Apollo Victoria TheatreWicked in the West End: The London Theatre Experience
By Julia Vetsch
This past Saturday, I saw my first West End show: Wicked. As a lifelong theatre fan, and a longtime Wicked fan, I was absolutely thrilled to be seeing this show. I went with my mom and sister who were visiting from America, and we were interested to see how a West End experience varied from Broadway shows in the States. We walked into the Apollo Victoria Theatre and were greeted by an all-green interior, elaborately decorated to reflect the Emerald City. The green carpeting, staircases, and walls made us feel as though we were truly stepping right into Oz.
Immediately as I entered the auditorium, I was surprised at the casual environment. Audience members were in jeans and t-shirts, eating giant buckets of popcorn as though it was a movie theater, and drinking straight from whole bottles of champagne. Some people had even brought their own food and drink, which is strictly forbidden at theatres in the U.S. When I go to the theatre in America, people are usually wearing dresses and suits, snacking on little boxes of candy only at intermission, and sipping tiny cups of wine during the show. This laid-back ambience only continued when the lights dimmed and the show began. While I am used to polite applause when the lights go down, followed by immediate silence, this audience cheered and whooped loudly. People behind me even continued chattering quietly once the show started, and nobody seemed to mind — in fact, it seemed to be the norm. I was definitely taken aback at first, quickly realizing that I hadn’t done my research regarding theatre norms in London. Attending the theatre here seemed to be an experience for everyone to casually enjoy, rather than being somewhat of an uppity status symbol as it sometimes feels in the U.S.
While I no doubt expected the stars of the show to be amazing, I wasn’t anticipating for them to meet the perfect standard set by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the recent Wicked film. I was also aware that the live performance wouldn’t have the same advantage of multiple takes and autotune (in other words, “movie magic”) that the film stars had. However, Lucy St. Louis, who played Glinda, struck me with her flawless soprano voice from her first verse in “No One Mourns the Wicked”. She sang with a dainty lightness perfect for Glinda’s airy personality, yet hit every impossibly high note with unwavering strength throughout the entire show. Elphaba’s actress, Alexia Khadime, was just as amazing, belting with crystal clear, incredibly powerful vocals. Throughout the performance, St. Louis and Khadime had impeccable chemistry and comedic timing — especially in the “Popular” scene, where Glinda tries to give Elphaba a makeover. During the show’s main event, “Defying Gravity”, both actresses delivered to their full potential. Their voices melded together beautifully and neither star ever missed a beat. Elphaba’s infamous final battle cry before intermission was almost identical to Idina Menzel’s original riff and gave me full-body chills.
While it took me a bit to get used to the relaxed, more fun environment of a West End show in contrast to the reserved, dressy atmosphere of a show in the U.S., I eventually appreciated the almost interactive nature of the performance as this created a friendly, lively experience. The show itself was exceptional, and achieved the difficult task of living up to the expectations created by the movie. Though Wicked was my first West End show, it certainly won’t be my last.
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