IMAGINE stepping into the shoes of Wicked actress Emily Tierney who stars as Glinda the Good Witch in this incredible show.

Well, quicker than you can say “hocus pocus” or “izzy wizzy, let’s get busy” I found myself agreeing to do just that...if only to experience what it is to fly across the Mayflower stage.

Glinda makes her grand entrances and exits on the famous Wicked bubble, from the top of the show when she descends on the stage performing her rousing opening song No One Mourns the Wicked, to her final exit.

Little did I realise that the ‘bubble’ does not actually encase you but is a wide open circular metallic contraption where you have to step on to a narrow ledge to then be flown at great height across the stage and out towards the audience.

A safety harness – in the form of a strap that goes around your waist and clips onto the bubble at the back, is all that stands between you and the long drop to the stage below.

As I was raised into the air I felt relatively calm and could admire the view over the audience.

But then that strange sensation kicked in...the one where you stand at the top of a tall building or look over a balcony and feel as though you are about to fling yourself over!

My mind seemed to race between wanting to step forward off the bubble and cling on for dear life and I could feel my heart starting to race!

As Glinda, Emily – who hails from Chichester – has to wear a huge ball gown and tiara, wave a wand and sing and act!

Hampshire Chronicle:

Hilary tries out the famous Wicked flying bubble

An opera-trained performer, she has to belt out show-stopping numbers but with very little movement as that could rock the bubble!

The show’s head of automation Tim Follett said: “The worst part for Emily is at the start because she’s high up in the bubble out of view of the audience in the dark with the big ball dress on waiting for it all to start.

“We all talk to her when she’s up there so she’s not totally alone.

“Once the music starts and she comes into the view of the audience she’s singing and focussed on the big number No One Mourns the Wicked.”

As I took flight across the stage looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights I could almost hear Glinda’s opening lines: “It’s good to see me, isn’t it? No need to answer, that was rhetorical.”

All I can say is it was good to see me... back on the ground!