Wicked is the worst musical theatre EVER

[imsofancy]

Just returned for taking my 13 and 15 year olds to see Wicked at the Apollo in London.

OMG this is the worst show I have ever seen!

The storyline is weak, the singing is screechy and the songs forgettable. Kids hated it too.

We had great seats which cost me +£300, but sooo wish we had left during the interval. I didn't because I think it is rude to the actors but you couldn't pay me to sit through this again.

We go to the theatre a lot and have seen many musicals and straight drama productions. But I wouldn't recommend this show to my worst enemy.

AIBU Wicked the musical is an abomination?

I love musical theatre, I've seen many of the shows mentioned disparagingly on this thread (Wicked, Phantom, Mormon etc) and loved them all. They are hugely popular shows that have run for years, so I don't think you can call them 'shit', but fair enough if they are not to your taste. We all like different things. I cannot imagine anjoying a football match but obviously millions do and spend a lot of money on tickets. Chacun a son gout

YABVU. I love the show.

Curious to know why some people hated Hamilton - thanks to one PP who explained their view. I thought it was amazing. Such energy in the music right from the beginning, clever word play. Totally engaging throughout despite a fairly serious plot.

Les Mis on the other hand left me cold.

Haven't seen Wicked, but have seen a lot of musicals as my kids are big fans. Saw Cats a few years ago and yes it's weird and there isn't much of a storyline but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Not a Les Mis fan. Loved the spectacle of the Lion King and enjoyed Matilda too. Probably my favourite though was Hairspray - just a joy. Although that might have been because it was the first thing we saw post-pandemic and the audience was just so giddy to be allowed out again.

@imsofancy ive been saying this for years!! I went to see it and my ears hurt from the screeching!!! It's an awful musical!!

Agreed, I wasn't a fan. Found it quite boring!

But best show of all time (they ought to bring it back) - Starlight Express!!

https://www.starlightexpresslondon.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAyp-sBhBSEiwAWWzTnuElbd2aqnj4U-7efx-_Y6hoN8VmExdgjYvPgAQk03r4qDncD9B6yhoCGEoQAvD_BwE

From June 2024 - Wembley Park Theatre! @MumUndone

YANBU- it is absolutely crap! Sadly, so many West End hits are but there’s so much hype that utter garbage keeps being churned out. All I kept thinking was that I could be at Matilda; which is a wonderful show and everything a musical should be!

I’ve sat through Cats and Phantom of the Opera, both with someone determined to make me see the light regarding musicals as I find them generally toe curling, I don’t really know why. The person trying to convert me went to everything, more than once, but said to me that she wasn’t so keen on Wicked. Given her levels of tolerance for musicals it must be bad.

I thought musicals were all about the subtext :-)

Oh God, I’d nearly forgotten about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Horrendous !

YABU, DD and I saw it in the summer (cheap kids week seats). I cried, i got goosebumps and at least once a week she asks when we can go again!

YANBU to say you didn't like it - even if I don't understand that sentiment 😋

I think you either love musical theatre or don't. I've seen many shows and loved most of them. Saw Wicked twice back when my kids were younger over 12 years ago I suppose - loved it and love the soundtrack. But as others have said, it would also depend who the leads are as to how good I felt it was on the day.

I find it really hard to say what my favourite musicals are but these are in my top selection:

Come From Away
Les Mis
Dear Evan Hansen
Miss Saigon (original production better for songs, latest one for staging)
Matilda
Book of Mormon (very naughty with it's themes but I laughed so much)
Operation Mincemeat

I’m not a big fan of musical theatre- but some are better than others. Wicked, however, is the worst! Completely agree, OP.

So much of it depends on the cast you get. I saw Hamilton twice – once with the original cast, and once in the West End about a year into its run. The first was life-changingly brilliant, the second was dull and hugely disappointing. There’s huge variation.

That said, I don’t like Wicked as a show either – hate the music, a lot of it is in that very top register that I find uncomfortable to listen to.

I’m a bit of a musicals obsessive – went to the theatre two or three times a week when I lived in London and at least one of them would have been a musical. IMO the best are Operation Mincemeat, Waitress and most Sondheims. The recent production of Cabaret is astonishing, although I imagine it depends on what leads you get – I saw Fra Fee and Amy Lennox and it was truly special. Hadestown was great. Parade is amazing. I loved Come From Away. Some of the revivals of older musicals can be really fun – Guys and Dolls is good (although I preferred Chichester one from a few years back), the Old Vic’s High Society was great – but they can also be absolute duds. Controversially I didn’t like Matilda – the lyrics are so clever but it’s too fast to hear them.

For me the worst of all is jukebox musicals. I haven’t seen many because I deliberately avoid them but the ones I have seen were dire. &Juliet is still the only show I’ve ever walked out of. In general I think the big West End shows are usually disappointing – I don’t understand how or why they end up hanging around and continuing to sell tickets but there we are.

My husband didn't like it all, I thought it was OK but I agree the music is very unmemorable.

Every body has different tastse I'm not sure why people who start threads like this are so offended that other people like something they dont.
I go to the theatre a lot, I love Hamilton, Les Mis, SIx, Phantom etc seen them all a few times. There is only one show which left me cold which was Everybody Talking about Jamie yet i know it was really popular.

It sounds like it must be very dependent on the cast being good - we did enjoy it but saw it many years ago with Idina Menzel in the lead.

(Would generally say I'm happy watching anything on a stage but as per pp had to leave LOTR musical in the interval - a very low point!)

I can't think of anywhere within 10 min walk of Haymarket that is deserted and has a reputation for murdering tourists.

It's one of the busiest parts of town, even at 10pm when the show finishes.

Yanbu I hated it, I far as I could tell the show was just one long screechy song, dreadful show.

Me and my girls loved wicked so I vote yabu!
Maybe cast wasn't as good on night you saw it- different productions/ casting does make a difference.
I love " popular" and "defying gravity".
But not everyone has the same taste and musicals can be a bit like marmite- love them or hate them.
I think as tickets soo expensive it impacts how you feel about it as expectations are very very high.

I saw it about 10 years or so ago with the kids and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Obviously a different cast etc so maybe better then?
I also wasn’t keen on Hamilton when we saw it (right at the start of the run), it was so hyped, but now I know the music/story more I’d prob enjoy it. We had rubbish seats which didn’t help.
Love Book of Mormon, Come From Away (best ever - saw it again before it closed) and Caberet recently was fantastic.

@OrigamiOwls @pinkstinks
Agree totally. Book of Mormon was really unfunny. It was as if the swearing should just be funny it's own right. The mormons got off likely compared to the Africans!
Terrible couldn't wait to leave. Even felt bad for the cast who were great singers and dancers and had to perform this crap

YABU. Wicked is awful but Cats is definitely the worst musical ever.

Never seen Wicked but We Will Rock You was the biggest pile of shit I’ve ever seen. Just sit and wait for Queen and Adam Lambert to go back on tour if you want to enjoy the songs.