Wicked becomes the 10th longest running production in British history!

Posted on Apr 24, 2024 | By Sian McBride

Wicked, the spellbinding stage phenomenon, will today (Wednesday 24 April 2024) play its 6,762nd performance, becoming the 10th longest-running West End stage production in British history! This landmark performance surpasses the previous record holder, the legendary farce No Sex Please, We’re British, which ran from June 1971 until September 1987.

“One of the all-time musical theatre successes” (The Guardian), the Tony, Grammy, Olivier, and WhatsOnStage award-winning musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman opened at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre in September 2006 where it has already been seen by more than 12 million people, and is already the 8^th longest running musical in West End history.

Michael McCabe, Executive Producer of Wicked in the UK said of today’s achievement “As we celebrate the historic milestone of becoming the West End’s 10th longest ever running stage show, we offer our heartfelt thanks to the amazing audiences who have supported and championed Wicked since its very first performance in 2006. We also thank our exceptional creative and backstage teams, performers, and musicians who have worked so tirelessly and diligently to deliver every performance of the show.”

The ‘Popular’ musical currently stars Alexia Khadime (Elphaba), Lucy St. Louis (Glinda), Ryan Reid (Fiyero), Sophie-Louise Dann (Madame Morrible), Michael Fenton Stevens (The Wizard), Caitlin Anderson (Nessarose), Graham Kent (Doctor Dillamond), Joe Thompson-Oubari (Boq), Laura Harrison (Standby for Elphaba), Christine Tucker* (Standby for Glinda), Zac Adlam, Conor Ashman, Jessica Aubrey, Jeremy Batt, Felipe Bejarano, Asmara Cammock, Joshua Clemetson, Effie Rae Dyson, Aston Newman Hannington, Aimee Hodnett, Kate Leiper, Jemima Loddy, Joshua Lovell, Rory Maguire, PaddyJoe Martin, Darnell Mathew-James, Millie Mayhew, Ayden Morgan, Rishard-Kyro Nelson, Aiesha Naomi Pease, Jeanie Ryan, Natalie Spriggs, Charlotte Anne Steen, James Titchener, Micaela Todd, Taela Yeomans-Brown, and Jacob Young. *Maternity cover for Lisa-Anne Wood.

Adapted from Gregory Maguire’s novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,’ Wicked follows the unlikely friendship between Glinda (the Good) and Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West), as they navigate university life.

Set against a backdrop of political turmoil and societal prejudice, the two young witches embark on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Throughout the show they encounter various challenges, including love, betrayal, and the pursuit of power, all of which shape their destinies, as well as the fate of the city itself. As their paths diverge, they realise the true meaning of friendship, sacrifice, and the complexities of good and evil.

Christmas has come early, as to mark today’s history making performance, Wicked has added an extra eight shows to its festive performances! These are Friday 20 December 2024 (2.30pm), Monday 23 December 2024 (2.30pm, 7.30pm) Friday 27 December 2024 (2.30pm), Monday 30 December 2024 (2.30pm, 7.30pm) Tuesday 31 December 2024 (2.30pm), and Thursday 2 January 2025 (2.30pm).