Becoming a hit in the west end, the musical ‘Wicked’ has lasted over a decade on Broadway despite bad reviews from critics.

The narrative revolves around the concept of people and situations not being as they seem, leading to great misunderstandings. People have always gravitated towards the concept of the underdog being the hero of the play, and ‘Elphaba’s fiery nature treats the audience to a non-sickly sweet protagonist.

Throughout the performance it is clear to see that Elphaba’s character grows as she becomes more and more confident in herself and her convictions. The audience is able to connect to the character on such a level that they are able to produce a strong and proud emotion due to the way that the character had suffered such hardship in her life.

The music was also wicked (don’t excuse the pun) and certainly not shy, mainly due to the rich sound from the choir and the ingenious beats of the drums.  The drums contributed towards the performance in a way that no other instrument did; adding light and shade which emphasised the power behind the voice of Jenna DiNoia when ‘the wicked witch of the west’ carried out her moral duties. There was a lot of power especially as Trumpets played out: deafening eardrums and attaining captivation.

By Tasmin Reader, St Philomena's