This weekend Wicked the Musical is celebrating 20 years in London and there are three anniversary performances of the show to commemorate this significant milestone. Focusing on the sisterhood at the centre of the musical, on Saturday there were two themed performances: the matinee for Glinda (pink performance) and the evening for Elphaba (green performance), ahead of the gala on Sunday. Appreciating how momentous the occasion was, I attended the pink performance yesterday afternoon with my family and it was such a memorable experience. Wicked London really went all out for the occasion!
The Apollo Victoria Theatre goes pink for Glinda
Pink and green have been forever associated with the production thanks to Glinda’s line ‘pink goes good with green’, but for the first performance of the day the venue received a pink makeover. From lighting changes across the auditorium and retail outlets to special costume displays throughout the theatre, it was wonderful to see the venue honour the character in this way. The front of house staff were even wearing pink t-shirts, which were such a nice addition.
“Pink” gift bags
Every ticket purchased included a pink Wicked20 ‘Popular’ tote bag, commemorative brochure, signed postcard of current Glinda, Zizi Strallen, several 20th anniversary magazine features and a face mask pack. They were on our seats as we entered the theatre and whilst we knew we would be getting the bags in advance, it was such a lovely surprise seeing the sea of hot pink across the theatre.
The performance itself
At the start of the performance, there was a pre-show conversation featuring Standby Glinda, Lydia Gerrard and five actors who played the Good Witch previously: Helen Dallimore, Savannah Stevenson, Dianne Pilkington, Helen Woolf and Gina Beck. They each shared memories from playing the role as well as a group ‘toss, toss’ (a hair toss that Glinda does) which was a great way to engage the audience before the show started. You could really tell how much you join a sisterhood and community if you play either Glinda or Elphaba, and there really is so much adoration for the show from its leading actors.
The energy during the performance itself was off the chart. The company gave everything during the 2 hours 45 minutes running time, delivering the musical’s message and iconic lines for every fan in the room. Unsurprisingly, Glinda’s lines were probably even more well received than normal, showing how much the character meant to everyone in the room. At the end of the show Zizi Strallen led a curtain call speech commemorating 20 years of the production in London, ending with three cheers for Wicked and an incredible balloon display.
A core theatre memory
As a theatre fan, attending one of Wicked’s 20th Anniversary performances is a memory that will live with me always. To quote the song ‘Thank Goodness’ from the musical, we really got to ‘have a celebration the Glinda way’. Here’s to the next 20 years of Wicked in London!
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