Wickedly good fun

Last week, on the wicked date of Friday the 13th, I went to watch the production of Wicked.

It was fabulous. The acting, the music, the costumes, the stage. I just fell in love with the land of Oz all over again.

I have grown up watching and loving The Wizard of Oz. The technicolor of the 1939 movie. So going to see the stage show appealed to my inner child, and my inner writer.

Basically, it was magic.

So what is Wicked?

This is from the Aussie website

"Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz.

One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two unlikely friends end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for the most spellbinding new musical in years.

WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Academy Award® winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (My So Called Life, Once And Again and thirtysomething), and is based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire."

 The two principles gave a wonderful performance. I'm never going to look the same at the character, Glinda (played by Lucy Durack)*. Lucy actually added the Glinda attitude to the singing and voice, which is a mark of a talented performer.  I thought Elphaba (the Wicked Witch) was played to perfection by Jemma Rix. She managed to still look stunning with green skin, and a pointy hat, and initially a pretty shapeless outfit. Her voice was amazing. Not many would be able to pull that off.

Aussie favourite Bert Newton was cute as The Wizard, and Maggie Kirkpatrick (as Madame Morrible) was a presence to be reckoned with onstage.

While I do watch musical movies, and can appreciate them, they are something I have to be in the mood for (and that's not often). But I love watching musicals live. There is something about the theatre that brings it the story to another, magical level.

The musical was based on the book of the same name, by Gregory Macguire. I do have it at home, but have get to read it. You know me and my TBR pile.

* Though I have watched a spoof before on The Wizard of Oz, and the ditziness of Glinda. Oh, yes, and there's an alternative ending.

Alternative (GAY) ending wizard of Oz - watch more funny videos

Have a wickedly good week.

~yia~