Everything you need to know about ‘Wicked’ in London

From where to get Wicked tickets in London, to all the actresses who have played Elphaba in the West End, find out more about Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.

Sophie Thomas25 January, 2021, 00:00

Having defied gravity at the Apollo Victoria Theatre for over a decade, West End audiences are left entranced by the magic of Wicked. The stories of Elphaba, Glinda and Fiyero continue to harm crowds for generations to come. With showstoppers like "No Good Deed" and even flying witches, it's no surprise that audiences flock to Wicked time and time again. Here's our complete guide to the West End production of Wicked.

Book Wicked tickets on London Theatre.

What is Wicked about?

Born with green skin, Elphaba had always found herself to be a bit different from the rest — standing out from the crowd. When she's enrolled at Shiz Academy, Elphaba just wants to knuckle down and study. Instead, she's met by her new roommate Glinda, a super-feminine woman who can't stand Elphaba.

Unbelievably, Elphaba and Glinda become close friends, embarking on a journey to meet the Wizard of Oz. But, when Ozian heartthrob and Glinda's fiance Fiyero comes on the scene, this time to support Elphaba, hopes are crushed. Elphaba must decide whether to use her newfound abilities for good, or become wicked.

Is Wicked based on a true story?

No, Wicked is based on fictional events. However, Wicked is inspired by Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The sequel attempts to explain how Elphaba dealt with Ozian areas like Munchkinland and the Emerald City.

When did Wicked premiere?

The world premiere of Wicked opened at San Francisco's Curran Theatre on 28 May 2003. The California engagement ran for one month, before its subsequent Broadway premiere.

Wicked began Broadway performances at the Gershwin Theatre on 8 Oct. 2003, with an official premiere on 30 October, the night before Halloween. Broadway performances of Wicked have continued at the Gershwin Theatre ever since.

On 11 Apr. 2023, Wicked played its 7,486th performance on Tuesday, becoming the fourth longest-running production in Broadway history.

After three years in New York, Wicked finally transferred to London's West End, arriving at the Apollo Victoria Theatre from 7 Sept. 2006. Like the Broadway production, Wicked in London has only ran at one theatre, with shows at the Apollo Victoria Theatre for over a decade.

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Who wrote Wicked?

Winnie Holzman created the Wicked storyline. She is an American screenwriter who actually made her Broadway writing debut with the show. For television, she has written thirtysomething, Once and Again and Roadies. Holzman also writes the screenplay for the upcoming Wicked film adaptation.

Who wrote the songs in Wicked?

Stephen Schwartz created the Wicked music and lyrics. He is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer, Schwartz has worked on a variety of productions including Pippin and Godspell. Find out more about Stephen Schwartz musicals.

Who is in the Wicked West End cast?

The Wicked cast in London stars Alexia Khadime as Elphaba, Lucy St. Louis as Glinda, Ryan Reid as Fiyero, with Sophie Louise Dann as Madame Morrible, Mark Curry as The Wizard, Joe Thompson-Oubari as Boq, Simeon Truby as Doctor Dillamond and Caitlin Anderson as Nessarose.

Amy Webb, Lisa-Anne Wood, Yuki Abe, Kofi Aidoo-Appiah, Conor Ashman, Jessica Aubrey, Joshua Clemetson, Fergus Dale, Effie Rae Dyson, Nicola Espallardo, Danny Fogarty, Ross Harmon, Kate Leiper, Nick Len, Jemima Loddy, Joshua Lovell, PaddyJoe Martin, Millie Mayhew, Harry Mills, Daniel Parrott, Aiesha Naomi Pease, Jeanie Ryan, Natalie Spriggs, James Titchener, Micaela Todd, Christine Tucker, Jaydon Vijn and Taela Yeomans-Brown complete the Wicked ensemble.

Have any celebrities starred in Wicked in London?

As one of the biggest West End musicals in London, Wicked attracts its fair share of celebrity casting. In fact, Frozen actress Idina Menzel originated the role of Elphaba in London, reprising her Broadway performance. Menzel starred in the production from 7 Sept. - 30 Dec. 2006, with Kerry Ellis taking over the role.

Adam Garcia originated the role of Fiyero in Wicked, having previously starred in Saturday Night Fever at the London Palladium. Busted's Matt Willis also got a taste for theatre playing Fiyero, taking over the role in 2012. Since then, Willis has starred in Little Shop of Horrors at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

Plenty of famous West End actresses enjoyed a career-defining turn as Elphaba in Wicked. Find out more about actresses who have played Elphaba in London.

What theatre in London is Wicked playing at?

Wicked is at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Wicked has run continuously at the Apollo Victoria Theatre since the musical opened in 2006.

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What is the running time of Wicked?

The running time of Wicked in London is 2 hours and 45 minutes, including one 15 minute interval.

What are the songs in Wicked?

Wicked features modern-day musical classics including "One Short Day" and "The Wizard and I". We've listed all the songs in Wicked below. Find out more about Wicked musical songs.

Act 1

"No One Mourns the Wicked" - Glinda, Witch's Father, Witch's Mother, Midwife, Ensemble
"Dear Old Shiz" - Ensemble
"The Wizard and I" - Madame Morrible, Elphaba
"What is this Feeling?" - Glinda, Elphaba, Ensemble
"Something Bad" - Dr. Dillamond, Elphaba
"Dancing Through Life" - Fiyero, Glinda, Boq, Nessarose, Elphaba, Ensemble
"Popular" - Glinda
"I'm Not That Girl" - Elphaba
"The Wizard and I (Reprise)" - Elphaba
"One Short Day" - Elphaba, Glinda, Emerald City Citizens
"A Sentimental Man" - The Wizard
"Defying Gravity" - Elphaba, Glinda, Company

Act 2

"No One Mourns the Wicked (Reprise)" - Ensemble
"Thank Goodness" - Glinda, Madam Morrible, Ensemble
"The Wicked Witch of the East" - Elphaba, Nessarose, Boq
"Wonderful" - The Wizard and Elphaba
"I'm Not That Girl (Reprise)" - Glinda
"As Long As You're Mine" - Elphaba, Fiyero
"No Good Deed" - Elphaba
"March of the Witch Hunters" - Boq, Ensemble
"For Good" - Glinda and Elphaba
"Finale: For Good (Reprise)" - Elphaba, Glinda, Company

What are some fun facts about Wicked?

Did you know that Elphaba isn't actually named in The Wizard of Oz? Her name came directly from L. Frank Baum's initials. Sounding out the three letters becomes El-ph-buh and so Elphaba was born.

Thankfully, there isn't just one of each prop. All the hats, wands and brooms have stunt doubles (of sorts) so the magic can still happen on stage.

You too can achieve Elphaba's vertigris if you want. To achieve the desired green colour, makeup artists use Chromacake, a MAC product.

The production also requires about 250 pounds of dry ice to create all of the dramatic fog.

It's not just witches that fly. So do spacemen. Infact, NASA has even used "Defying Gravity" to accompany their space travels.

The Grammy Award-winning original Broadway cast recording of Wicked has sold nearly four million copies.

How do I get Wicked tickets in London?

It doesn't take a magic spell to book Wicked tickets. You can book Wicked West End tickets on London Theatre for all upcoming performances. Wicked tickets are popular though, so make sure you book tickets now to see Elphaba soar over the Western sky.