Onin.London Attends The Opening Gala Of The 2025/26 West End Company Of Wicked Led By Emma Kingston (Elphaba) and Zizi Strallen (Glinda)

www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

WICKED, the stage musical phenomenon that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, held its Gala performance last night for the 2025/26 West End company – led by Emma Kingston as Elphaba and Zizi Strallen as Glinda.

They join other cast members Carl Man (Fiyero), Sarah Ingram (Madame Morrible), Michael Matus (The Wizard), Hannah Qureshi (Nessarose), David McKechnie (Doctor Dillamond) and Ross Carpenter (Boq), Laura Emmitt(Alternate Elphaba), Lydia Gerrard (Standby for Glinda), Iroy Abesamis, Zac Adlam, Steph Asamoah, Meg Astin, Rebecca Bowden, Shaun Chambers, Erin Gisele Chapman, Grace Durkin, Onyemachi Ejimofor, Aaron Elijah, Aimee Hodnett, Nat Ingham, Holly Lawrence, Jemima Loddy, Josh Lovell, Rory Maguire, PaddyJoe Martin, JoJo Meredith, Ayden Morgan, Rina Punwani, Abbie Quinnen, Jemma Revell, Jeanie Ryan, Charlotte Anne Steen, Chris Tarsey, Hannah Taylor, James Titchener and Jacob Young.

“One of the most successful musicals of all time” (BBC News), Wicked opened in London in 2006 and is already the 10th longest-running West End production in history. Winner of more than 100 global awards, the production has now been seen by more than 12 million people in London alone and celebrated its 7000th performance at the Apollo Victoria Theatreon Friday 15 November 2024.

Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s celebrated stage musical is based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire and imagines a beguiling backstory and future possibilities to the lives of L. Frank Baum’s beloved characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Wicked reveals the decisions and events that shape the destinies of two unlikely university friends on their journey to becoming ‘Glinda The Good’ and the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’.

Now I’m going to admit this will be my third time seeing Wicked, but I haven’t seen it in about 10 years so my excitement and expectations going in were high! The new cast did not disappoint!!!

Emma Kingston is especially phenomenal as Elphaba. Zizi herself was great and really found her groove in the second half of the show. Both actresses voices certainly complimented each other perfectly and it’s not difficult to see why they were both chosen to perform in their iconic roles.

Overall, Wicked remains a must see musical. From costumes, sets to acting, to songs… this is a show that has it all! So what are you waiting for. Grab your loved ones or even by yourself and book tickets… you’ll be ‘changed to good’.

Performances continue Tuesday – Saturday at 7.30pm, and Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2.30pm. The following eleven added shows are also on sale, including Christmas 2025: Thursday 17 April 2:30pm, Thursday 7 August 2:30pm, Thursday 21 August 2:30pm, Thursday 30 October 2:30pm, Friday 19 December 2:30pm, and Monday 22 December 7:30pm, Tuesday 23 December 2:30pm, Monday 29 December 2:30pm & 7:30 pm, Tuesday 30 December 2.30pm 2025 and Friday 2 January 2:30pm 2026.