Wicked Witches - Adult Panto

Pleasance Theatre

Wicked jokes and popular songs turned into a return to Oz-style panto. Great message about embracing who you are! Ian McKellen and Jeremy Corbyn make an entrance.

Twas the night before I went to see Wicked For Good, and what better way to spend it than seeing a Wicked-themed pantomime for adults. Yes, it is indeed panto season!

Let's get into Wicked Witches. It's an adult panto that celebrates sexuality and gender, Wicked style. It's a colourful, crazy and hilarious evening. Exactly what you'd expect from an adult panto and some bubbles. The story is filled with chaotic drama, Dorothey (Dor) returns to Oz, and the Wicked Witch is ready to take her down. Is she truly wicked? Is the Good Witch actually good? Well... Get yourself to the Pleasance Theatre to find out. There are songs to boogie and sing along to, and never-ending innuendos. Is it groundbreaking? It's a panto, it's just a good time and a heart-warming message to be true to who you are. I mean, you HAVE to see Ian McKellen's and Jeremy Corbyn's moments in the show... They are something else.

What's an adult panto without a bit of drag, right? The characters in this show are bold, colourful, and confident. Their energy is infectious. The iconic Wicked Witch is played by Gigi Zahir, and they embody a fusion of the witch from The Wizard of Oz and Elphaba. They steal the stage every time they enter. Going from villain to victim is intriguing, and the more you get to know the character, you grow to love them. The boo's turn to cheers. It's vice versa with the Good Witch, who turns out to be not exactly what you expect. The Good Witch is played by Eleanor Burke, who has a delightful personality and takes the stage in true Glinda style. Of course, the acting isn't naturalistic and perfect; it's a panto. It's silly, exaggerated, and a bit of fun. A great panto for a Wicked lover, and it's a lot of fun to watch before watching the Wicked movie. To have a Wicked experience.

Oz is brought to the stage before your eyes in a minimalistic way. Which works and adds to the fantasy of the show. It's a great addition to have bubbles for the audience members. This gets them involved in the panto fun and adds to the atmosphere. The curtains hide the set to transition into different areas. The curtains get stuck at times, and this reveals elements of the set to come, which is sometimes distracting. The use of foam bubbles and audience interactions, along with the stage's use in various ways, keeps the show interesting and the audience on their toes. The most interesting moments are when a huge phone is lowered down to the set where characters are projected onto the screen to share messages with the characters. It gives the stage different angles and textures. It is fun to see all the chaotic things they do on stage to keep the audience laughing.

It's a great adult panto. Whilst I'm not a huge lover of panto, this is great fun, and I couldn't stop smiling and laughing. Sometimes the sex jokes are a bit over the top, but hey, it's an adult panto, it's what it's all about. The message of the piece and the closing lines about accepting yourself and those around you for who they are were truly beautiful and special. It was lovely to be in a room filled with people celebrating panto fun, theatre, and identity. What a night, paired with some wicked themed cocktails. Theatre girlies, this is a Christmas treat.