Audio Describing Wicked: One Wonderful Night

Audio describing Wicked: One Wonderful Night was always going to be a challenge. The much-anticipated celebration concert, featuring stars from the Wicked movie and upcoming sequel Wicked: For Good, was scheduled for broadcast soon after its filming, leaving a tight turnaround to write and voice the AD. As a fan of the musical, I was thrilled that I got to describe the movie for Sky, and knew the concert would be spectacular. As it was, I found myself swept along by an irresistible tide of pink and green which made the challenge of completing the AD in time a thoroughly enjoyable one. 

The event was filmed at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, famous for hosting the annual Academy Awards. Wicked: One Wonderful Night proves itself worthy of the iconic venue, with no expense spared on theatrical backdrops, special effects, and most notably of all, costume changes. The movies’ stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande appear in countless different outfits, some of them credited online to world-famous designers. With elaborate gowns and frequent changes contributing to the tangible excitement in the theatre, it felt important to describe as many of the dresses and suits as possible, even when that description was just a fleeting reference to ‘wafting pink chiffon’ (fans of the movie will know who’s wearing that!).

As with the film itself, I knew that despite the temptation to describe every second of stunning visuals, the songs deserved to be heard! Steven Schwartz’s witty and poignant lyrics come thick and fast, with some fabulous made-up words thrown in, making it all the more important for them to be clearly audible. (My personal favourite rhyming couplet: “Since folks here to an absurd degree, Seem fixated on your verdigris…”) Happily the concert also has some excellent ‘dance breaks’ where AD could really bring the on-stage visuals to life. It was a rare joy to sit pondering words befitting the dazzling lights, acrobatic performances and exuberant choreography of the ensemble decked out in every combination of pink and green imaginable. 

Wicked: One Wonderful Night is every bit the slick and splendid tribute to the films that I hoped it would be. Household names Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum and relative newcomers Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater all muck in, bringing warmth and comedy in equal measure. There are some brilliant surprises which I won’t spoil here, except to say: prepare to belly-laugh and maybe cry a little. But the real magic touch is provided by fans of the musical, who’ve wholeheartedly embraced the movie. Some were lucky enough to be part of the live audience, and others sent in all-singing, all-dancing contributions for an unapologetically fan-tastic montage. As one superfan proclaims: loving wicked isn’t just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle! And that’s what makes Wicked: One Wonderful Night truly spellbinding. 

You can watch Wicked: One Wonderful Night, on Sky Max and On Demand with Audio Description from the 8th November. 

Article and Audio Description by Jenni Elbourne