The Ongoing Wicked Discussion Thread

Saw the show last night on a whim to desperately catch Laura as Elphaba because I've wanted to see her in the role for over nearly 5 years and my presence in London finally coincided with her being on!

If you look back through these pages and the pages of the 2018/2019 UK Tour - I have praised this show to the heavens. I managed to snag a front row ticket off a superfan on twitter and even down at the front now the sound is tired and tinny. The actors sounded far away and watery when in reality I could have reached out and touched them? Luckily it didn't pale the vocal performances of Laura and Michael as Elphaba and Fiyero. Laura gives a very powerful performance as Elphaba that made me very glad I've waited all this time and been right about her needing to play the role.

Just makes me so sad that it really would take me a miracle to get me back through those doors because of things that could easily be fixed. A new sound system, a MD that doesn't want to get himself next door into The Willow Walk before 22:20 and toning down the damned smog during certain songs I nearly choked! I cannot fault the cast though, I really enjoyed watching this ensemble of people.

Poor Lucie obviously has whatever it is quite bad! I wondered if there had maybe been a covid outbreak in the cast as there's been so many understudies on.

Shes had whatever it is since February

Its so much easier just to list when she's on.

I bet Laura Harrison is loving all the extra £££ in her pay 🤣

Saw this recently after a gap of several years and it did feel like it was going through the motions. We had covers on for Elphaba, Fiyero and Boq. Moments that were once hilarious have become so overwrought and exaggerated that they fell completely flat. The English events, once a fun quirk of the London production, felt very over-done on all fronts and not 'natural'. The show simultaneously dragged while the songs flew by. Diction from several leads wasn't great. The three leads don't really pass as student age in the first half. That bloody statue still wobbles.

It does feel like it needs someone to go in and give it all a good shake.

Just a few simple tweaks could make it fresher.

For example, the lion cub scene when Elphaba "gets mad" really is just the students going "aaahhhh". A few special effects thrown into that would not take much but would give it a bit more oomph.

Every time I've seen it over the years I'm amazed they haven't fixed that lion puppet or that section 'behind the wardrobe'. I guess special effects that were impressive 20 years ago just don't cut the mustard anymore.

Does anything change on the tour

I think that’s it, it’s just old. The time dragon was impressive 20 years ago, now we have puppet tigers winning best actor Oliviers. A simple lift and black drapery was impressive 20 years ago, it looked like she was flying - now cars and nannies actually do “fly” right out into the auditorium over audiences heads.

Can you imagine a revamp where they upgrade the lift effect so she is flying out into the auditorium? It’s clearly possible now. The show is still really popular (sorry!) it must be profitable. So why not?

It does leave one to wonder whether it is down to the powers that be just not caring.

Shall we compile a wish list of things that need updating or changing? I’ll start!

Update: the “flying”
Change: ditch those two humpty dumpty things that come dancing on in One Short Day. I’ve never understood what they’re supposed to be there for and they’re cringe AF.

Sorry for this absolutely stupid question but want to get some day tickets but a bit confused as to when.

So if I wanted to go on a Sunday would I need to get them the Wednesday before that Sunday or the Wednesday before that Wednesday (hope that makes sense)