2026 will celebrate 20 years of Wicked The Musical in London and it is more wicked and darker than ever before

Since the release of the major motion picture films Wicked (Parts 1 & 2), starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey, the stage adaption has had a new lease of life brought to it. Despite playing in London for twenty years this coming September, the film has brought a new audience in to the theatre which is a wonderful thing for the arts.

Based around the iconic film, The Wizard of Oz, Wicked the Musical delves into the background of the story we all know and love and gives some context around who the Ozian characters really were and if they were really everything we believed them to be from the 1939 film.

• Was the Wizard really ‘wonderful’?
• Was the Wicked Witch of the West really ‘wicked’?
• And who exactly were the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion?

All of these questions are answered in what has now become one of the best loved musicals in theatrical history.

The lead cast of Wicked the Musical 2025/2026

Emma Kingston (Elphaba) could play the role in her sleep. Naturally gifted, she is textbook perfect in the role.

Zizi Strallen (as Glinda) is hilarious. Since seeing her in Strictly Ballroom at the Piccadilly Theatre, I’ve known she has naturally funny bones. However, she is more often known for her wonderful dancing (she is a Strallen after all). Her portrayal of Glinda is wonderful and I even snorted laughing at one point at her darting around the stage like a rabbit in the headlights. Zizi is back where she belongs in a true comedy role (also, can we please bring back the short-lived Cake The Musical as that was equally hilarious).

Carl Man (Fiyero) is not as annoying a character as usual, which makes it easier to understand why everyone falls in love with him.

Sarah Ingram (Madame Morrible) is the true Wicked Witch (flip it around) and perhaps the only real baddie in the show (where as everyone else is misguided or misunderstood).

Michael Matus (The Wizard) plays it like the nutty professor, unhinged and possibly in need of medication – he has found himself in the land of Oz and making things up as he goes along, trying to survive the crazy world he has found himself in.

Ross Carpenter (Boq) is a bit annoying as a character. Usually very sweet, I often wonder why his advances are so often rejected but this performance made me realise, the character of Boq, is just a bit of a dick.

David McKechnie (Doctor Dillamond) does a good job as the last animal teacher left at school who tries to warn the students about what is really going on behind the scenes in Oz.

Hannah Qureshi (Nessarose) is the real wicked sister. She may not have the magical powers of Elphaba but she has grown up with the power of entitlement, always getting what she wants and as she grows older and is challenged, she does not take it well.

The music by Stephen Schwartz is wonderfully powerful, from high belting, gravity defying anthems, to the comedy of ‘Popular’ and the beautiful ballad ‘I’m Not That Girl’ – the songs are wonderful and by the time we get to the iconic duet ‘For Good’ at the end of the show, the audience were left sobbing.

The choreography is timeless and the projections on stage help to bring the magic of the story to life.

There really is nothing I can say to fault Wicked the Musical. The films helps to provide a deeper context to parts of the show and whether or not this is why the stage show feels darker now I’m not sure but something is certainly working as this is the best I have seen the stage show since I started going to see it more than fifteen years ago.

Actors who have played Elphaba in the London production of Wicked the Musical 2006-2026

Wicked the Musical (London) – Actors who have played Elphaba

Wicked the Musical – London Cast 2025/2026

Understudies

• Laura Emmitt (Alternate Elphaba)
• Charlotte Anne Steen (Swing & Elphaba Understudy)
• Jemma Revell (Ensemble & Elphaba Understudy, Nessarose Understudy)
• Lydia Gerrard (Standby for Glinda)
• Hannah Qureshi (Glinda Understudy)
• Aimee Hodnett (Ensemble & Glinda Understudy)
• David McKechnie (The Wizard of Oz Understudy)
• Shaun Chambers (Elphaba’s Father, Ensemble & Doctor Dillamond Understudy, Wizard of Oz Understudy)
• Chris Tarsey (Swing & Doctor Dillamond Understudy)
• Hannah Taylor (Ensemble & Nessarose Understudy)
• Holly Lawrence (Swing & Nessarose Understudy)
• Steph Asamoah (Ensemble & Madame Morrible Understudy)
• Rebecca Bowden (Midwife, Ensemble & Madame Morrible Understudy)
• Josh Lovell (Ensemble & Fiyero Understudy)
• Jacob Young (Ensemble & Fiyero Understudy)
• Rory Maguire (Ensemble & Boq Understudy)
• JoJo Meredith (Ensemble & Boq Understudy)

Ensemble

• Erin Gisele Chapman
• Grace Durkin (Witch’s Mother)
• Onyemachi Ejimofor
• Ayden Morgan
• Rina Punwani
• Abbie Quinnen
• Nat Ingham
• Iroy Abesamis (Chistery)

Swings

• Meg Astin
• Zac Adlam
• Aaron Elijah
• Emily Goodenough (Maternity Cover)
• James Titchener (Dance Captain)
• Jemima Loddy
• PaddyJoe Martin (Assistant Dance Captain)
• Jeanie Ryan (Assistant Dance Captain)