It's glitzy, glorious and very, very green.
Wicked has made a hotly anticipated return to the Mayflower Theatre stage after a six year absence - and it was worth the wait.
Casting its spell in Southampton until Sunday June 16, this beloved musical is every bit as spectacular as you'd expect.
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A full house, many of the audience members clad head to toe in green, sat down to enjoy the Wizard of Oz prequel last night.
Wicked reveals the events that shape the destinies of two unlikely university friends as they become Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
At its heart, this is a story of friendship and acceptance, and the duets starring the two leads - Laura Pick as Elphaba and Sarah O'Connor as Glinda - are some of the show's best moments.
The ensemble numbers are also a joy, busy and brilliantly choreographed, but it's the solo numbers from Elphaba that shine brightest.
Widely considered to be the best in the business, Laura Pick puts in a powerhouse performance. She's exceptional as Elphaba and her make up artist doesn't do a bad job either.
Her opening solo The Wizard and I, was enough to give you goose bumps and was met with a rapturous reception, as was every subsequent song.
There were gasps galore as Elphaba flew and not one bottom remained on its seat at the curtain call when there was a very well deserved standing ovation from the Southampton crowd.
Wicked, particularly the second act, is dark, dealing with themes of politics and propaganda, peer pressure, infidelity, murder, corruption and the rewriting of history.
But, it's also joyful and magical, painting the town green and tying up all those loose ends for anyone who ever wondered just how the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow came to be, the story behind Dorothy's shiny red shoes and exactly what made the wicked witch the baddie we had all considered her to be.
You'll never look at the yellow brick road in quite the same way again.
Limited tickets for Wicked remain at mayflower.org.uk or by calling 023 8071 1811.
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