Wicked

I do believe I have been changed for the better!

I love the story of Wicked and what a magical opportunity to get to see it in London. The theater is right next to a major tube station making it really easy to get to.

I purchased my tickets well in advance and sat in Circle G34 and 35. In my opinion, these are some of the best seats in the house because they are in the first row of the section but they are a two-seater. If you're coming as a couple, it feels like you have complete privacy with some of the best views.

One thing to note is that the actors in the show all speak and sing with British accents. It wasn't something I thought about but for some shows, they speak in American accents, but not here. Someone had advised me that that bothered them, but it didn't make a difference to us!

A great show in a great theater!

Such an absolute pleasure attending a performance of "Wicked" in London, and it was hands down one of the best experiences I've had. As a fan of this Broadway show, having seen it multiple times, this particular production exceeded all expectations. First and foremost, the theater itself was stunning. From the moment I stepped inside, I was in awe of its grandeur and elegance. The architecture and ambiance created the perfect setting for an enchanting evening of theater.

In addition to the breathtaking theater, the overall experience was elevated by the exceptional service provided by the theater staff. The employees were friendly, attentive, and truly went the extra mile to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of the audience. Their professionalism and enthusiasm added an extra layer of excitement to the already magical atmosphere.

Of course, no theater experience is complete without some tasty snacks, and the selection at the venue did not disappoint. From classic theater treats to more gourmet options, there was something for every palate. It was wonderful to have the option to indulge in delicious refreshments during intermission, further enhancing the overall experience.

All in all, this particular performance of "Wicked" in London was a standout among the times I've seen the show. The combination of the beautiful theater, delightful snack options, and the exceptional service provided by the employees made it an absolutely unforgettable experience. I highly recommend catching a show at this theater if you have the opportunity. It's an absolute must for theater lovers and anyone looking to be captivated by the magic of live performances.

800th review!

I cannot explain how much I adore this musical. No joke, it may or may not be the best musical I have ever seen and I have watched Broadway shows, musicals that are on National Tour, the Muny (in St. Louis), etc. and this is the best one I've seen. I've always loved the songs from Wicked and never got the chance to see it until now and I have definitely been missing out.

Bought tickets pretty close to the stage for around $50 at a half priced ticket booth in the West End. I looked online and they were all $100+ for the seats we got so I thought it was a pretty good deal. When we came, they initially sat us near the far right aisle but we soon moved closer to the center when we saw how many empty seats there were. Honestly the theater was more than half empty which is just so sad but good, I guess, for the guests so they can get a better seat.

The musical itself was amazing. The performers were such great singers and actors, the ensemble were amazing dancers, and the set was absolutely mind-blowing. I think one of the most impressive parts was when the dragon on top of our heads on the stage began to move, I genuinely thought that was only for decoration sake.

I won't spoil too much about the show, but I will say that the experience is absolutely amazing. The British accent actually works really well for this musical and I honestly cannot wait to come back to see it again. Never have I been inclined to buy a souvenir from a musical after I saw it, but I really did, it was absolutely amazing.

This play was great! I've heard the reviews were not good, but coming from an American who has seen 20 different plays in New York on broadway this was a very good comparison

I'm sorry but what was the point of this play even being made? This plot was so bad! The songs were terrible! I read the reviews for Wicked and thought, well it's not my usual cup of tea but I'll give it a try since I'm in London and the reviews were good. Huge mistake!!

I couldn't wait for this play to end! Glenda the good witch was so annoying and there were so many dull moments that I nearly fell asleep. I hated her screechy voice and the songs were boring. The script was very boring as well, and nothing really stood out to me as amazing.

The costumes and dancing were nice, but I've seen better productions in NY by a long shot. Again what was the point of this play? It was so cheesy and predictable. The Wizard of Oz was played by cowardly man who stands behind a big mask? I'm sorry, I just was not feeling this. I wish I would have saved my money.

A Wicked Time!

With clear sky in the forecast Wednesday evening I attended the Apollo Victoria Theatre for the 7:30p showing of Wicked.

Show Experience

Set to the theme of the Wizard of Oz Wicked referenced my favorite characters by shedding light on the events that led up to and proceeded the original storyline.

The set was easy on the eyes with fantastic lighting and skill shown by the cast that exceeded my expectations.

Food and Drink

It's pretty cool that you can order both refreshments and snacks from the comfort of your chair by downloading the Ordertorium app on your smartphone at anytime with no service fee.

Even during the 20 minute intermission the floor ushers come by to take and deliver orders.

With a full bar availble on both the ground level and first level of the theatre there's no excuse to be without a drink. Ordered the Green Elixar cocktail and found it to be a great companion during the performance.

Overall

The show was a wonderful experience for myself and my guest. I would reccomend to anyone looking for an immersive story and entertaining night.

Pro Tip: Dress Circle seats C21 and C22 have an excellent view, but are a little snug with the leg room.

The show was great. Great music, special effects, and singing, with a little comedy every now and then. Seating is a little cramped, and a little warm in the theater, but a great show. We got our tickets in TKTS booth at Leicester square earlier in the day, and saved £10 per ticket.(we paid about £28 per ticket)

Great production, great performance, great story, great singing, great sound, great music, gr..... Yes I can go on.

These things are quite subjective, so I think people who wants to see wicked will see it even if the review is bad, and people who won't want to see it would not be moved even if I give a stellar review. So I won't say too much about the musical.

Reality is that it is an award winning musical for a reason. I have seen my fair share of both musical and operas and I think this is certainly up there.

So rather than talking about the musical, here's a couple of tips instead:
- it's a musical that takes up big stage presence, so upstairs first row might actually be better in view as you can see what's happening behind as well. Front row downstairs might actually struggle a bit as the range and angle is quite steep.
- if you want to buy drinks, I suggest download their app to purchase. Your order will be delivered to you either at intermission or before the halves. Same price, but it means you can wait for the order with the comfort of your seat rather than standing at the queue. The app info is easily obtained at the theatre (I felt like it's inappropriate to call out other apps here).
- get there a little earlier, Victoria station area is just generally a little busy, and quite big

I was supposed to board a flight from Heathrow to SFO this past Tuesday, but missed the luggage drop off by minutes (waiting in the self drop-off line). Thankfully, Virgin Atlantic rebooked me for the following day, but the experience left me a little shaken up and I planned on just sulking in my hotel room, lol.

After thinking a little more about the situation, I realized that I would probably not be in London again for at least another year so I had to make the most of the extra evening. Various friends have recommended the "Wicked" musical to me over the years, but I never jumped at the opportunity to see it when it was in San Francisco. As luck would have it, there were plenty of tickets for that same evening (7:30 PM show) at the Apollo in Victoria. If you happen to already have printed tickets, you can enter off of Vauxhall Bridge Road or Wilton Road; however, if you only have the email confirmation, you'll need to collect your tickets at the box office through the Wilton Road entrance only. Make sure to come with time to spare because you'll not only want to make sure you aren't late and end up watching from the sidelines until staff deem it's appropriate for you to enter the theater, but to also grab a drink or souvenir.

I've said this multiple times, but nothing beats live music and live performances. Nikki Bentley and Helen Woolf were amazing as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, and "Defying Gravity" is one of my new favorite songs. It was a truly spectacular production with lots of funny moments and dazzling sets and props. By the end of the show, I was actually thankful I missed my flight and had the opportunity to see this!

I had a great seat in the second section of the floor/stall area, but even the seats further back would have had great views of the stage.

My first visit to London had to include a show in West End! I've seen Wicked four times stateside but it's been awhile, so I didn't bat an eye when my fiancé suggested this be the show we saw. I'm so happy he did.

Compared to Broadway prices these days, the West End is significantly more affordable. We were planning on buying discounted tickets from the local TKTS booth, but ended up ordering them online since the price was basically the same. I was a little confused by the seating system, but we chose the third cheapest option and ended up with good seats in the circle, which is the American equivalent of second tier. The "stalls" is like our orchestra.

The Apollo Victoria Theatre is beautiful! It's not overwhelming in size so even the highest seats should provide a decent view. Wicked is also such a big show, you'll still get a great experience from high up. It's not near all the other theaters in Leicester Square, but has a tube stop super close.

They have snacks, drinks, traditional ice cream at intermission, and gifts. I saw a brochure touting how you can even get drinks delivered to your seat which I thought was interesting. I wish there was some sort of program that they handed out with cast bios, outside of the one you have to buy, but I didn't see one. Another small gripe was the fact there was only one bathroom in the circle, which formed a very long line during intermission. So rush there when the lights go up if needed!

All in all, definitely one of the highlights of our trip. I knew that I was going to love it but can confidently say that my fiancé did as well. The whole cast was outstanding and the story is timeless.

Fun fact: Since Oz is a made up place, I wasn't sure if the actors would have British accents or default to American ones since that's what the original cast used. Most were indeed British!