Make a day out of ‘Wicked’ in London | London Theatre

Have an enchanted day out in London with plenty of gravity-defying experiences to complement your trip to Wicked.

In Wicked, enemies-turned-best friends Elphaba and Glinda enjoy “one short day” in the Emerald City, with all the dress salons, libraries, palaces and museums it has to offer. While London is very different to the Emerald City in many ways, it has just as much to offer, and it’s impossible to run out of things to do and see.

Read on for a selection of wickedly enjoyable activities that are sure to entertain and inspire you and your fellow Ozians before taking your seats at the Apollo Victoria Theatre for an evening of magic and spectacle.

Victoria and Albert Museum

Britain’s leading museum of decorative arts and design is so extensive, you could easily spend a whole day here enjoying the fashion, ceramics, metalwork, and much more (Glinda would adore the super-sparkly jewellery gallery).

In the Theatre and Performance galleries, you can see the Act Two dress worn by Kerry Ellis, the first British Elphaba. All the different textures and ruffly details only become apparent up close. Black doesn’t have to be plain! And don’t forget to enjoy tea and cake in the most beautiful museum café in London (and perhaps the world).

Address: Cromwell Road, London SW7

Price: Free

London Eye

“We can’t all come and go by bubble!” Elphaba fumes. This is true, but you can enjoy a magical 30-minute in a bubble-like pod on the London Eye. Constructed almost a quarter of the century ago as a temporary attraction to celebrate the millennium, the Eye has become a firm fixture of the London skyline, just as Wicked is entrenched in London’s theatre landscape.

The 360-degree views are spectacular, and the Eye rotates at a pace so smooth and steady that you won’t know you’re moving. Booking in advance is highly recommended as queues can be long.

Book London Eye tickets on London Theatre.

Address: Riverside Building, County Hall, London SE1

Price: ££

Aerial class

Everyone deserves the chance to fly, and it’s such a thrill when Elphaba soars at the end of Act One. For the chance to experience the sensation yourself, why not book an aerial fitness skills class? Flying Fantastic, with its flagship location in Southwark, teaches classes with no prior experience required.

Classes on offer include aerial hoop, static trapeze, and corde lisse (“smooth rope”). There’s no more dynamic way to keep fit!

Address: Arch 27, Old Union Arches, 229 Union Street, London SE1

Price: £

Atlantis Bookshop

Much of the first half of Wicked takes place in the collegiate setting of Shiz University, and if you’re interested in the intellectual side of magic, Atlantis Bookshop is an independent occult bookshop that has been in business since 1922 and is run by mother-and-daughter experts. The shop stocks a large and comprehensive selection of up-to-date books on all branches of magic, as well as many rare and antiquarian titles.

You can also purchase magicware, including cauldrons, tarot cards, and crystal balls, and it runs several workshops. The shop is located in bookish Bloomsbury, only a few minutes away from the British Museum (which has free entry).

Address: 49A Museum Street, London WC1A

Price: £-££

Green Park

“It’s all grand and it’s all green!” Elphaba exclaims in delight as she arrives in the Emerald City. She’d likely also feel right at home in London’s Green Park. The space is unique among London’s Royal Parks in not having formal landscaping or architectural features, but instead a lovely simplicity.

It’s a peaceful spot to have picnics in summer or to sit and read (Gregory Maguire, who wrote the novel the musical is based on, has a prequel, Elphie, telling the story of Elphaba’s childhood that’s out soon). And it’s just as scenic in autumn as the foliage changes.

Address: London SW1A

Price: Free

Peggy Porschen

Located about a 15-minute walk away from the Apollo Victoria, Peggy Porschen’s destination Belgravia bakery is a pretty-in-pink paradise. It’s hard to miss with its floral frontage and scrumptious selection of exquisite cakes and other baked goods in the window.

It’s just as pretty inside; Glinda would probably Instagram everything to the hilt. Serendipitously, this autumn you can treat yourself to a Bewitched Afternoon Tea, with spiced pumpkin, caramelised toffee apple, and fresh blackberries. Oh my!

Address: 116 Ebury Road, London SW1V

Price: ££

Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist

Speaking of cake, The Other Palace, about five minutes away from the Apollo Victoria, is hosting Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist, a new musical that’s likely to appeal to Wicked fans. Running until 10 November, the show tells the story of the spoilt and tragic last Queen of France and her tricky friendship with courtier Jeanne de Valois – with a garage-inspired soundtrack!

There’s something highly “Marie Antoinette” about Glinda as a character (not least in the way they’re both so fabulously camp!) and this exuberant musical about complex female friendships is similarly engaging. Perhaps catch one at the matinee and the other in the evening, and compare and contrast.

Book Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist tickets on London Theatre.

Wicked

Does The Wizard of Oz tell the full story of the famous Witches? “Are people born wicked or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” Inhibited green-skinned Elphaba and bubbly blonde Glinda meet as students and don’t hit it off. However, an unlikely friendship develops as they find common ground and a shared passion for sorcery.

Their friendship is tested when they come into the orbit of the mysterious Wizard of Oz – Glinda is tempted to kowtow, but Elphaba stands her ground. It’s an uplifting show about the power of female friendship and standing up for what’s right, and the spectacular production itself is “unlimited” in its delights.

Book Wicked tickets on London Theatre.