Review | WICKED (UK Tour) July 2014

The Wicked Witch of the West End is now soaring around the UK and Ireland as part of the hit Broadway musical's first UK tour. For 9 weeks this summer Birmingham Hippodrome is the merry old Land Of Oz, at least you'd think... for Wicked is not so much merry but the darker back-story of Elphaba - the Wicked Witch Of The West and her unlikely friendship with Glinda - The Good. Things are not as they may seem as the musical journeys through familiar territory and then flips it on it's head... and throws a house on it. 

First we meet Glinda, she's the people's favourite, bubbly (literally) beautiful and blonde.... she's the Holly Willoughby of Oz. Played here by Emily Tierney, she masters impressive operatic vocals and is the queen of comic-timing. Her character is able to steal attention from her emerald counterpart Elphaba - played by standby Jemma Alexander at the indisposition of future West End Elphaba, Nikki Davis-Jones. Alexander's Elphaba is promising and shows a clear progression through the evening, coming into her own at the witches climax of evil No Good Deed. The leading ladies final duet, For Good, is a beautiful end to their story.

Liam Doyle is an excellent Fiyero - the perfect casting for a role which has been previously 'celebrity cast', is left to dwindle in the shadow of the two witches - not here. The 23-year-old from Coventry impresses the home crowd with great vocals and a high-energy performance of Dancing Through Life - the perfect prince. Marylin Cutts revels in the role of evil, her Madam Morrible is both cartoonish yet credible as the vociferous villain. Dale Rapley gives a contrasting performance as both Dr Dillamond and the Wizard of Oz. Tragically beautiful, Carina Gillespie is Nessarose, the wheelchair bound, 'normal' sister of Elphaba - her strong performance is matched in charm by George Ure's Boq. 

American accents are lost for what feels a more British version of the show. Wicked has but a few minor alterations from the West End production but you musn't worry about seeing a lesser version of the show, this is essentially the entire West End production and you'd be mad to miss whilst in your local city. An alternative view of Oz that certainly leaves you spellbound! A triumphant touring production that ensures the West Midlands is as good a home for the West End as any. Book tickets for Birmingham dates here. 

Cast List: Emily Tierney, Nikki Davis Jones, Carina Gillespie, George Ure, Marilyn Cutts, Dale Rapley, Liam Doyle, Jemma Alexander, Lee Bridgman, Chrissy Brooke, Richard Carson, Harrison Clark, Jeanine Dinger, Tim Edwards, Howard Ellis, Natasha Ferguson, Zoë George, Lia Given, Katie Kerr, Will Knights, Oliver Metzler, Wendy Lee Purdy, Julienne Schembri, Grant Thresh, Helen Woolf

WICKED (UK TOUR) 2013/14 UK TOUR CAST ANNOUNCEMENT

* UPDATE - 22/8/2013 *

Today the first pictures of UK Tour cast of Wicked were released just weeks before opening in Manchester. Liam Doyle is pictured as Fiyero, Nikki Davis Jones as Elphaba and Emily Tierney as Glinda. WICKED plays at Birmingham Hippodrome from 9th July 2014 - book here. 

Liam Doyle, Nikki Davis Jones & Emily Tierney

(Click to view larger)

Watch the video below from the tour photoshoot with cast interviews and more exclusives!

* ORIGINAL POST *

After much rumour and speculation the cast of the UK Tour of Wicked is announced!

Previous West End cast members NIKKI DAVIS-JONES will play Elphaba, EMILY TIERNEY stars as Glinda and GEORGE URE returns to the role of Boq.

Click picture to view larger.

Also heading the forthcoming tour cast will be LIAM DOYLE as Fiyero, MARILYN CUTTS as Madam Morrible, DALE RAPLEY as the Wizard and Doctor Dillamond, CARINA GILLESPIE as Nessarose and standby for Glinda. JEMMA ALEXANDER will be standby for Elphaba.

Emily Tierney, Liam Doyle, Nikki Davis-Jones

WICKED flies into Birmingham Hippodrome from Wednesday 9th July until Saturday 6th September 2014. Priority booking for Friends of the Hippodrome is now open and general ticket sales from 10am Monday 10th June 2013 (online) and phone/box office sales from 10am on Tuesday 11th June 2013.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

See the launch photo shoot here:

THE CAST

Nikki Davis-Jones (Elphaba) previously played ‘Elphaba’ in Wicked at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre where as ‘Standby’ she performed the role on hundreds of occasions to huge acclaim. Her many other theatre credits include: ‘Maureen’ in the 20^thAnniversary concert tour of Rent with Kerry Ellis; the new musical LIFT (Soho Theatre); ‘Wendy’ in Peter Pan (Liverpool Empire); ‘Serena’ in Fame The Musical (UK Tour); the Take That musical Never Forget (West End); ‘Anna’ in ASAP (Liverpool Unity Theatre); ‘Lisa’ in Mamma Mia! (West End) and ‘Linda’ in Blood Brothers (West End). Film: Mamma Mia! (Universal).

Emily Tierney (Glinda) appeared in the London production of Wicked and subsequently starred as ‘Glinda’ in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium alongside ‘Over The Rainbow’ winner Danielle Hope. Emily’s other theatre credits include: ‘Sally’ in All the Fun of the Fair (Garrick Theatre); ‘Maria’ in West Side Story (Barbican) and Titanic - The Musical (Shaw Theatre). Film includes: ‘Ellie’ in John Carter of Mars and ‘Alice’ in Kate Modern. Television includes: ‘Lydia Harrison’ in Pushand Do It in Style and Eva Roderick in New Tricks. Emily trained at Mountview.

Liam Doyle (Fiyero) first came to prominence when he entered and won the nationwide talent search hosted by GMTV to find an actor to play ‘Troy Bolton’ in the stage version of High School Musical 2. He performed the role all over the country for the next 12 months. He has subsequently gone on to star as ‘Link Larkin’ in Hairspray (UK Tour) opposite Michael Ball; ‘Shane Gray’ in Disney’s Camp Rock (Dubai) and ‘Ricky Nelson’ in Rock & Roll Heaven (UK Tour). Liam recently made his West End debut playing ‘Eddie’ in Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre and will shortly be seen in the new musical Carnival of Animals at Riverside Studios.

Marilyn Cutts (Madame Morrible) is currently starring as ‘Mother Lord’ in the UK tour of High Society. A founding member of Fascinating Aida, Marilyn’s many theatre roles include: ‘Mrs Potts’ in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (UK Tour); ‘Mrs Sowerberry’ inOliver! (London Palladium), directed by Sam Mendes; ‘Armina’ in Oklahoma! (National Theatre), directed by Trevor Nunn; the ‘Doormouse’ and the ‘White Queen’ in Alice In Wonderland (RSC); ‘Mme de Rosemonde’ in Adam Cooper’s production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses and ‘Helena Landless’ in the original London production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Marilyn recently appeared in Tom Hooper’s film of Les Misérables (Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh).

Dale Rapley (The Wizard and Doctor Dillamond) has recently starred as ‘Horace Vandergelder’ opposite Janie Dee in Hello Dolly!and ‘Louis Leplee’ in Piaf with Frances Ruffelle, both at the Leicester Curve. He has played both ‘Bill Austin’ and ‘Harry Bright’ inMamma Mia! (West End and International Tour) and starred in productions at Shakespeare’s Globe; the Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park; the Young Vic; West Yorkshire Playhouse; the RSC and is currently appearing in Ostrovsky’s Larisa and the Merchants at the Arcola. His many television credits include: Doctors; Poirot; Spooks; Silent Witness; Aquila and Eastenders.

Carina Gillespie (Nessarose) starred as ‘Sandy’ in the most recent national tour of Grease, opposite Danny Bayne. Carina also played the role in the West End (Piccadilly Theatre) and on a previous national tour. Her other appearances include: ‘Linda’ in Bloodbath The Musical (Edinburgh Festival), with Siobhan McCarthy and Anthony Costa, and ‘Maria Elena’ in Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story on tour in the UK and Scandinavia.

George Ure (Boq) trained at Mountview and upon graduating he made his West End debut in Wicked at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre. He subsequently took over the role of ‘Boq’ and enjoyed a 3-year stay with the hit musical. He then went on to tour Europe in the Arena production of Hair. His TV and film appearances include: Britannia High (ITV); Don’t Stop Me Now (Sky One); and Guns on the Table (Out and Out Films). He recently appeared as a vocalist in Rod Stewarts’s Christmas (ITV).