New Wicked Cast but Without Desmond Barrit

Wicked the smash hit musical has new cast members from tonight, June 9th 2008. Alexia Khadime will play Elphaba, Desmond Barrit should be The Wizard (see below) and Jeremy Legat as Boq. Caroline Keiff will move from the ensemble into the role of Nessarose. Ashleigh Gray becomes the alternate Elphaba .

Desmond Barrit’s start as the Wizard is delayed

Barrit is recovering from a minor operation and Andy Mace will play the role of The Wizard tonight in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, and for the near future. Barritt recently played Hector in the very successful National Theatre’s The History Boys He has lots of RSC experience behind him including Falstaff in Henry IV Parts I and II (Olivier nominated) and The Comedy of Errors (Olivier won). It’s not all Shakespearean, he has an extensive comic background and he played Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I think he’ll make a fine Wizard and we’d like to wish him a speedy recovery.

Alexia Khadime as Elphaba

Alexia’s most recent West End role was as Nala in Disney’s The Lion King. She has also played in Whistle Down the Wind, Leader of the Pack and Cinderella: The Musical. Younger theatre-goers may remember her best from her Grange Hill days.
Of course she wasn’t green then…..

Jeremy Legat

Taking on the role of Wicked’s Boq is Jeremy Legat. His most recent screen appearance was in Filth – The Mary Whitehouse Story just last week on the BBC. Legat was in the Sam Mendes production of Oliver! at the London Palladium in 1996/7 so all of the I’d Do Anything furore must be bringing back memories for him. Boq’s a hard role to make an impression in so I wish him well. Let’s face it when your leading ladies are as strong as Glinda and Elphaba it’s hard to make an impact.

Other Current Wicked Cast Members

Glinda – Dianne Pilkington

Madame Morrible – Harriet Thorpe

Fiyero – Oliver Tompsett

Doctor Dillamond – Andy Mace’s standby, for now.

Standby for Glinda -Sarah Earnshaw

Kerry Ellis will be back in Wicked on the London stage

Monday 1 December 2008 – Kerry Ellis returns from Broadway to play Elphaba