is wonderfully realised thanks to Dale Rapley.
The production values are as strong as ever, Eugene Lee’s epic clockwork set is atmospherically lit by Kenneth Posner, while Susan Hilferty’s detailed and beautiful costumes really come into their own in a smaller venue. Fans of the music won’t be disappointed either. Even though the orchestra is reduced, there is still a 14-strong ensemble which brings a velvety richness to Schwartz’s score under the baton of Kevin Purcell.
Wicked is not to everyone’s taste, its saccharine-filled storyline may be off-putting for someone wanting a show with a little more weight, but when you are presented with a piece that has pitch-perfect performances, production values to die for, and so many recognisable musical theatre songs, how can you not be bowled over?
Kevin Byrnes
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