Wicked dares to tread where the Wizard of Oz failed. Sarah Scott goes behind the scenes

WICKED is the ultimate fan fiction achievement. It’s not the story of a brave little lady from Kansas, but of the Wicked Witch of the West and her counterpart, Glinda (or as she begins the tale Galinda). It is a triumphant reworking of one of the most iconic films of all time, The Wizard of Oz, whose 76 year hold on our collective imagination shows no sign of abating. It is also one of the most exciting musicals of recent years, the ultimate Broadway experience for theatre audiences all over the UK.

The musical itself has shaped our cultural experience, chiefly through an early star. Idina Menzel originated the Green One’s role on Broadway in 2004, but now she is more famous due to voicing Elsa in the Frozen film. Elphaba is the name given by Gregory Maguire to the Wicked Witch of the West in his 1995 novel on which the Wicked musical is based. The name is a tribute to the writer of the original Oz books, L Frank Baum.

The musical, which has celebrated more than ten years on Broadway, is dripping with awards (conjuring up at least100 so far). At the heart of the phenomenon lies an utterly bewitching adaptation.

I got to find out just how meticulous those production standards are when I paid a visit to the backstage area during the company’s run in Sunderland Empire Theatre, meeting up with company manager Anthony Field. Due to the incessant costume changes for the cast, Wardrobe Village is installed backstage along with the set, where cast change their costumes and wigs and get their make-up touched up.

Elphaba’s green skin is a running theme (and joke). The show may reveal the softer side of the Wicked Witch of the West, but each Elphaba has a bespoke blend of special paint created, according to their skin type and perspiration rates. Field describes it is a "Labour of Love" involving a 50-minute make-up session which ensures that on a two-show day, Ashleigh Gray's Elphaba is stuck in the theatre between shows, with hopefully plenty of access to the Green Room. As Elphaba gets into her spellbinding stride through the show, the colour is reapplied and darkened.

The attention to detail is superlative and a close inspection reveals wigs so impeccably crafted you would think they were real. The costumes of the ensemble at the Shiz Academy (where Glinda and Elphaba meet) and later in Oz and the Emerald City are asymmetric, off-kilter, straight out of the wonderful imagination of costume designer Susan Hilferty and, requiring a little magic of there own. Madame Morrible (Marilyn Cutts) is the academy's colourful principal in a costume evocative of a Japanese garment, with intricate bustle. It has a corset and is embellished by a beadier to the Royal Family. No cheap knock-offs here. Many elements of the costumes are bespoke, hand-dyed and with extraordinary attention to detail. Sets are similarly of a high standard, with pieces made by experts worldwide.

The most complex effect to create on stage turns out to be the end of act one as Elphaba flies high above the stage during the song Defying Gravity. This is where copious amount of theatrical flying skills and lighting magic are required, both stationery and the portable kind. Gray’s dress takes in 40 yards of fabric and 50 layers of gathered ruffles.

It is all testament to the outstanding skills of the company that the audience remain oblivious to such problems as corsets, restricting skirts and heavy costumes. Imagine putting on 20 kilos of fabric and then crawling around, or flying, night after night. This is what Harrison Clark as Chistery does during a scene where Elphaba is tricked into creating flying monkeys. Ice baths every couple of days help, apparently but it is no wonder that a physiotherapist is a permanent member of the touring company.

Director Joe Mantello has described his show as being "The before, during and after" of The Wizard of Oz. It is part of our modern desire to re-examine a baddie and giving them a little touch of humanity, like Frozen’s Elsa (originally a cold-hearted Snow Queen) and Maleficent, from the Disney Sleeping Beauty.

In Wicked's case there's also songs like I'm Not That Girl from Gray and Emily Tierney's memorably comic Popular alongside a heartwarming story of friendship and sacrifice. If you have the strength to wave a magic wand than there's every chance you still have time to be bewitched.

Wicked runs at Sunderland Empire until April 25.

Box Office: 0844-871-3022 or atgtickets.com/sunderland