Wicked at a glance

Show
Wicked
Venue
Apollo Victoria Theatre, West End
Address
17 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LG
Nearest station
Victoria (1 min walk, opposite station)
Genre
Musical
Running time
2 hours 45 minutes, including one 20-minute interval
Age guidance
7+ (under 3s not admitted)
Dates
Currently booking until 3 January 2027
Schedule
Tue–Sat 7:30pm; matinees Wed, Sat, Sun 2:30pm
Price range
From £32.50 (typically £32.50–£139.50)
Music & lyrics
Stephen Schwartz
Book
Winnie Holzman (based on the novel by Gregory Maguire)
Director
Joe Mantello

Expert Review: Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre

4.6
★★★★★

LTH Expert Rating

Reviewed by the London Theatre Hub editorial team. Last updated: 30 April 2026.

The Verdict

Twenty years in, Wicked has earned its place as one of the most reliably satisfying nights in the West End. The 2024 film phenomenon has only sharpened the appetite for the original — and the stage version still does what no film can: gives you Defying Gravity in a 2,300-seat room with a full orchestra and a green light cue that lands every single time. This is a show that knows exactly what it is and delivers it with the precision of a 7,500-performance machine.

What keeps Wicked feeling alive after two decades is the writing. Winnie Holzman's book is genuinely funny, surprisingly political for a show this populist, and built around the kind of female friendship that musicals usually treat as a side dish. Stephen Schwartz's score still lands — yes, the obvious anthems, but also the smaller, sharper numbers that hold the story together. Emma Kingston and Zizi Strallen lead the anniversary company with the assurance of performers who know the material inside out, and Jordan Litz brings Broadway polish to Fiyero from May 2026.

What Makes It Special

  • A 20-year West End institution. Wicked opened at the Apollo Victoria in September 2006 and is now the 9th longest-running production and 7th longest-running musical in West End history. Over 7,500 performances. Over 12 million tickets sold globally. The numbers are remarkable; the show holds up to them.
  • The 2026 anniversary cast. Emma Kingston (Elphaba) won Best Takeover Performance at the 2026 WhatsOnStage Awards. Zizi Strallen returns as Glinda. Jordan Litz transfers from the Broadway company to make his West End debut as Fiyero. A 20th anniversary celebration weekend is scheduled for 26–27 September 2026.
  • Defying Gravity. Some moments in musical theatre are genuinely worth the ticket price on their own. The Act One finale at the Apollo Victoria — full orchestra, lighting cue, the lift — is one of them. Audiences often describe it as the moment they understood why the show has run this long.
  • The score and book together. Schwartz's music has the obvious anthems (Defying Gravity, Popular, For Good) but also a working dramatic structure underneath. Holzman's book gives the songs weight by building real characters first. It's why the show works for theatre fans and first-timers equally.
  • Joe Mantello's production. The Tony Award-winning director's staging — with Eugene Lee's steampunk-Oz design, Susan Hilferty's costumes, and Wayne Cilento's musical staging — has been refined over two decades. This is one of the most polished long-running productions on either side of the Atlantic.

You'll love Wicked if you...

  • Want a big, full-orchestra West End musical that delivers spectacle
  • Are introducing children or teens to musical theatre for the first time
  • Saw the 2024 film and want to experience the original on stage
  • Like power ballads and proper anthemic show tunes
  • Care about strong female leads and a story about friendship

It might not be for you if you...

  • Prefer small-scale, intimate plays over big musical productions
  • Are looking for something edgy, experimental, or new in form
  • Find pop-rock musical theatre scores grating
  • Don't want to sit through 2 hours 45 minutes including interval
  • Have already seen the show recently — it hasn't substantially changed

Best for

  • Families
  • Musical theatre fans
  • Tourists
  • First-time theatregoers
  • Teenagers
  • Big-night-out groups

Not the strongest fit for audiences seeking new or experimental work.

Critical Reception

Wicked has been consistently praised by UK critics across its long London run, with most major publications awarding four stars or higher. Reviewers regularly cite the score, the central performances, and the production's spectacle. Verified ratings from major UK publications:

  • The Guardian ★★★★
  • The Sunday Telegraph ★★★★★
  • Evening Standard ★★★★
  • Time Out ★★★★
  • Official Theatre ★★★★

Source: published reviews of the London production. Ratings for the stage production only — film reviews not included.

Everything You Need to Know

What happens in Wicked?

Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, telling the story of the two witches before Dorothy ever arrived. It begins at Shiz University, where two wildly different students become reluctant roommates: Elphaba, a green-skinned outsider with extraordinary magical ability, and Galinda, a popular, blonde, and aggressively cheerful socialite.

An unlikely friendship

The two start as enemies. Elphaba is mocked for her skin; Galinda is dismissed for being shallow. But over time, real understanding develops between them — an unlikely friendship built on the recognition that each has something the other lacks. The musical's most famous song, Defying Gravity, closes Act One with Elphaba's choice to act on her conscience rather than play the system.

The Wizard's regime

Their friendship runs into the politics of Oz. The Wizard, beloved by the public, is using his platform to scapegoat the talking Animals — stripping them of speech and rights. Elphaba sees the cruelty for what it is and refuses to participate. Galinda, more cautious, calculates a different path. The same regime that brands Elphaba "wicked" rewards Galinda's compliance with the title "the Good."

Romance and divergence

Both witches fall for Fiyero, a charming prince who arrives at Shiz seemingly committed to a life of pleasure. The love triangle is real, but the musical doesn't let it become the central story — what matters is what each character chooses, and what the Wizard's Oz forces them to give up. By Act Two, both women have made the choices that turn into legend.

A different version of the famous story

The book and lyrics weave Wicked's narrative into the events of The Wizard of Oz so that, by the end, you understand what was happening behind the curtain. The Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion — none of them mean quite what you thought. The closing duet, For Good, lands the show's central argument: friendship and influence are how people actually change one another, more than any spell.