Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Wicked Witch of the West End Takes Flight Tonight

Wicked Witch of the West End Takes Flight Tonight

At long last, tonight marks the much-anticipated first night of London previews for Wicked with Idina Menzel (above) reprising her Tony Award-winning portrayal of Elphaba, the misunderstood green girl who goes on to become the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked is making its bow at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, which, by the way, is not in the same Leicester Square/Soho/Covent Garden vicinity as most other West End theatres save the Victoria Palace where Billy Elliot The Musical is playing. As the theatre's name suggests, it is situated directly across from London's Victoria Station.

Menzel will be joined by Helen Dallimore as Glinda, Adam Garcia as Fiyero, Nigel Planer as The Wizard, Miriam Margolyes as Madame Morrible, Katie Rowley Jones as Nessarose and James Gillan as Boq. As on Broadway, in Chicago and on tour throughout the United States, Wicked continues to be helmed by Joe Mantello.

You can bet I'll be tracking London-based blogs to see what kind of buzz is building there in the lead up to the September 27 opening night.

This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).

Click here for tickets.
Related Stories:
Jaaku or Neikan? Wicked Set for Japanese Translation (July 24, 2006)
Five Times More Wicked (July 17, 2006)
Wicked's West End Witches Update (May 17, 2006)
Worldwide Wicked Casting News (May 5, 2006)
Encore: Spotlight Week Ending April 30, 2006 (April 30, 2006)

Labels: London, Musical, Opening Night, Wicked

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Thursday, September 07, 2006