Wicked - New UK and Ireland Tour (2018)

I know with Bristol they could let you exchange your tour tickets for West End tickets because both theatres were ATG houses.

I was in Leeds yesterday and after a chat with a few of the cast members there wasn't a fire in the theatre, but instead a small fire in Opera North which lies across the road but due to a bridge of sorts over the street the two fire detection systems have to be connected. However by the time this was figured out it had passed Equity's 45 minute cut off point.

£15 tickets for tomorrow available from Box Office (some of the comments on this Facebook post made me laugh!)
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156608449642533&id=270547952532

Difficult to take comments too seriously when the person in the pic is pouting with a cat’s nose and ears superimposed onto their fizzog 🐱 

Considering England are playing today and people will be in the pub early expect to see all that and more!

Just reading some of the comments on that Facebook post and one lady reckons she saw Alice Fearn instead of Amy Ross!! Theatres should probably go back to announcing when standbys are on beforehand to avoid this confusion...

My friend thought Sophie Evans was Glinda when I went! (She didn’t buy a programme and just knew that I’d seen her before) In Edinburgh, I had the understudy Fiyero (Ben Yates) and the two Scottish grannies behind me said “he looks a bit different to when he was in EastEnders!” - was tempted to turn around and say who was actually on.

Really hoping to see Ben in Cardiff at some point!

If complexity agree about Helen and Amy, there’s just something magical about them they I’ve not seen in other pairings.

And the ensemble... wow they’re still on fire, they make me not want to see London again. They’re amazing!

I saw both performances of Wicked yesterday in Dublin, this is just a brief-ish review for anyone who may be interested! Quick note to say that the Dublin audiences were insane at both shows. Laughing at every joke, cheering after every song. It was great as the energy from the audience often influences the performers on stage. You could tell the cast were having an amazing time! 

Amy Ross (Elphaba - matinee show): Anyone who has read my previous reviews knows that I adore Amy as Elphaba. She gives such a layered performance and really goes through every emotion throughout the show. She is so sweet and likable, making her transformation throughout the show even more powerful. Amy really took command entering Defying Gravity and gave a fierce rendition of the song (with her infamous growl). I love how clean she sings the score, only a few riffs here and there but she mostly sticks to the basics, which really just works when she so effortlessly portrays the role. Truly one of the greatest Elphabas the UK has seen. 

Nikki Bentley (Elphaba - evening show): Nikki has improved leaps and bounds since I last saw her in Liverpool. Her character development is astounding. She has really found her own little quirks with the role, which makes her character have so much more depth and she comes across as far more relatable. Vocally she completely wowed me. I believe Nikki is probably one of the strongest Elphabas I have ever heard. Her belt quite literally shakes you in your seat, and when mixed with her riffs really just wraps up the whole performance so well. Nikki has just displayed so much improvement, I am thoroughly excited to see her again for her scheduled shows in August! 

Helen Woolf (Glinda): Helen was stunning (as always) as Glinda. She has somehow managed to bring even more depth to her portrayal. I tend to connect more to Elphaba than I do Glinda throughout the show, however Helen really managed to draw me in and make me really feel for Glinda throughout the story. Her blend of comedy and raw emotion is honestly just breathtaking. Vocally Helen is incredibly impressive, her soprano is always so crisp and you can't fault her belt. A true standout from the Glindas I have seen. 

Aaron Sidwell (Fiyero): I find myself liking Aaron more and more each time I see him. He adds little touches of humanity to Fiyero throughout the show that makes his transition from bad boy to sweetheart more natural than it often seems. He is very likable on stage and has little vocal quirks that I love listening out for when he's on stage. A brilliant Fiyero who has really proved his capability in the role. 

Emily Shaw (Nessarose): Emily has also made many improvements to her performance as Nessarose. I kept a close eye on her performance throughout both shows and you can see a much more believable transformation of her character. The train station scene was particularly memorable as we can truly see the change in her character from sweet and loving to emotionally exhausted and bitter. 

Iddon Jones (Boq): Iddon seemed to be enjoying himself slightly more on stage than in previous performances. The whole cast were quite energetic throughout so this lead to an improved performance from Iddon. Not much else to say other than he gave a serviceable performance. 

Kim Ismay (Madame Morrible): Kim has really changed up her performance since her injury. She has toned down the bitchiness of Morrible and while I thought initially this might hinder her character, it made her seem slightly more realistic, making her performance have more impact. Vocally, Kim really does her little moments justice.  

Steven Pinder (The Wizard & Dr Dillamond): Steven just continues to impress. With how long he has been playing these two roles you would think he would lose some passion for his performance, but Steven consistently delivers. As the Wizard he is incredibly charming and is just a joy to watch, he is like a giant child running around the stage and it is very amusing to watch. As Dillamond, her performs a very fatherly role model for Elphaba. Steven is just an all round amazing performer. 

Thank you for reading, I'll keep updates throughout the rest of the venue! 

I've just found out that Sunderland are playing at home the day I'm seeing the tour there...  . That will be fun on the Metro back to Newcastle. (Oh, who am I kidding? Which Sunderland fans would be travelling to Newcastle after a match?)

The metro will be very busy due to people going to all the stops along the way to Newcastle. Just get on at Park Lane and get a seat before they all come on at St Peters and Stadium of Light stations.

He was really good.
If you can afford it, why not.