WICKED Surpasses the Run of BILLY ELLIOT to Become the 16th Longest Running Show in London Theatre History

WICKED, the West End musical phenomenon that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, will tonight play its 4567th performance at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, surpassing the triumphant run of Billy Elliot The Musical to become the 16th longest running show in London theatre history.

Two extra matinees have been added this Summer, on Thursday 17 August and Thursday 24 August 2017, starting at 2.30pm. Tickets are now on sale.

Acclaimed as "a big-hearted musical extravaganza about the land of Oz" (Time Out London), the "hugely popular show" (The Times) is now in its 11th year and has already been seen by over 8 million people in London alone. Wicked is a three-time winner of the theatregoer-voted WhatsOnStage Award for 'Best West End Show' and a two-time winner of the Olivier Audience Award. While continuing its open-ended London run, the critically acclaimed and multi record-breaking UK & Ireland touring production returns from 31 January 2018, visiting Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Dublin, Sunderland, Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester.

WICKED currently stars Alice Fearn (Elphaba), Sophie Evans (Glinda), Bradley Jaden (Fiyero), Melanie La Barrie (Madame Morrible), Andy Hockley (The Wizard), Martin Ball (Doctor Dillamond), Sarah McNicholas (Nessarose), Jack Lansbury (Boq), Laura Pick (Standby for Elphaba) and Carina Gillespie (Standby for Glinda).

Based on the acclaimed, best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire that ingeniously re-imagines the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

WICKED has music and lyrics by multi Grammy and Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Disney's Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted and, for DreamWorks, The Prince of Egypt) and is based on the novel 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West' by Gregory Maguire and adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman (My So-Called Life). Musical staging is by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento and the production is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello.

WICKED is produced around the world by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive Producer (UK) Michael McCabe.

Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG

Official UK website: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk.

Photo credit: Matt Crockett