Wicked

'The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz' introduces us to some very familiar characters, years before they met Dorothy. One of them is a clever, lively lady with green skin, the other is superficial, beautiful and popular. Wicked, the tale of how they became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch, has broken box office records at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.

The musical is at its best in the first half, where a Hogwarts-esque school for witches forms the background for a very entertaining US High School comedy, with the usual mix of popular kids, geeks and rebels. Also familiar from the Harry Potter novels is the mixture of a serious political metaphor - the world of Oz slowly falling under the Wizard's fascist regime - and child-friendly fantasy involving thrilling, high-budget broomstick flying scenes. The second half is set during the events from The Wizard of Oz, weaving the plots together very neatly, including the backstories of The Scarecrow, The Tin Man, The Lion and those terrifying flying monkeys. Younger children will love the set and special effects, while older kids and teens will be thoroughly absorbed by the mythology and romance. For adults, the greatest pleasures come from some good jokes and the intricacies of the plotting. Though it lacks any truly memorable numbers, the score is brisk and catchy and this is a rewarding big-budget show. It's definitely worth refamiliarising yourself with the movie before you go.