Get Wicked in London’s West End

All You Need to Know About Wicked the Musical at the Apollo Victoria Theatre

Wicked is perhaps the most beloved musical of all time, or at least one of the top five. Say you haven’t seen the musical, loosely based on The Wizard of Oz, and be prepared for gasps of astonishment. I myself hadn’t seen the musical until this past year when I visited London’s West End for the first time. I had missed Wicked on Broadway, and on its tour at the Pantages in Los Angeles. I was not about to miss it again, even if I was only in London for two days.

If you’re planning a trip to London, don’t miss this heart melting story of the “wonderful” wizard and the friendship that changed Oz forever. Here’s everything you need to know about Wicked the musical in London.

The Theatre – The Apollo Victoria

The Apollo Victoria Theatre in London’s West End, is currently home to Wicked the Musical and has been for the past ten years. The musical opened in February 2006, to “rapturous praise and overwhelming commercial success,” the website says. “Wicked continues to be a hugely popular hit, showing little signs of slowing down for the foreseeable future.”

The theatre was easy to get to by train. Our hotel was near the Marleybone station, so the subway was the easiest and cheapest form of transportation for us. The Apollo Victoria is located at a crossroads, in the middle of intersecting streets with several restaurants and theatres. It took us a few minutes to get our barrings, and locate the theatre once of the train. Our saving grace was Google Maps for most the trip, but it started to act up just as we approached the theatre.

Once inside, I was delighted to find that venue was relatively small and cozy. Tickets were very inexpensive, so we were able to sit close to the stage for just £50. Wicked tickets at the Apollo cost between £17.50 and £75 for the dress circle, which is the area closest to the stage. Even with the exchange rate, that price was much cheaper than what it would have cost us to see the show at the Pantages in Hollywood. You can purchase tickets through the Wicked website or directly from the Apollo Victoria.

Guests can order snacks and drinks from their seats if you bring pounds. If you don’t have cash you can order treats at the concession stands at the entrance of the theatre. The venue serves popcorn, an assortment of candies, sodas and alcoholic beverages. Hot food is not served at the venue.

The West End Cast

I wasn’t one of the fortunate audience members of the original Broadway debut of Wicked, but I wanted to be able to make a true comparison of the West End’s cast. I did research, and watched as many clips from the original Broadway debut as I could on my way to London. The West End production was nothing short of spectacular. The set design was elaborate, and full of surprises for the audience. I won’t go into more detail, in hopes of not giving away any of the secrets we enjoyed discovering live.

Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel at curtain call (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)

After watching Wicked in the West End, I can confidently say that they’ve done an amazing job with casting. While Kristin Chenoweth will always be my favorite Glinda, I will say that Rachel Tucker’s turn as Elphaba outshines Idina Menzel’s. Tucker’s voice is perfect for the role. It’s amazing to watch as she hits all the song’s difficult and demanding notes one after the other. I also preferred Oliver Savile’s Fiyero to the original performance of Norbert Leo Butz.

If you haven’t seen Wicked, or you’re just a super fan, you can’t miss Wicked at the Apollo Victoria in London’s West End.