Wicked executive producer Michael McCabe at the Edinburgh Playhouse It's been one week since Wicked flew into town. With the show receiving five-star reviews from its first outing and enchanting audiences from the moment the actors stepped on stage, Edinburgh has truly embraced its emerald glow. But it's been a long time coming as The Playhouse was one of the first theatres outside of London to be booked for the spellbinding UK tour three years ago. STV Edinburgh caught up with Wicked's Michael McCabe, who has worked on the production for more than ten years and is currently the executive producer of both the West End and touring version of the show. "We started planning the UK tour about three years ago," Michael said. Edinburgh was the very first date that we booked. We very much from the outset wanted to be in Edinburgh for Christmas and be the big Christmas musical at the Playhouse, so it's been a long journey and to finally have got here is incredible. There's just something very special about this theatre and not just the enormity of it with its 3000 seats, but its history in hosting big shows. "It was a huge responsibility more than anything," Michael said of the UK tour. It couldn't be a cut-down version of the West End show. I think the reaction to the show is a lot to do with just the sheer scale of it on tour, it isn't a poor man's version of the show. After working on the production for more than ten years, you could forgive Michael for feeling a bit jaded. But when he begins to tell the story of Wicked's progression throughout the years, the passion in his voice is enough to convince you that he's just as enthusiastic as the first time he picked up the script. So what is it about the show that manages to maintain that magic? "There's something very rewarding about audiences for whom the story is unfolding in front of them in real time, as opposed to they've seen it many times," Michael said. Although that said, here in Edinburgh we've discovered that so many people have already seen the show. It is incredibly rewarding still for me after all these years. Just listening to audiences react to the story, the jokes, the songs and the extraordinary roar that goes up at the end of the first act. Sometimes you feel like you're at Wembley Stadium and particularly here, it's absolutely incredible. As the cast resides in the city for eight weeks across the festive season, many of them will spend Christmas away from their family and friends. However, there are a few Edinburgh actors in the show who are lucky enough to spend time at home. This includes leading lady Ashleigh Gray who finally has the chance to perform on the stage she has dreamt of standing on since she was a child. "I have a very happy cast who couldn't be more thrilled to be spending Christmas in this amazing city," Michael said. For Ashleigh Gray in particular, who is our Elphaba, this is a big deal for her in that she grew up watching shows at the Playhouse. She's worked all over Scotland, but never until now played the Playhouse, it's been a huge thing for her and she really deserves this. It's very meaningful so she's having a pretty amazing time. We're just feeling very much the loving embrace of the city. Not just the audiences that are coming and watching the show, but it seems to be the most amazing welcome we've had. There is a genuine excitement that Wicked is here. Main picture: Copyright of Matt Crockett Wicked will run at the Edinburgh Playhouse until Saturday, January 10 and tickets are still available online.