WICKED Celebrates Its Latest West End Line-up

Last night Wicked officially welcomed its new West End cast, including the return of Willemijn Verkaik to the role of Elphaba. Alongside her remain Suzie Mathers as Glinda, Oliver Savile as Fiyero and Mark Curry as The Wizard. Sue Kelvin is also welcomed back as Madame Morrible and Sarah McNicholas joins in the role of Nessarose. The show has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary in London, welcomed its eight millionth audience member, and won its 10th WhatsOnStage Award; its longevity is almost unheard of in a Broadway transfer, and it shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.

Leading man Oliver Savile feels "very fortunate" to have been able to work on several big West End musicals in his career so far, and would love to take on as many more as he can - with Sunset Boulevard, Jersey Boys and Beautiful - The Carole King Musical high on his list.

He's been with the show for over a year now and has enjoyed welcoming new members of the cast; he's especially happy that Sarah McNicholas has joined, as they were in the same class at Mountview Academy, but haven't really seen each other for about seven years. "It's lovely to actually be in a show with her," he told BroadwayWorld. Savile also knows some members of the international touring company (which includes Carly Anderson as Glinda) and is glad they can share the experience of the show, with the bonus for them of performing all over the world.

Both Suzie Mathers and Willemijn Verkaik have brought their roles to life in different countries, but are thrilled to be in London to continue the 10th anniversary celebrations. "London has blown me away," said Mathers.

As well as the obvious joy of a standing ovation every night, she loves the London theatre community and the support from within the industry, so it's no surprise that she would love to do some more shows here if the opportunity arose. As far as career ambitions go, Mathers would love to originate a role in a new musical - another by Wicked writer Stephen Schwartz if possible!

Verkaik's time with the show across the world has seen her perform in different languages, which is no mean feat. She relishes the challenge and the experiences it brings, working hard to make it seem "as natural as possible" and fitting her take on Elphaba with the language and accent. "Every language adds a different layer, a different nuance; it changes my Elphaba a little bit," she explained.

The show's fans are well known for their dedication, and the day seat queue is one of the mostly hotly contested in London. But rather than it putting pressure on the stars, knowing that some may even have camped out to get a ticket, both Willemijn and Suzie agree that it lifts the cast and keeps them going through a performance.

Mathers notes that the level of support is wonderful, with some returning day after day and even leaving them letters and gifts. Verkaik says they are obviously aware of the expectations, but she sees them as a compliment to the cast and the production - she is "really grateful that there are so many people who want to come and see the show and enjoy it".

"It's such a good show; the story's so relatable," says Oliver - so it's no surprise that it remains such a popular choice out of the vast array of West End productions on offer. With a splendiferous cast and a thrillifying soundtrack, it really is the musical lover's delight.

Wicked is at Apollo Victoria and currently booking until 26 May 2018

Picture credit: Dan Wooller