Friday, 16 March 2018

Wicked (UK Tour), Bristol Hippodrome | Review

Wicked (UK Tour)

Bristol Hippodrome

Reviewed on Thursday 15th February 2018 by Isobelle Desbrow

★★★★★

Come with me to the Emerald City...

Wicked is a phenomenal show that has been taking the West End by storm over it’s 11 year run and I’m pleased to say that the tour equally amazing. The cast couldn’t have been better and it was a privilege to be able to watch Glinda’s understudy take to the stage during the matinee performance at the Bristol Hippodrome.

Amy Ross’s Elphaba is the seamless combination of good and wicked. Every note she sings is bone chillingly beautiful and her stellar diction allows us to hear every word and become immersed in the story. A stand out was ‘Defying Gravity’ which was a perfect way to end Act 1 and left me eager so the final half.

Unfortunately Helen Woolfe (Glinda) wasn’t performing for this performance. Instead we were treated to the equally cheerful and Popular Charli Baptie who has an excellent voice and plays a fabulous, frilly, humourous Glinda who manages to have depth, light and shade in her performance.

The glorious music is note perfect and I was pleased that it was not too loud (as I have experienced previously) so dialogue could still be heard whilst it was being accompanied.

The dancing was crisp and spell blindly visually; whilst the cast’s singing made each song sound new and exciting. The quality of this tour is almost West End standard and I’d thoroughly recommend anyone who can’t get to London, to see this show as it flies round the UK on it’s current tour.

If you get the opportunity, spend One Short Day watching Wicked as it’s a tour not to be missed!

photo credit: Matt Crockett

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