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The London Apollo Victoria Theatre is currently home to the musical Wicked, which has been blowing away the competition ever since it opened its doors in September 2006.

It is an absolutely stunning show in every way, from the clever storyline adapted from Gregory Maguire’s novel (which in turn takes the plot of the original Wizard of Oz and turns it on its head) down to the costumes the talented cast wear. Talking of talent…

We were backstage at the theatre to chat to the gorgeous Adam Garcia and the beautiful Helen Dallimore about their roles in Wicked, Adam plays Fiyero, and Helen plays Glinda the Good Witch. Amidst crisps, mineral water and fan mail, we settled to talk about their characters – how would they describe them?

“She is a deeply flawed character who does a lot of growing up through the course of the show, she really tries to do her best but she hasn’t really got a firm grasp of what that is. And I guess she is one of those people who gives out of a desire to make herself feel better as opposed to a genuine desire to do good. She learns the difference thanks to her friendship with Elphaba – she just needs a little help with doing things out of the goodness of her heart.” Helen

And Fiyero? This is a role Adam helped develop in an early work shop in New York so if anyone knows what makes his character tick it would be him, although he is quietly modest about his contribution...

“Oh I did a couple of days (at the work shop), they decided from then that he would be on the surface very shallow and dim…” Adam

“I thought they just wrote it for you!” Helen

But Adam’s character is much more than just eye candy for the girls, although he does look rather fine in the part. Fiyero also has his own journey to make through the show.

“I like Fiyero as on the surface he seems incredibly shallow - so much in common! But there is quite a depth to him. And despite his richness and his Princeliness, I don’t think he really thinks he is worth that much and so he doesn’t mind being sacrificial, he is quite generous in that respect.” Adam

The original Judy Garland film The Wizard of Oz stands out in cinematic history. Whether it’s for the casting, the storyline or those scary flying monkeys, nearly everyone can think of a moment that stands out for them. What makes Wicked so fun and so clever are all the tie-ins with the film, although as Helen says, the book is ‘a lot different and a lot darker’ than the film.

“It’s a clever use of the film with Wicked as to how it ties in the scarecrow, the lion and the tin man, I think that is what people find so satisfying about Wicked as they know the Wizard of Oz - it’s a revelation that it ties those characters in, but in a different way.” Helen

For Adam, it’s the scene in the film with the flying house.

“It’s the whole flying house bit. That’s when it kicks off, it’s one of the pivotal things about what political spin can do. This is one of the things the production is about, is how we are lied to constantly by our leaders and we are in the naïve and infantile belief that what they tell us is true. The Wizard of Oz and what this show is about is that you are being told one thing but there is this completely different story and so for me the flying house does that – you’ll just have to go and see it!” Adam

Helen’s character makes a great entrance, a ‘rocking entrance’ as Adam describes it, where Glinda is high above the audience in her Good Witch bubble. Did Helen find that scene tricky to do?

“No! (Laughs) I absolutely love that, it’s a moment of solitude before the madness, I am up there in the rafters at the top of the theatre and I chill out for a few seconds before I have to sing, I love it.” Helen

So are there any scenes the pair find tricky or is it all as smooth flowing as it appears to the audience?

“The trickiest scene? That is the one where I (laughs) still don’t understand what I am doing - it’s our scene where we yell at each other…” Adam

“Yeah -- you tell me to get stuffed!” Helen

Ah this is the scene where Fiyero says he will marry Glinda…

“I sing ‘Thank Goodness’ in two parts and in the middle of that there is this awkward moment where he says this is all a disaster and I don’t believe in it and how can you be doing it and then he says he’ll marry me but he doesn’t really mean it… It’s a very delicate scene.” Helen

“Yes it’s a tricky one; there is so much else they could say but they don’t - it’s a stand off between love and generosity so he doesn’t know what is going on or what precipice they are about to leap off.” Adam

And favourite scenes?

“I think my favourite is the cub scene as it whips along really quickly and it’s got pace, (smacks his hand) things happen and it’s like BOOM! It’s a whole big turn around for my character; it’s his revelation – that is why I think I like it, as so much happens.” Adam

“Probably my favourite scene would be ‘Popular’, as it’s a lot of fun and a lot of laughs and my trickiest would be the scene where Fiyero dumps me and goes off with Elphaba.” Helen

“Oh yeah, sorry about that!” Adam

“Ah it’s alright, it’s in the script!” Helen

Although Helen plays a principal role as Glinda, the part that has the most focus on it is the supposed ‘Wicked Witch of the West’ – Elphaba, played by Kerry Ellis. If Helen was not playing her character, would she like to play Elphaba? The answer is of course yes and do we detect a wicked gleam in her eye?

“Yeah, she is cool. Even with the green make up, she’s got the kick arse songs… I think I’m probably more of an Elphaba than a Glinda as it happens, despite the blonde hair.” Helen

The cast of Wicked were recently at the 2006 Royal Variety Performance at the Coliseum in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. Did they get to shake any Royal hands? They did, although Helen averted her eyes…

“There was a photograph and I am sort of like that (eyes down) and my boyfriend said ‘what are you doing, you look like you looking at Camilla’s chest!’ and I was like ‘I was averting my eyes!’ I thought that was a respectful thing to do! (laughs)” Helen

Adam adopts an upper class female accent: “She can’t bear to look at me... What’s wrong, have I something in my teeth?”

Is it more nerve wracking doing a performance like the Royal Variety?

“It is, as it’s out of context. I sang ‘Popular’ for a radio gig and because it is out of context you get more nervous, you do it every single night perfectly fine and then you throw yourself in a different room with different people and suddenly you are nervous again, I never get nervous anymore with the show.” Helen

“Last Thursday was the first time I didn’t feel nervous. Not sure why – I was sick the day before? No I don’t know, just adjusting, slowly getting used to it and understanding it all I suppose.” Adam

Although this is Helen’s West End debut, both have done extensive theatre, TV and film work, Helen in productions in her native Australia as well as films such as Kangaroo Jack, and Adam was nominated for a prestigious Olivier Award for Saturday Night Fever and has sang with Kylie Minogue, as well as starring in Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion, Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Body in the Library, and the films Wilde and Coyote Ugly. So what do they prefer – theatre, television or film?

“As soon as I finish something, film, television -- I want to do theatre, I would hate to think I was trapped in either forever.” Helen

“I really like theatre, I think it’s because I have had a long time away from it and it’s taken me a long time to get back into it as in the interim I was doing film and stuff…” Adam

“I didn’t know you were in The Interim, that’s a great film...” Helen

“A bit of an intermission really!” Adam

It’s been a pleasure to speak to people with such a good sense of humour, but all too soon the time has flown. What would they say to entice people to come and see the musical?

“It’s good value for money…” Adam

“…And I really think it’s a show where people get their moneys worth, because it’s fantastic for all ages…” Helen

Wicked certainly has something for everyone and is currently one of the must-see shows, as well as setting a new all-time record for a single week’s gross in the West End - £873,020 for the week 26-30 December 2006. Wicked was also the West End’s top-selling show during Christmas week and set a new Box Office record at the Apollo Victoria for the third time.

As we are gathering our belongings we wonder purposely out loud what those on stage can see of the audience during a show, as sometimes it is nice to think the people on stage are actually looking back at you…

“And sometimes we are…” finishes Helen mysteriously! Cue more laughter and it is sadly time to say goodbye...

read review of Wicked

Official website: www.wickedthemusical.co.uk