WICKED's wow factor accompanied by eye-catching bling and proficient acting

The singers, the costumes, the sets. Oh my.

WICKED's wow factor cannot be denied. This spectacular North Island premiere of the hit Broadway musical reaches new standards for locally produced big-budget shows. The set is of Royal New Zealand Ballet Company proportions, with costuming, lighting and effects to match.

Impressive sets and eye-catching bling are nothing though without proficient acting and vocal performances. Add an outstanding cast, with music maestro Barry Jones at the helm of a 17-piece orchestra, and appreciation for the scale and scope of this accomplishment magnifies.

WICKED is based on alternative facts – the re-imagined back story to L Frank Baum's 1900 fantasy, The Wizard of Oz.

It reveals how self-obsessed glam-queen Galinda became Glinda the Good Witch and how Elphaba, her thoughtful, caring, green-skinned college room-mate, became the Wicked Witch of the West.

There are plenty of contemporary resonances to Elphaba's story. Her discovery, also made by Kermit the Frog that it's not easy being green, is related in an extended and extravagantly embellished flashback.

Professional performers Shaan Kloet as Elphaba and Ellie Neal as Galinda have great voices and the requisite acting talent. They provide this slightly too long and sometimes unwieldy 2003 Wizard of Oz reboot, with enough chemistry and character for its momentum.

While Kloet and Neal admirably navigate the complicated score to deliver the lead vocal trills, they are supported magnificently by high-calibre local performers.

Among them is Glen Nesbit, back in his hometown from the across-the-Tasman "Oz" to share his distinctive voice and presence as The Wizard.

In the role of Prince Fiyero Tigelaar, the romantic male lead who finds there is more to life than being a stereotype, Tyrell Beck continues to impress as singer and actor.

Playing Madame Morrible, Joanne Sale shines as chancellor of the Hogwarts-esque Shiz University who becomes the Wizard's alt-facts spin-doctor responsible for the Wicked Witch "hag-tag" on Elphaba.

Renee Evans is a revelation as Elphaba's younger wheelchair-confined sister Nessarose, while Bruce Sinclair as Dr Dillamond and Michael Doody as Boq also make quality contributions.

Appearing technically seamless, time could be shaved off the show's 2½-hour length. However, this is impressive major league stuff and marks a big step up for multi-award-winning local director Scott Andrew.

(Richard Mays)