Wicked Reviews: What the Critics Say

The Critics' Verdict

Wicked opened in London in September 2006 to reviews that split almost evenly, and it has run for twenty years since. That gap is the most useful thing to know before you book, because it tells you what kind of show it is: one that divides critics and reliably delights audiences.

What the Reviews Praised

The spectacle. The Evening Standard called it a "remarkable kaleidoscope of magical shocks, surprises and sensations" and concluded that "Wicked works like a dream."

The leading performance. Critics were near-unanimous about Idina Menzel, who opened the London production: she "has real star quality" and "wipes everybody else off it with the power of her singing, acting and personality."

The craft. Even the reviewers who disliked it conceded the show was made with skill. The Daily Telegraph's Charles Spencer gave three stars and called it "witty, enjoyable."

Where Reviews Were Mixed

The score divided them completely. The Times complained of "iffy lyrics and not-so-witty dialogue." The Stage's Paul Vale called the same score "arguably his best so far." Twenty years later Defying Gravity, Popular and For Good are among the best-known songs in musical theatre, so it is fair to say the public reached a different conclusion.

Some found it too polished. The Guardian's Michael Billington gave three stars and called it "efficient, knowing and highly professional but more like a piece of industrial product than something that genuinely touches the heart or mind."

And one hated it. The Independent's Paul Taylor wrote simply: "I enjoyed very little."

Broadway was ruder first. When the show opened in New York in 2003, the New York Times headed its review "There's Trouble in Emerald City" and concluded that "Wicked does not, alas, speak hopefully for the future of the Broadway musical."

What Audiences Think

The critics are only half the picture on this show, and arguably the less useful half.

Across thousands of public ratings the audience verdict is overwhelmingly positive, and it has stayed that way for twenty years. Against a set of three-star notices, that is a wide gap. If you are weighing the reviews above, weigh that against them.

Is Wicked Right for You?

Book it if the things the critics praised are the things you go for. The spectacle, the company sound, and a leading performance built to fill a theatre this size are what nearly every reviewer agreed on, including the ones who marked it down.

Think twice if their criticisms are the ones that would bother you. "More like a piece of industrial product" is a fair description of what a very long run becomes, and if you want something small, rough-edged or surprising, this is not it.

On children the reviews are no help at all, so here are the facts instead: recommended for 7 and up, under-5s not admitted, and the show uses loud noises, strobe and smoke throughout.

The reservations the critics raised in 2006 were real and are still fair. Most audiences have decided they do not matter, and twenty years in the same theatre is a reasonable amount of evidence.

Book Wicked Tickets

Wicked tickets at the Apollo Victoria, with all-in pricing, so the price you see is the price you pay.

Not sure which block to pick after reading the above? Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we will talk it through.

Sources

The Guardian (Michael Billington) · The Daily Telegraph (Charles Spencer) · Evening Standard (Nicholas de Jongh) · The Times · The Independent (Paul Taylor) · Time Out · London Theatre · Metro · Theatreguide.London · The Stage (Paul Vale) · New York Times (Ben Brantley).