During 2010, my wife Michelle was a fan of Glee along with me and we were watching series one at practically the same time. Although I was a few episodes ahead, on my weekly TV diet, she would watch episodes in major blocks. We watched an episode together, “Wheels”, one weekend (I think I may have already seen it) but she was catching up. The episode in question, featuring Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel performing a musical number. Where is this from, I asked! Wicked, my dearest fiancé replied. I had heard of the Broadway musical. In fact many years earlier my Mum had actually gone on a school trip with her school girls into the West End to see the show! I really enjoyed the song and it soon became a personal favourite. Of course Rachel’s version is much better because it was always written with the idea of a female vocalist. Even though in the show, Kurt fumbles his lines on purpose (not hitting the top note) to miss out on a lead role. I did want to see the show myself, Michelle had been lucky enough to see the show early into the West End run with Andy Garcia in a lead role! Would she really want to go and see it again?

My birthday was on the horizon and I asked Michelle that I would like to go for a nice meal and to see the show Wicked. She instantly agreed and went ahead with all the arrangements. I do have an amazing wife! I was looking forward to the show, I knew the plot device, an alternative back story to The Wizard Of Oz. After our meal at The Athenaeum Hotel, we rushed across to Victoria in a Hackney Carriage and made it just in time to take our seats before the show started. In fact, I even had a chance for a call of nature, but heard music being played as I made way back from the toilets to our seats. A fantastic stage, I really like the Art Deco feel of the Victoria Apollo. It was another sold out performance of the smash hit show.

Michelle (who I am sure would have wanted to whisper to me more during the performance) only prodded me moments before the climatic close to Act One and smiled. Defying Gravity is a pure pop song. I love the lyrics, the change in mood, the feeling it invokes within. It means so much and has the possibility of living a life without limits and a boundless energy! I am disappointed I did not see the show performed on the Beeb’s I’ll Do Anything. Although having said that, I have tended to avoid these Graham Norton vehicle, Andrew Lloyd Webber backed talent hunts. Maybe I should dig it up on YouTube? Now having seen the show, do I really want to dampen my memory with a low-par (apparently out of tune performance) from television?