Meet Madame Morrible: Wicked's Wickedly Fun Villain Stealing the Show!

Claire Machin, an actress originally from Stoke-on-Trent, is currently starring as Madame Morrible in the West End musical Wicked, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Wicked is one of the most popular and long-running musicals in London, and Claire is thrilled to be part of its cast. She describes her character, Madame Morrible, as 'vile,' but says she enjoys playing such a mean and complex role. Claire has only been with the show for four months, but she says she is 'absolutely having a ball' and loves how her character becomes more 'crazed' as the story unfolds.

Wicked is based on Gregory Maguire's bestselling novel and tells the story of the witches from The Wizard of Oz, focusing on Elphaba and Glinda. The musical has become the eighth longest-running show in British history, with over 7,500 performances and more than 100 awards, including Tony, Olivier, and Grammy Awards. To mark the 20th anniversary, the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London is hosting special pink and green performances, which reflect the colors of the main characters. Claire is especially looking forward to these events, as they will include special goody bags for the audience and a festive atmosphere.

Claire's love for performing began when she was a child. She used to put on shows in her bedroom, singing songs from The Muppets and doing impressions for her teddy bears. She also entered a talent contest at Butlin's during a holiday known as 'Potters Fortnight,' when many pottery factories in her hometown closed for two weeks. Winning the contest earned her family a free holiday, and Claire believes that was the start of her career in show business. Since then, she has performed in several major West End productions, including Les Misérables, Oliver, and My Fair Lady. Claire feels grateful to be able to perform on stage eight times a week and hopes to continue entertaining audiences in Wicked and other musicals for years to come.