| WICKED Sunday night | |
| Last Edit: lordofspeech 11:04 am EDT 09/03/24 | |
| Posted by: lordofspeech 10:45 am EDT 09/03/24 | |
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| SPOILERS: I hadn’t seen it since the time of its original cast, which dovetailed with the USA’s deception about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. Its central theme about the lies of government has, if anything, more relevance, since the increased surveillance of citizens (which the Wizard implements in Oz), and, still painfully, the captivity, culling, and exploitation of the under-class (of the animals). The show, especially the first act in its economy and drive, has held up excellently. This Elphaba moves with a conscious awkwardness which accentuates her character’s different-ness and helps her chart her growth into full womanhood. The original, perfect Doctor Dillamant (William Youmans) is, gratefully, back. Much the heart of the story, he shines, and his relationship with Elphaba is very richly felt. I marvelled at how much story and how many climaxes are stuffed into Act Two. Not all of these seismic emotional events landed, especially the (SPOILER) murder of Nessarose and its impact on Glinda, crucial for the story’s emotional development. Although the cleverness of the 1939 movie-parallels are delightful, the stakes (especially for Glinda’s growth and transformation) have to be weighted. Otherwise, it veers toward pageantry rather than high drama, which it must fulfill. The book is so smart, and the development of Glinda in Act Two is very tricky, but it is there to be found. Some things in this just do not land, eg., the revelation of Morrible’s guilt to Glinda. Were these elements played too fast or without sufficient grounding? Or did they just not hit me as hard as when I first saw it? Still, it works. Its ambitions, music, dazzle, and the impact of the ensemble take your breath away. And what a tale. What an ironic, deathly vision of power’s corruption. I hadn’t remembered that the script implies that Glinda, by the end, has grown enough to take on making things right. That role is not only a hard sing but a very circuitous character-path to traverse. I remember Chenoweth, though sparklingly able to convey her character’s narcissism and emotional lack, had a hard time finding her arc in the second act, which I guess has to begin when she starts to understand empathy and dances with Elphie. Interesting character. I did miss the extra-ness of realism and detail from Norbert Leo Butz and Carole Shelley. What wonderful actors they were for those roles. But this cast can and should grow into their roles. And the Elphaba is fully invested, as the leader of the pack should be, in the stakes required for all of them. The charm of the set-pieces, like Popular and Dancing through Life, still delivers. |
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