Wicked tells the tale of two witches. One witch Elphaba (Amanda Harrison) is born with emerald skin, is unloved by her father and is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other witch, Glinda (Lucy Durack) is beautiful, ambitious and loves being popular. Despite their many differences the two become friends at school until the love for the same man, Fivero (Rob Mills) a wealthy party boy, and disturbing happenings in the Land of Oz, threaten the friendship. Further complicating relationships are munchkin Boq (Stuart Fisher) and Elphaba’s disabled sister Nessarose (Penny McNamee). Then there are the Wizard of Oz (Bert Newton) and Madame Morrible (Maggie Kirkpatrick) whose actions result in Elphaba becoming an outcast.
Wicked is the prelude to the Wizard of Oz. It explains why the Wicked Witch is Green, where the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion come from and why Dorothy’s house fell from the sky. It also addresses some of the major issues of today, in particular political manipulation and the persecution of those who are different. Issues such as bullying and standing up for what you believe in are also highlighted in the musical, based on the best selling novel by Gregory Maguire.
At the same time Wicked also provides many laughs, some fantastic costumes and a stunning set, which has everything from a monstrous dragon to flying witches. With some enjoyable songs brilliantly sung, lots of colour and movement and a story line offering something for everyone, Wicked’s popularity with audiences is easy to understand.
For more information on Wicked visit www.wickedthemusical.com.au
For tickets phone 136 100 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.au