Monday 26 September 2011 13:00:00 GMT
WEST END SENSATION WICKED CELEBRATES LANDMARK 5TH BIRTHDAY - TUESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2011
Wicked, the smash hit musical that tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, will celebrate its landmark 5th birthday on Tuesday 27 September 2011 at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre.
Acclaimed as "a phenomenon" (Sky News) and "the biggest thing in musicals since The Phantom of the Opera opened" (The Times), Wicked has become one of the West End's most popular and successful musicals of all time, breaking countless Box Office records and winning multiple awards since its West End premiere in 2006. Amongst the production's many notable accomplishments are:
- Grossing an incredible £145 million at the UK Box Office to date.
- Being the first, and so far only, West End show to gross over £1 million in a single week - taking £1,002,885 during w/c 27 December 2010.
- Sustaining unprecedented year-on-year financial growth at the Box Office. The show is currently £2 million up on the same period in 2010.
- Playing over 2000 performances, with standing ovations at every performance, and attracting almost 4 million theatregoers to date. The 4 millionth theatregoer is currently forecast to attend in November 2011.
- Being twice voted by theatregoers as London's 'Best West End Show' (Whatsonstage.com Awards in 2011 and 2010) and winner of the 2010 Oliver Audience Award for 'Most Popular Show'.
- Now being one of the 10 longest running musicals currently playing in the West End and one of the 20 longest running West End musicals of all time.
- Developing ongoing relationships with national charities (including The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, The Woodland Trust, St John Ambulance and Mousetrap Theatre Projects) through its FOR GOOD programme, which champions and supports a range of causes born out of the themes of the show. The musical also created the WICKED Young Writers' Award in 2010, chaired by author Michael Morpurgo with patronage from HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.
UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe commented: "This is an incredible landmark for all of us involved in Wicked and we couldn't be more delighted to have become such a popular, long-running hit. We are also proud that our continued success has enabled us to support so many charitable projects though our on-going 'For Good' programme. Our heartfelt thanks go to every single person who is part of this extraordinary production and to the millions of theatregoers who have been so supportive of the show since our very first performance five years ago."
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"ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR WEST END MUSICALS EVER."
London Evening Standard, February 2013
"WICKED WILL ENTRANCE EVERY GENERATION IN
WONDER, WIT AND SUSPENSE."
Erika Scarth, Time Out
"A WICKED AND WONDERFUL VISION OF OZ.
A remarkable kaleidoscope of magical shocks, surprises and sensations - Wicked works like a dream."
Nicholas de Jongh, Evening Standard
READ MORE
"A WIZARD HIT!
You get a lot of bang for your buck - expense has not been spared on sets, costumes, prosthetic
make-up and masks, while the dance routines and flying sequences are spectacular. But the visual
extravaganza would be nothing without the subtler pleasures to be derived from the clever and rather
cheeky way Wicked links arms with the classic Wizard of Oz story."
Jasper Rees, The Sunday Times
"A MAJOR HIT WITH AUDIENCES AND CRITICS ALIKE."
Brenda Emmanus, BBC London News
"Packed with shocks, sorcery, special effects and incredible costumes,
WICKED IS THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR A SPELLBINDING NIGHT OUT."
Daily Mail
"THERE IS NO SHOW IN LONDON THAT QUITE MATCHES
THE WIT, WONDER AND MAGIC OF WICKED.
With a great story, powerful songs and a visually stunning production,
this incredible show is SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE."
Lynn Parsons, Smooth Radio
"It is the strength of its storytelling, composition and production values that have made Wicked
THE BEST NEW MUSICAL OF ITS TIME."
Sara Keating, The Irish Times
"It's exhilarating to see hefty themes tackled in
a barnstorming piece of popular entertainment."
Time Out, 2011
READ MORE
"More than just a great night at the theatre, Wicked is
AN INCREDIBLE AND UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE."
Steve Allen, LBC 97.3 FM
"Packed with wit, storming songs and beautiful costumes,
WICKED IS AN ABSOLUTE BLAST."
Colin Campbell, The Guardian
"THE HIT MUSICAL WITH BRAINS, HEART AND COURAGE."
Ruth Caven, The Sunday Telegraph
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"IT'S NOT JUST WICKED, IT'S AWESOME!
Full of suspense, surprises and Harry Potter-style magic, Wicked is a spellbinding experience."
Paul Phear, Magic 105.4
"THIS BLOCKBUSTER MUSICAL IS FABULOUSLY
ENTERTAINING.
If you're looking for a spectacular production with all the trimmings, then Wicked is the obvious choice."
Amira Hashish, Evening Standard
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"IT'S WICKED!"
Nicola Christie, The Independent
"AN UNFORGETTABLE, ENCHANTING TRIUMPH THAT
DAZZLES THE SENSES AND TOUCHES THE HEART."
Lynn Parsons, Smooth Radio
"BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT, SOPHISTICATED
COMEDY AND
THOUGHT-PROVOKING DRAMA
- it is magnificent to see a musical that manages to be both populist and intelligent at the same time."
Tim Walker, The Sunday Telegraph, 2006
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"A BRILLIANT PRODUCTION."
Tim Walker, The Sunday Telegraph
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"ENTER ANOTHER WORLD AND PREPARE TO DISCOVER
A PARALLEL UNIVERSE TO THE WIZARD OF OZ.
You can hear a pin drop as the audience in a packed theatre is totally caught up in the fantastic story,
and then the place erupts with laughter, cheering, applause and, at the curtain call, a thunderous
standing ovation. Wicked is wonderful."
Roger Foss, The Steve Allen Show, LBC 97.3
"ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND THRILLING
MUSICALS IN WEST END HISTORY."
Birmingham Mail, 2011
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"By any yardstick (or broomstick),
WICKED IS A PHENOMENON."
Sky News, 2008
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"PREPARE TO BE SPELLBOUND! London's top hit musical continues to dazzle and delight.
Wicked remains one of the very best, most spectacular shows in the West End. Big hearted and
courageous, it's a no-brainer - you must see Wicked! It's the sensation of theatreland."
Jamie Crick, Classic FM
"WICKED IS A PHENOMENON AND PHENOMENAL."
Mark Shenton, Sunday Express
"A HUGELY ENTERTAINING SHOW!"
Manchester Evening News, 2011
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"You certainly see where your money goes in this FABULOUSLY STAGED, EMOTIONALLY
CHARGED AND BRILLIANTLY WITTY MUSICAL. If you are looking for value-for-money
entertainment, Wicked is hard to beat."
Jo Russell, Absolute Radio
"A VISUALLY STUNNING MUSICAL EXPERIENCE
THAT LINGERED LONG IN THE MEMORY."
Liverpool Echo, 2011
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"The award-winning Wicked provides the backstory of The Wizard of Oz – effectively the framing
of the not-remotely-wicked Wicked Witch of the West. This sumptuous show brings new moral
complexity to the unseen Dorothy's adventures on the Yellow Brick Road,
it's subtle and subversive – and suitable for all ages."
Simon Edge, Daily Express
"Wicked combines spectacular visuals and production values with
an ingenious story, brilliant performances and genuine emotion."
Tim Lichfield, Absolute Radio
"WICKED IS SIMPLY FANTASTIC.
A brilliantly twisted take on The Wizard of Oz."
Natalie Jameson, BBC Radio 1
"A GREAT BIG LUSCIOUS BROADWAY EXTRAVAGANZA."
Liz Hoggard, Evening Standard 2007
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"ENCHANTING, BEWITCHING AND SPELLBINDING.
Wicked is a magical show."
Sam Carlisle, The Sun
"Based on the great novel by Gregory Maguire and with music and lyrics by the
genius Stephen Schwartz,WICKED IS SPELLBINDING."
Sandi Toksvig, The Sunday Telegraph
"THE MOST INCREDIBLE MUSICAL I HAVE SEEN IN YEARS.
An unbelievable show with a fantastic cast, amazing special effects and incredible costumes."
Phillip Schofield, This Morning, ITV1
"AN EYE-POPPINGLY LAVISH SHOW.
A musical about the casting of spells seems to have duly cast its own and hypnotises audiences who
have embraced it as not so much a musical as an event. Joe Mantello's meticulous recreation of his
Broadway production is a superbly staged exercise in crowd control and stage-craft with Cirque du
Soleil-like production values. The result taps into a genuine public appetite for spectacle, art and heart."
Mark Shenton, Sunday Express
"PREPARE TO BE SPELLBOUND. A magical masterpiece of musical theatre."
Becky Wicks, lastminute.com
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"Wicked is everything a musical can be: POIGNANT, SINCERE, FUNNY AND INSPIRING."
Gary Brackett, totallytheatre.com
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"THE BRILLANT WICKED IS A MUST-SEE."
Danny Pietroni, Magic 105.4
"THE BEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN IN THE WEST END.
Wicked is absolutely awesome."
Luke Smith, Capital FM
