Wicked defies gravity with long-running west end hit

Showbiz: Producer’s joy as musical is ‘last one standing’ after 10 years

The executive producer of west end musical Wicked has admitted he did not think the show would last as long as it has, as the production celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Wicked is the prequel to the Wizard of Oz, telling the story of its witches Elphaba and Glinda before they became known as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

It has gone on to become an international success, and is the eighth longestrunning show currently playing in the west end.

The original musical production made its debut on Broadway in New York in 2003, and a version was introduced at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre in September 2006.

Michael McCabe, the executive producer of the UK production, said that he “never” took its success for granted and that it is “the last one standing” among other shows that opened around the same time.

He said: “At the beginning, we opened in a very busy year for musicals and I don’t think anyone thought Wicked would be the one. But we’re the last one standing of everything we opened up against, and that is an extraordinary thing to witness.”

He added: “When we got to five years it felt extraordinary, so to have got to 10 years, even more so.”

McCabe added that he feels the show is “part of the London landscape” and hopes that it has “many, many years” left.

He praised Tony Awardwinning actress Idina Menzel, who played Elphaba in the Broadway version of Wicked and then in the west end when it opened in 2006, for “setting the bar high” for everybody who has taken the role since.

The 10th anniversary will be celebrated with a party and curtain call with various surprise guests.

During Wicked’s run, it has won two Olivier Audience Awards, an Evening Standard Theatre Award and nine WhatsOnStage Awards, and it has been seen by eight million people in the capital alone.

“We’re the last one standing of everything we opened up against”

Photograph: Matt Crocket WHICH WITCH: Rachel Tucker plays Elphaba in Wicked.