What a Wicked treat! We don’t want to break the magic, but taking a peek backstage at one of the West End’s favourite musicals is as rare as a six foot munchkin, so this video made us as happy as a trip to the Emerald City.
The exciting, exclusive footage whizzes through the preparation taking place before the curtain rises on London theatre blockbuster Wicked; from the greenifying of Elphaba and glamourising of Glinda to sound checks, warm ups, lighting and a host of jobs, tricks and activities that us audience members don’t see and just take for granted.
Did you know that the hit show, which opened at the Apollo Victoria in 2006, used 40 pots of green paint each year? Or that it uses 88 moving lights and 498 lamp fixtures? No, neither did I.
When the prep is finished and the show begins, it tells the previously untold story of the witches of Oz, shedding new light on how the Wicked Witch of the West came to be, well, wicked, and how college friends saw their lives take very different magical paths.
Whether you’re a fully signed up member of the Wicked fan club or you’ve never seen the show, this new footage offers a brilliant glimpse into the work that goes into staging a performance every night.