Wicked at Bradford's Alhambra Theatre review: A spellbinding, heart-warming showstopper

The Wizard of Oz is a story that has been loved for generations by those old and young.

As you might likely be familiar, the classic family tale is based on a young Kansas girl who dreams of a better life 'somewhere over the rainbow', caught in the eye of a tornado she lands in the fantasy world of Oz.

Aside from Dorothy and her trusty little four-legged companion Toto, one of the most memorable characters of the 1939 film is none other than - the Wicked Witch of the West.

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Thanks to Margaret Hamilton’s unforgetable performance in the film, the Wicked Witch became one of TV's most iconic villains, notorious for her terrifying cackle and, of course, undeniable green skin.

Wicked came along and gave the misunderstood witch the chance to tell her own story and it turns out Elphaba isn't so bad after all...

The smash-hit musical, which tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, has opened at Bradford Alhambra for a five-week season, the fourth stop on a major tour which launched in Edinburgh in December 2023 and concludes in Manchester in January 2025.

The theatre was buzzing on Thursday evening as the cast burst to the stage with the first upbeat musical number of the night.

It wasn't long before Glinda the Good (Sarah O'Connor) made her grand appearance - by bubble of course! She blew the socks off every audience member with her impressive vocals as she opened the show with 'No one mourns the Wicked'.

Wicked follows the story of the unlikely (and hilarious) female friendship between the green-skinned outcast Elphaba, later known as the Wicked Witch of the West, and the ditzy, blonde Glinda the Good.

The two meet at the magical Shiz University and gradually go from loathing each other to becoming inseperable. They overcome many challenges together from falling for the same boy to uncovering that the wonderful Wizard of Oz is not so wonder after all and is actually a fraud responsible for 'scapegoating' the realm’s talking animals.

The show portrays a serious underlying message about the treatment of minorities in society, which is presented in a subtle yet thought-provoking way without deteriating from the entertainment of the show.

Laura Pick plays a convincing and compelling Elphaba. She is initially shy, awkward and accepting of her 'underdog' status, although she is certainly not lacking in personality - her sharp one-liners, often directed towards Glinda, are second to none.

However, she soon finds the confidence to speak out when she see's other minorities being oppressed, in particualry Doctor Dillamon (Simeon Truby), of whom she is most fond of.

Along with her quick-wit and humour, Pick, unleashes an almighty pitch-perfect voice that seems effortless and when she belted out the iconic 'Defying Gravity' before the end of the first act, jaws hit the floor.

The second part of the show kicked off with another fantastic musical number 'Thank Goodness' from Glinda and Madame Morrible (Donna Berlin) before the compelling story continued as the audience learnt the tragic details of how Elphaba turned 'bad'.

Sarah O'Connor is fanatastic as Glinda throughout, she has got the toddler-like, spoilt brat but secretly sweet and caring persona nailed to a tee. A particular highlight was the scene where she gives Elphaba a makeover and teaches her how to 'toss her hair', which had the audience in stitches.

Emmerdale and Coronation Street star, Simeon Truby, is fantastic as the Wizard of Oz and also boasts impressive vocals during his solo - 'A Sentimental Man'.

Towards the end of the show, the two Witches perform 'For Good' together, which makes for emotional viewing as they thank each other for shaping them into who they are today - it's certainly a moment that warrants a cheer from any self-respecting feminist!

The cast returned to the stage hand-in-hand following the grand finale and were greeted with a very well deserved standing ovation from the crowd.

The show was brilliant from start to finish, the vocals were faultless, it was hilarious, engaging and emotional too. The production was brilliant, as were the costumes and choreography. A throughougly entertaining evening that made for the perfect girls night out! A must see.

The multi-record breaking production runs at Alhambra Theatre, Bradford until Sunday, May, 19. Book your tickets, here.

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