THERE can be few musicals whose arrival at the historic Bristol Hippodrome have been as eagerly anticipated as Wicked, which flew into the city this week as part of its UK tour.

The untold story of the witches of Oz, Wicked has won numerous stage awards around the world – and it’s easy to see why. Every aspect of the show, from the costumes to the performances themselves, oozes top notch entertainment value, and is every bit as good as a West End show.

Wicked is not, as many believe, the prequel to the classic film starring Judy Garland. It is, in fact, based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 Wizard of Oz spinoff novel and more like one of the other Oz series of books that L Frank Baum wrote between 1904 until his death in 1919.

In a nutshell, Wicked is the story of the young witches’ friendship at Shiz university. Initially loathing each other, Elphaba (who goes on to become the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the good witch) are forced to share a room and, after some initial character clashes, go on to become firm friends. But can such an unlikely friendship survive when the Wizard’s wicked plan becomes apparent?

This production is perfectly paced, developing the story in Act One right up to the exciting climax and the hit song ‘Defying Gravity’, leaving the audience spellbound and on tenterhooks for the second half, which ties together the various sub plots and incorporates many of the characters that we are familiar with from the famous film, such as the Tin Man and the Scarecrow, and ensures that the audience goes away satisfied. This is, in many ways, what goes a long way to make this a great show.

Far and away star performer of the night was Ashleigh Gray, as Elphaba, whose talent as a performer and singer makes her stand out far more than her green skin ever could. Her rendition of ‘Defying Gravity’, flying high above the cast below, was one of the most memorable scenes I can remember at the Hippodrome. Marilyn Cutts was also brilliant as Madame Morrible, as were Emily Tierney as Glinda and Carina Gillespie as Nessarose. Special mention must go to Steven Pinder (familiar to many as Max from Brookside), who, as Doctor Dillamond, played a great goat but an even more wonderful Wizard of Oz!

The set and the costumes were equally as outstanding, and are worth the ticket price alone – every dress is spectacular.

There are some interesting moral questions asked in the show – surely everyone knows that the Wicked Witch of the West was a nasty bully? – but it is great to have preconceptions challenged once in a while. After all, everyone likes a nice surprise.

Around the world, Wicked has been seen by 45 million people in 13 countries and won 100 international awards. Surely you’ve got to catch its magic while you can?

Wicked is on at the Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday, March 21. Visit www.atgtickets.com/bristol