A Wicked night out with some dazzling technology

Stage: Wicked Bradford Alhambra Liz Coggins 5/5

To say that Wicked isoneofthe most spectacular musicals both artistically and technically staged at The Alhambra is an understatement.

After reading Gregory Macguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, composer and lyricist Stephen Schartz was inspired by the story and with a streamlined stage adaptation created by Winnie Holzman, the musical launched on Broadway in 2003.

Wicked is often referred to as the prequel to L Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz.

It tells the story of Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West, once a starry-eyed, clever university student, with a gift for sorcery, discriminated against for her green skin.

Here she meets Glinda, the future Good Witch of the North.

Initially they hate each other, yet when they help each other out they develop a mutual liking.

Director Joe Mantello has assembled the crème-de-la-crème of creatives whose work to say the least is mind-blowing.

Each scene unfurls with exciting sets and effects, glamorous, glitzy costumes, adventurous choreography and top class orchestrations.

The story centres around Elphaba (Laura Pick) and Glinda (Sarah O’Connor).

Both have nailed their characters beautifully, are stunning in their vocals and have a genuine charisma between them on stage.

Their final duet, For Good, had a tear-jerking delicacy and warmth that was beautiful.

Pick brings a naïve gaucheness to Elphaba, a steely determination and passion laced with humour. Her strong, powerful voice was made for the show stopping Defying Gravity.

Sarah O’Connor has great stage presence and amazes with her vocal range and energy as Glinda. Her performance of Popular was one of the very best I have seen – and I’ve seen quite a few.

But this is not just a twowoman show. First cover Frazer Woolcott Fyero, love interest of both women, was suave, sexy and wonderfully charismatic.

Simeon Truby as Doctor Dillamond ‘the token goat’ and the Wizard was believable in both roles whilst Donna Berlin’s Madam Morrible commands the stage as it should. But the night belongs to the ensemble who dance, sing and fly with turbocharged energy completing the iconic appeal of this musical.

To May 19.