One Wicked Weekend
Aug. 21st, 2005 06:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
readingredheadSo here it is, folks: the promised review.
I started writing when I sat down inside the theatre but before the play started (since I couldn't take pictures), and I finished up with the last scene while I was driving home in the car today.
It's long.
So for people who don't want my opinion on every little detail, here's the short version:
It was amazing!
The cast we saw was as follows:
Elphaba........................Jenna Leigh Green (the understudy for the role; she's usually Nessa)
G(a)linda......................Kendra Kassebaum
Fiyero..........................Derrick Williams
Boq.............................Logan Lipton
Nessarose....................
Madame Morrible........Carol Kane
The Wizard..................David Garrison
Dr. Dillamond..............Timothy Britten Parker
They all performed really well; I couldn't tell that Jenna Leigh Green was the understudy. (Though I did get a kick out of her last name: Green plays Broadway's most famous green girl!) We saw the matinee, and didn't have time to stay after for cast autographs, but I do have a sad picture of the closed stage door...
Needless to say I enjoyed myself very much. However, if you want to know more than that, you can always read...
This "review" is really more of a commentary on everything about the musical that I remembered. It starts off with what I wrote while in the theatre directly before the show started, and then continues to give my impressions of each song/scene, in order. If you make it through the entire thing, I'm impressed greatly; I barely managed to write it all!
The Clock of the Time Dragon perches majestically atop a stage littered with clockwork cogs and with a curtained map of Oz drawn across it.
The carpeting of the theatre is multicolored but predominantly red. The seat cushions are red, of course -- could they be any other color? No. The attendants wear gorgeous burgundy jackets -- I’d like to borrow one and not return it sometime.
The stage edges are highlighted with a subtle blue light, and the Emerald City on the map shines with a sparkling green that consistently changes.
The theatre fills, everyone talking excitedly. Even I am psyched, not caring about how readable my writing is. (What spelling errors?) In the pit, the musicians tune up.
The theatre ceiling is covered in thousands of intricate mouldings of eight-pointed stars, a giant house light descending from the center to hover ten feet above the highest balcony.
The scene is beautifully tense -- I love the excitement, keep straining to hear the first jarring notes of “No One Mourns the Wicked.”
I am waiting… I am waiting…someone in the pit clangs something percussive.
The lights are down --
It starts.
No One Mourns the Wicked:
This scene was a crazy opening to a crazy play. The flying monkeys made their appearance for the first part, and of course Glinda flew in on her bubble machine. The costumes of all the Ozians were really out there -- but then again, it won something for its costume design, and seeing Glinda’s sparkling white-and-silver gown I think I can see why. The sets were pretty intricate, and the lighting in this scene was really cool, too. Kendra Kassebaum couldn’t pull off the vocal acrobatics I’m used to from listening to Kristin Chenoweth sing the song on the original cast album, but she certainly got up there.
The part of this song/act that tells about Elphaba’s birth was really well-staged in my opinion. Some nifty set-work if I’ve ever seen it
I think that’s about it for this. The song was well-sung, and it’s an ensemble number as far as the choreography goes. The songs in Wicked were either very choreographed or not choreographed much at all. (But I’ll leave that for when I discuss other songs/scenes.)
I don’t think that Kassebaum portrayed Glinda’s sorrow for Elphaba at the beginning of the song, but her performance improved steadily throughout the evening, in my opinion.
Dear Old Shiz:
Again, the sets were really ingenious. At the beginning when Glinda’s asked if she was ever Elphaba’s friend, there was either a script change or Kassebaum changed it on the spot, because though in the original musical, Glinda only admits to being an acquaintance of Elphaba’s, Kassebaum first answered “yes,” then speedily followed up with a “no,” then sort of started the explanation. Whether it was supposed to go that way or not I think it worked well because it showed a bit more of Glinda’s feelings earlier on.
The scene in general was very interesting; I think Jenna Leigh Green was a very good Elphaba for the way that she reacted to the stares of the students around her. Green’s delivery of her first few lines in the scene was really good, it made the audience see just what Elphaba’s had to put up with because she’s green. And before that, the way that her father treated her compared to how he treated Nessa really showcased that emotion as well. Not necessarily as part of the lines, but as part of the gestures and even posture. Some really good acting, not that I expected anything less.
Kassebaum’s Galinda was a very fidgety one -- she was always tapping her feet, or bouncing up and down on the balls of her heels. In this scene she practically spun around in circles. (I will admit that I liked her skirt, but could never have worn it myself as it was a spotless white.)
It was funny, though -- all the other students came walking in carrying a single trunk (mostly), but Galinda rode in atop about five trunks and other various pieces of luggage being pushed in on a trolley.
The Wizard and I:
I didn’t quite like Carol Kane’s voice, but her presence as Madame Morrible for the first part of this song was good.
This is one of the songs I mentioned above that had little or no choreography. I mean, it’s a one man song, I didn’t exactly expect anything spectacular, but it mostly consisted of Elphaba walking alone around the stage, swinging the suitcase that she walked in with. Green proved to have a fairly capable voice, and built up nicely to the climax at the end. I don’t think she hit quite the notes Idina Menzel managed -- she wasn’t as confident in her lower register and some of the higher, drawn-out notes seemed strained (but no one’s as good as Idina, so I shouldn’t compare). Very good solo performance overall, though I shall always be biased in Idina’s favor.
What is This Feeling?
Heh. Just the looks on people’s faces when Elphaba and Galinda started the first chorus… The timing in this song was very good, and the choreography was interesting, especially once the students came onstage to side with Galinda. I think it’s a mark of Green’s talent that even during the moments where she was on one side of the stage, facing off against Galinda and a mob of students on the other, the whole picture still seemed balanced. She was able to command enough attention to pull it off. (And she looked good green. I think it would be cool to be made up as Elphaba sometime just to see what it’s like and how terrible I look…you have to be gorgeous to begin with if you want to pull off something like that.)
This scene did begin rather abruptly after “The Wizard and I,” in my opinion -- I personally would have found a way to stick some dialogue between the two songs, had I been writing the script. (That’s another thing for me to do someday -- write a musical.) But I didn’t write the script and I’m glad I didn’t because if I had there would still be people like me griping about it.
Not much of a scene to go with this song, either, nor any marvelous sets or lights worth mentioning.
Something Bad:
The transition between the previous song and the beginning of this scene was a much smoother, almost natural one in my opinion. It was neat to see Elphaba interacting with Dr. Dillamond (who looked like a very realistic goat, if I may say). When he found the “Animals should be seen and not heard” message on the other side of the blackboard, and the rest of the students left, he and Elphaba remained onstage for what I felt was one of the better conversations that took place on stage. It was interesting to see because Green’s Elphaba seemed so strong in her convictions that nothing bad could truly happen in Oz, yet at the same time she managed to doubt the Wizard’s rule and understand that the Animals were being used as scapegoats throughout the land. That was tough to handle, but Elphaba can’t be completely disillusioned with the Wizard until the end of Act 1, so I’m glad Green pulled it off.
It was also funny to not that when Elphaba offered to share her lunch with Dr. Dillamond, she unwrapped an apple and gave him the paper it had been wrapped in. He actually tore a strip from the paper and ate it! Very cool, the whole audience was cracking up.
The dynamics at the end of this scene were very tense, as well -- when Morrible walks in on Elphaba and Dillamond’s conversation and chastises Elphaba. It was very well portrayed.
Dancing Through Life:
Seeing as this is Fiyero’s song, I think I should take a moment to focus on Mr. Fiyero himself. Derrick Williams was a fairly comical Fiyero, though for some reason he seemed very different from my impression of book!Fiyero -- more different from book!Fiyero than Norbert Leo Butz sounds on the original recording. I think it’s because his singing voice is consistently higher than his speaking voice, due to the notes Fiyero’s required to hit. (Though in this song, he hit them all!)
In the beginning of this song/scene, he definitely had a presence onstage. He dominated the first part of the song, but not only because he was the one singing it. The choreography was comical because Galinda kept trying to dance with Fiyero and ending up with Boq. At one point, Fiyero took a book from Boq (one he’d been holding for Galinda) and threw it offstage. Boq, of course, retrieved it and walked right between Galinda and Fiyero to give it back! Williams definitely pulled off the laid-back, no-study attitude of Fiyero, though some of the choreography was really flashy and kept me from focusing on the exact delivery and effect of the lyrics, which are some of my favorites.
Logan Lipton’s Boq was adorable in a very geeky way. I probably would’ve fallen for him, the way he was portrayed. It’s not his fault he wore a navy-and-white striped suit with a green shirt, bad tie, and suspenders…
I found it interesting that, though Galinda immediately takes interest in Fiyero, he was just dancing with whoever came his way -- not too picky! Of course, he still agrees that he and Galinda are “perfect together,” but somehow that didn’t seem to be as powerful in this version. It was sort of like she was the first person to show interest in her, so he just kind of went with the flow…though later on in the same scene he seems more attracted to her. Their chemistry just wasn’t quite what I’d hoped it would be. As in, there really wasn’t any chemistry, at least not on Williams’ side. He treated her like a friend or a sister, so it just looked kind of weird when they kissed, like something you weren’t supposed to walk in on.
The part of the scene where Elphaba and Nessa interacted was interesting, but not much to comment on. Though Green did a good job of showing, just through body positioning and posture, how much Elphaba cares for Nessa.
The scene at the Ozdust was a crazy bit of choreography and costume work. (I loved the costumes to pieces! I don’t remember any too specifically except for this one guy who had on a sort-of tailcoat with an extra wedge of material sewn into the tail part so that when he twirled it swirled out around him like a cape!)
Where the Galinda/Fiyero chemistry was practically nonexistent, as soon as Elphaba walked into the room it was obvious that Williams was paying attention. It wasn’t just out of the supposed shock at skin color -- in those first few moments, where Elphaba’s dancing by herself, there was something about the way he stood that told you he had an immediate and strong bond of respect for her, because she was completely comfortable with herself.
It was great, too, when Galinda started to dance with her, because I think you could understand the character motivation. It was obvious that Galinda felt sorry for her, but it was more than that -- she saw part of what Fiyero saw in Elphaba, that defiant courage that kept her living and that was visible in every move. (I should mention that Green delivered perfectly in this scene, and the dance she did despite the lack of music had a mystical quality that was perfectly in sync with my inner musings on Elphaba’s character.)
Popular:
Where for most Galindas, this scene is their moment of glory, Kassebaum didn’t seem quite as comfortable with it, though I’m not sure why. She needs to work a bit on her timing and inflection if she really wants the sort of comedy out of it that people have gotten in the past. Instead of portraying a Galinda who was floating on air to the point where she didn’t notice anyone’s problems, Kassebaum’s Galinda was probably closer to a shallow little girl with ADHD who’s been given sugar. Another fidgety scene! She practically bounced off of the beds several times.
(A quick note on the sets -- there was a rack behind Galinda’s bed that was covered in about fifty different pairs of shoes.)
Green’s Elphaba was necessarily subdued, and I can understand why -- I would’ve been somewhat scared of Galinda in this scene! Though Kassebaum did have a few improv moments. When she got to the “Don’t make me laugh” line, she paused, turned at Elphaba, and in a surprisingly stern voice added, “No, really, don’t.” And right before the end of the scene, before Elphaba leaves the room, she was twirling around in her pink ruffly dress and randomly pulled up her skirt and said “even my panties have ruffles.” (They did. And they were pink.)
Needless to say, the audience was roaring with laughter. But to me, Green was a better performer in this scene -- against Kassebaum’s rather shallow take on Galinda, Green’s Elphaba was thoughtful, understandably nervous, and rather shy. I completely believed her when she ran offstage right before the end of the scene.
I’m Not That Girl:
Once again, it’s obvious that there’s more between Williams and Green than there is between Williams and Kassebaum. From the beginning of this scene, where a startled Fiyero informed Elphaba she’d been “Galinda-fied,” it was evident that this was going to be a good one.
Their joint rescue of the lion cub and subsequent conversation was charged with a sort of awkward, magical air. Gone were the actors I’d been watching minutes before -- Fiyero and Elphaba stood before me in person, each trying hard to deny what they saw in the other. Fiyero kept pretending to be “utterly self-absorbed and deeply shallow,” while Elphaba took those cautious first steps out of her comfort zone, touching his hand, and even his face before he flinched and gave away the fact that he was just as startled as she was by the intensity of feeling conjured by such innocent contact.
The song itself served only to underscore the power behind those few moments’ interaction, but those few moments were enough to establish, in my mind, that Elphaba and Fiyero are the only ones who truly “deserve each other” in the entire musical.
One Short Day:
The beginning of this scene only proved my previous assertions about the chemistry between Fiyero and Elphaba. Of course, Galinda had to jump in at the last moment and decide to change her name, in order to get Fiyero to pay attention to her…but Green’s Elphaba was refreshingly unaware of the power-play she participated in. It was obvious that she knew she liked him, but that she also felt he was off-limits, not just because he was Galinda’s (or as I suppose I should say now, Glinda’s), but because despite their romantic tension she made her head believe that he would never love her.
Kassebaum’s performance improved notably from this scene onward, and overall she was a better Glinda than she was a Galinda. Her “I know he’s not perfect, and I still want him” was very poignant, and when she followed that line up with “this must be how other people feel,” there was a more serious note to it. Though people in the audience laughed, the delivery of the line transformed it into more of a turning point as Glinda discovered that she wasn’t quite as shallow as she’d been, because she cared.
And when Elphaba asked Glinda to go with her to the Emerald City, the invitation was very heartfelt.
As for the song part of this scene, it was the usual large, happy number. The sets were entertaining, the costumes bizarre (one lady danced around in something like a cross between a skirt and a layered truffle), and though the song wasn’t very important in and of itself, it served as a counterpoint to the poignancy of the beginning of the scene.
I must say, though, I want a pair of those green glasses that they wear in that scene. I’ll put them on my Christmas list…
A Sentimental Man:
Not too much to this song, though the guy who played the Wizard reminded me strangely of George Bush. And he had an awesome gray coat that went to his calves and was lined in pale yellow satin. It swirled around when he danced.
Once again, the dialogue here was more important to the show than the musical number. The look on Elphaba’s face when the Wizard pulled back the curtain and showed her that all of the monkeys had wings, and then said that he was going to use them for spies… The disillusionment that began in this scene continued on into the next and made Green’s “Defying Gravity” all the more powerful. When she screamed to the Wizard, “You have no real power!” it was with the shock and horror that you’d expect from a kid who pulled the beard off the Santa Claus at the mall.
Defying Gravity:
There’s no question here: the song is the scene. From Glinda’s first “I hope you’re happy!” to Elphaba’s final declaration of her intents, the entire theatre was charged with a surreal power. It was obvious that something had changed not only within Elphaba, but also within the audience, as they watched unconsciously from the edge of their collective seats. Green’s voice was transformed into a perfect medium: she knew she’d been wrong, but held no regrets; she knew she was alone, but also that she had found the friend of a lifetime; she knew she was going off to try the impossible, but she knew it was still something she had to try.
This song to me became something so much more, and I know I will never listen to it in the same way again. I’d always understood the double meaning of the title line, but sitting there in the theatre I felt it as a chord struck somewhere deep within me: the urge to do the unthinkable, to fight for a cause that is nonexistent, to follow my heart even when it would be so much safer just to follow my head. That dichotomy between what is right and what is easy, between what is true and what is believed, never hit home so hard as in that moment. I felt that the song was being sung right at me, and for me, to remind me that impossible goals are the ones that are most worth pursuing, because they are often the most noble of all. It challenged me to spread the truth, to help the oppressed, and to always keep an open mind toward what life might throw my way. I don’t know if I could do something as drastic as Elphaba did -- but I now do know that I would try.
Kassebaum’s Glinda was wonderful in this scene as well, though needless to say, Green stole the show. Glinda was beautifully torn between her friend and everything she’d ever believed in, and Kassebaum thrived in this intermediary state, portraying Glinda in all her confused, angst-ridden glory.
When during the final notes Elphaba soared into the sky, I swear that for a moment I was soaring with her.
Thank Goodness:
Kassebaum’s performance in this act was simply superb; she stole this number. Glinda was noticeably torn, and still hurting from her parting with Elphaba. Kassebaum managed to show that Glinda was at the same time disillusioned with and intoxicated by the politics she became a part of. I read one critic who said that, in this song, she sounded like a disillusioned Republican in today's America, and I must admit that I can see where he was coming from with that.
Her vocal musings about true happiness were poignant in light of the dialogue between her and Williams. Fiyero’s feelings for Elphaba were obvious in every line he spoke about her; his admiration was so visible that a part of me was surprised that Kane’s Morrible didn’t notice! I’d read the script before I saw this, and from the simple lines I hadn’t felt an attraction growing on Fiyero’s side, but seeing Williams perform wiped away my doubts on the matter. His Fiyero was shaken up a good deal by Elphaba’s straightforward nature and belief, and I didn’t find it at all difficult to understand his motivation for exiting at the end of this scene.
The Wicked Witch of the East:
This song, which doesn’t appear on the cast CD for whatever reason, was really much better as a scene. I must first say that I absolutely am in love with Elphaba’s second act costume. If anyone has one lying around somewhere, you know what to give me for Christmas! It was really cool -- all black (of course), with her signature hat. The dress she wore had an ankle-length skirt that was really textured and looked like it was made of pretty thick fabric. It was a very modest outfit, but of course Green still looked gorgeous in it, emerald skin and all. (For the billionth time, I wish I could pull that off!) And she had this great black cape. At least I have one of those…
But as for the actual scene, it was interesting to see the interaction between Elphaba and Nessa. Green portrayed Elphaba as being very close to her sister despite their differences, and sincerely wanting to help her. The small part that Nessa sang, about not wanting to depend on anyone anymore, was short but sweet. The actress who played Nessa portrayed her as needy but still in power and aware of it.
There wasn’t much to say for this scene; it’s there to move the plot along, but not the characters so much, though Logan Lipton appeared again, first as an adorable but annoyed Boq, and then at the end of the scene as the Tin Man, once Elphaba transformed him.
Wonderful:
The Wizard was such a Bush in this scene that I was even surprised. The song in itself was wonderful, because of how the Wizard discussed the ways in which people tend to perceive things. Part of me could even understand how Elphaba was swayed by his sweet words and promises of releasing the flying monkeys. Knowing what I know about the musical, I couldn’t help but see the poignancy of the time toward the end of this scene when the Wizard and Elphaba danced.
In this scene, Green was understandably harsh, and indeed in the start of the second act in general she came across as being very coarse, but also almost lonely, looking for someone who would share her battle with her. Though I don’t think she believed the Wizard would truly solve all her problems, she was (like Glinda) wanting to believe, though for different reasons than her blonde friend.
I’m Not That Girl (Reprise):
Finally, another scene that was just as good as its accompanying song. The interaction and onstage tension between Kassebaum, Green, and Williams at the beginning was beautifully real, and though there was still some awkwardness between Elphaba and Fiyero, it all wore off as soon as Elphaba realized that Fiyero cared for her so much, and in a way she hadn’t expected. Kassebaum’s Glinda was outraged that her friend had stolen Fiyero right out from under her nose, but beneath the outrage I believe she knew why such a thing had happened.
The song part of this scene, though the shortest on the record (less than a minute) was very poignant especially because of how the staging of it mirrored the staging of Elphaba’s “I’m Not That Girl” from the first act. Where in that scene, Elphaba stood below a bridge upon which Fiyero and Galinda met and embraced, now it was Glinda’s turn to stand and watch as her friend ran away across the bridge with the man she thought she had loved. The parallelism was one of the things that made it so powerful.
As Long As You’re Mine:
First of all, I must say that this is the best and most truthful love song of all time, and that someday I will find a Fiyero of my own to sing it with me.
That said, Green and Williams both performed admirably during this song. While Williams couldn’t quite hit the notes Norbert Leo Butz could reach, I only heard one point where the notes had been modified so that he could sing them more easily. There wasn’t much of a choreography to this song, just them kneeling on the ground downstage and slightly to the right -- practically right in front of where I was sitting, though my seat was all the way up in the back of the mezzanine.
I don’t care -- it was beautiful. I stopped seeing actors down there on the stage and I saw real characters, I don’t care that they’re fictional! There was something so quietly powerful about the scene; in all of its beauty it was still something simple and universal. I don’t know if that was just me or if everyone felt it…but everyone was quiet until well after the song was done. That pervading sense of rightness in the middle of chaos was almost enough to make me cry for joy. Love, for however long it lasts, should be cherished.
A spark thrilled through me when, after Elphaba’s “For the first time, I feel…wicked,” she got this sly, contented look in her eye and leaned forward to draw a startled Fiyero into an obviously passionate kiss.
There is much more to the scene than that, but I feel that if I go into too much detail about it, it will affect the power created by a simple song, so I will leave those things to memory.
No Good Deed:
This angst-ridden tune isn’t destined to become an anthem for the show like “Defying Gravity,” but nonetheless it packs one heck of a punch. This showcased Elphaba at the height of her disillusionment, and while (as I’ve said before) Green is no Idina, she still managed to sing this with the necessary power, like the world had purposefully wronged her. I don’t think she sounded like she really meant it when she said she’d never do anything good again, but that’s just a different take on Elphaba. As anyone who’s read the book knows, book!Elphaba is dark enough to believe in never doing good, but I think that musical!Elphaba is not as disillusioned with herself as she is with the others around her who are incompetent. Though she said she was through with good, the audience could tell she didn’t quite mean it.
All the same, this scene/song was full of emotion and well worth watching.
March of the Witch Hunters:
This scene didn’t really do much, other than advance the plot and explain the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion to those in the audience who didn’t quite understand. I don’t think there is much to be said about it, though Lipton made a final appearance as the Tin Man, obviously angry with Elphaba. I think this scene derived its power from Madame Morrible’s short appearance, showing the audience if not the characters just how powerful bad publicity and propaganda could be. The mob that wanted to join the Witch Hunters was obviously and believably crazed; in retrospect I see this scene as a definite political commentary.
For Good:
This was, without a doubt, the best duet (and possibly even the best scene) in the entire musical. I think that everyone in the audience could, on some level, understand what was being said, and (more importantly) what was meant. And maybe there were those present whose hands searched for the hands of those next to them, and held the hand of a friend throughout this song about what it’s like to know that a part of your heart belongs to someone else, forever -- for good.
I cried. I am not ashamed to admit that, as I remember it now to write about it, my eyes fill with tears again. It was a scene of beauty and emotion that transcended time, so that I know that every time I think about it or write of it the same tears will come to my eyes as I remember Elphaba and Glinda -- for they were no longer actors, but real living characters -- down on that stage, acknowledging the bond they shared, the strongest bond that two people can share, the bond that stands the tests of time and even space and forces people across the globe to accept the impossible: that two people, no matter how different, could for an instant share one mind, and one heart.
As I sat there my eyes were only for the characters. Gone was any memory of this being “just a musical.” When Glinda and Elphaba hugged, for the last time, I sobbed, knowing how terrible it would have to be to part with any of my friends in such a matter. In that second, I felt a true and overwhelming compassion for all of the friends I’ve ever had, and I knew without a doubt that each one of them -- even each one of you reading this now -- has changed a part of me for the better, and though sometimes it’s come through tears and heartache, I don’t regret a minute of it. I would do it all again. I probably will do it all again.
It was enough, just to look and know that that was why I go through friendship, that is why I love even though it hurts. In that instant I felt all of my friends around me, and I walked out of the theatre remembering their hugs, their smiles, their warm words and their heartfelt encouragement. I know that, while I might be sometimes by myself, I will never be alone.
Finale:
I suppose I should talk about the Finale as well, but after “For Good” everything was simply a denouement. The real power of this show, in my eyes, was that it reminded the audience about passion, whether it be passionate conviction, love, or friendship. It is a show about feeling, and about having a heart; about the ties between people that never break. It is about politics, and the tactics of a totalitarian regime; it is about just having fun sometimes. But more than that, it is about life -- a reminder that what comes will come, and we just have to meet it when it does, and grasp at those experiences, however fleeting they may be.
~O~
Well, there you have it: Wicked, in all its glory. In closing, I'd just like to say that this is another reason why I hate the ever-so-splendid Gregory Maguire -- not only did he write Elphaba's story before I could, he wrote it better than anyone else could have dreamed possible. So for a moment, I'd like to thank the crazy guy who is the reason I just spent hours typing this all up. It might not be mine...
...but I still couldn't be happier.
I started writing when I sat down inside the theatre but before the play started (since I couldn't take pictures), and I finished up with the last scene while I was driving home in the car today.
It's long.
So for people who don't want my opinion on every little detail, here's the short version:
It was amazing!
The cast we saw was as follows:
Elphaba........................Jenna Leigh Green (the understudy for the role; she's usually Nessa)
G(a)linda......................Kendra Kassebaum
Fiyero..........................Derrick Williams
Boq.............................Logan Lipton
Nessarose....................
Madame Morrible........Carol Kane
The Wizard..................David Garrison
Dr. Dillamond..............Timothy Britten Parker
They all performed really well; I couldn't tell that Jenna Leigh Green was the understudy. (Though I did get a kick out of her last name: Green plays Broadway's most famous green girl!) We saw the matinee, and didn't have time to stay after for cast autographs, but I do have a sad picture of the closed stage door...
Needless to say I enjoyed myself very much. However, if you want to know more than that, you can always read...
This "review" is really more of a commentary on everything about the musical that I remembered. It starts off with what I wrote while in the theatre directly before the show started, and then continues to give my impressions of each song/scene, in order. If you make it through the entire thing, I'm impressed greatly; I barely managed to write it all!
The Clock of the Time Dragon perches majestically atop a stage littered with clockwork cogs and with a curtained map of Oz drawn across it.
The carpeting of the theatre is multicolored but predominantly red. The seat cushions are red, of course -- could they be any other color? No. The attendants wear gorgeous burgundy jackets -- I’d like to borrow one and not return it sometime.
The stage edges are highlighted with a subtle blue light, and the Emerald City on the map shines with a sparkling green that consistently changes.
The theatre fills, everyone talking excitedly. Even I am psyched, not caring about how readable my writing is. (What spelling errors?) In the pit, the musicians tune up.
The theatre ceiling is covered in thousands of intricate mouldings of eight-pointed stars, a giant house light descending from the center to hover ten feet above the highest balcony.
The scene is beautifully tense -- I love the excitement, keep straining to hear the first jarring notes of “No One Mourns the Wicked.”
I am waiting… I am waiting…someone in the pit clangs something percussive.
The lights are down --
It starts.
No One Mourns the Wicked:
This scene was a crazy opening to a crazy play. The flying monkeys made their appearance for the first part, and of course Glinda flew in on her bubble machine. The costumes of all the Ozians were really out there -- but then again, it won something for its costume design, and seeing Glinda’s sparkling white-and-silver gown I think I can see why. The sets were pretty intricate, and the lighting in this scene was really cool, too. Kendra Kassebaum couldn’t pull off the vocal acrobatics I’m used to from listening to Kristin Chenoweth sing the song on the original cast album, but she certainly got up there.
The part of this song/act that tells about Elphaba’s birth was really well-staged in my opinion. Some nifty set-work if I’ve ever seen it
I think that’s about it for this. The song was well-sung, and it’s an ensemble number as far as the choreography goes. The songs in Wicked were either very choreographed or not choreographed much at all. (But I’ll leave that for when I discuss other songs/scenes.)
I don’t think that Kassebaum portrayed Glinda’s sorrow for Elphaba at the beginning of the song, but her performance improved steadily throughout the evening, in my opinion.
Dear Old Shiz:
Again, the sets were really ingenious. At the beginning when Glinda’s asked if she was ever Elphaba’s friend, there was either a script change or Kassebaum changed it on the spot, because though in the original musical, Glinda only admits to being an acquaintance of Elphaba’s, Kassebaum first answered “yes,” then speedily followed up with a “no,” then sort of started the explanation. Whether it was supposed to go that way or not I think it worked well because it showed a bit more of Glinda’s feelings earlier on.
The scene in general was very interesting; I think Jenna Leigh Green was a very good Elphaba for the way that she reacted to the stares of the students around her. Green’s delivery of her first few lines in the scene was really good, it made the audience see just what Elphaba’s had to put up with because she’s green. And before that, the way that her father treated her compared to how he treated Nessa really showcased that emotion as well. Not necessarily as part of the lines, but as part of the gestures and even posture. Some really good acting, not that I expected anything less.
Kassebaum’s Galinda was a very fidgety one -- she was always tapping her feet, or bouncing up and down on the balls of her heels. In this scene she practically spun around in circles. (I will admit that I liked her skirt, but could never have worn it myself as it was a spotless white.)
It was funny, though -- all the other students came walking in carrying a single trunk (mostly), but Galinda rode in atop about five trunks and other various pieces of luggage being pushed in on a trolley.
The Wizard and I:
I didn’t quite like Carol Kane’s voice, but her presence as Madame Morrible for the first part of this song was good.
This is one of the songs I mentioned above that had little or no choreography. I mean, it’s a one man song, I didn’t exactly expect anything spectacular, but it mostly consisted of Elphaba walking alone around the stage, swinging the suitcase that she walked in with. Green proved to have a fairly capable voice, and built up nicely to the climax at the end. I don’t think she hit quite the notes Idina Menzel managed -- she wasn’t as confident in her lower register and some of the higher, drawn-out notes seemed strained (but no one’s as good as Idina, so I shouldn’t compare). Very good solo performance overall, though I shall always be biased in Idina’s favor.
What is This Feeling?
Heh. Just the looks on people’s faces when Elphaba and Galinda started the first chorus… The timing in this song was very good, and the choreography was interesting, especially once the students came onstage to side with Galinda. I think it’s a mark of Green’s talent that even during the moments where she was on one side of the stage, facing off against Galinda and a mob of students on the other, the whole picture still seemed balanced. She was able to command enough attention to pull it off. (And she looked good green. I think it would be cool to be made up as Elphaba sometime just to see what it’s like and how terrible I look…you have to be gorgeous to begin with if you want to pull off something like that.)
This scene did begin rather abruptly after “The Wizard and I,” in my opinion -- I personally would have found a way to stick some dialogue between the two songs, had I been writing the script. (That’s another thing for me to do someday -- write a musical.) But I didn’t write the script and I’m glad I didn’t because if I had there would still be people like me griping about it.
Not much of a scene to go with this song, either, nor any marvelous sets or lights worth mentioning.
Something Bad:
The transition between the previous song and the beginning of this scene was a much smoother, almost natural one in my opinion. It was neat to see Elphaba interacting with Dr. Dillamond (who looked like a very realistic goat, if I may say). When he found the “Animals should be seen and not heard” message on the other side of the blackboard, and the rest of the students left, he and Elphaba remained onstage for what I felt was one of the better conversations that took place on stage. It was interesting to see because Green’s Elphaba seemed so strong in her convictions that nothing bad could truly happen in Oz, yet at the same time she managed to doubt the Wizard’s rule and understand that the Animals were being used as scapegoats throughout the land. That was tough to handle, but Elphaba can’t be completely disillusioned with the Wizard until the end of Act 1, so I’m glad Green pulled it off.
It was also funny to not that when Elphaba offered to share her lunch with Dr. Dillamond, she unwrapped an apple and gave him the paper it had been wrapped in. He actually tore a strip from the paper and ate it! Very cool, the whole audience was cracking up.
The dynamics at the end of this scene were very tense, as well -- when Morrible walks in on Elphaba and Dillamond’s conversation and chastises Elphaba. It was very well portrayed.
Dancing Through Life:
Seeing as this is Fiyero’s song, I think I should take a moment to focus on Mr. Fiyero himself. Derrick Williams was a fairly comical Fiyero, though for some reason he seemed very different from my impression of book!Fiyero -- more different from book!Fiyero than Norbert Leo Butz sounds on the original recording. I think it’s because his singing voice is consistently higher than his speaking voice, due to the notes Fiyero’s required to hit. (Though in this song, he hit them all!)
In the beginning of this song/scene, he definitely had a presence onstage. He dominated the first part of the song, but not only because he was the one singing it. The choreography was comical because Galinda kept trying to dance with Fiyero and ending up with Boq. At one point, Fiyero took a book from Boq (one he’d been holding for Galinda) and threw it offstage. Boq, of course, retrieved it and walked right between Galinda and Fiyero to give it back! Williams definitely pulled off the laid-back, no-study attitude of Fiyero, though some of the choreography was really flashy and kept me from focusing on the exact delivery and effect of the lyrics, which are some of my favorites.
Logan Lipton’s Boq was adorable in a very geeky way. I probably would’ve fallen for him, the way he was portrayed. It’s not his fault he wore a navy-and-white striped suit with a green shirt, bad tie, and suspenders…
I found it interesting that, though Galinda immediately takes interest in Fiyero, he was just dancing with whoever came his way -- not too picky! Of course, he still agrees that he and Galinda are “perfect together,” but somehow that didn’t seem to be as powerful in this version. It was sort of like she was the first person to show interest in her, so he just kind of went with the flow…though later on in the same scene he seems more attracted to her. Their chemistry just wasn’t quite what I’d hoped it would be. As in, there really wasn’t any chemistry, at least not on Williams’ side. He treated her like a friend or a sister, so it just looked kind of weird when they kissed, like something you weren’t supposed to walk in on.
The part of the scene where Elphaba and Nessa interacted was interesting, but not much to comment on. Though Green did a good job of showing, just through body positioning and posture, how much Elphaba cares for Nessa.
The scene at the Ozdust was a crazy bit of choreography and costume work. (I loved the costumes to pieces! I don’t remember any too specifically except for this one guy who had on a sort-of tailcoat with an extra wedge of material sewn into the tail part so that when he twirled it swirled out around him like a cape!)
Where the Galinda/Fiyero chemistry was practically nonexistent, as soon as Elphaba walked into the room it was obvious that Williams was paying attention. It wasn’t just out of the supposed shock at skin color -- in those first few moments, where Elphaba’s dancing by herself, there was something about the way he stood that told you he had an immediate and strong bond of respect for her, because she was completely comfortable with herself.
It was great, too, when Galinda started to dance with her, because I think you could understand the character motivation. It was obvious that Galinda felt sorry for her, but it was more than that -- she saw part of what Fiyero saw in Elphaba, that defiant courage that kept her living and that was visible in every move. (I should mention that Green delivered perfectly in this scene, and the dance she did despite the lack of music had a mystical quality that was perfectly in sync with my inner musings on Elphaba’s character.)
Popular:
Where for most Galindas, this scene is their moment of glory, Kassebaum didn’t seem quite as comfortable with it, though I’m not sure why. She needs to work a bit on her timing and inflection if she really wants the sort of comedy out of it that people have gotten in the past. Instead of portraying a Galinda who was floating on air to the point where she didn’t notice anyone’s problems, Kassebaum’s Galinda was probably closer to a shallow little girl with ADHD who’s been given sugar. Another fidgety scene! She practically bounced off of the beds several times.
(A quick note on the sets -- there was a rack behind Galinda’s bed that was covered in about fifty different pairs of shoes.)
Green’s Elphaba was necessarily subdued, and I can understand why -- I would’ve been somewhat scared of Galinda in this scene! Though Kassebaum did have a few improv moments. When she got to the “Don’t make me laugh” line, she paused, turned at Elphaba, and in a surprisingly stern voice added, “No, really, don’t.” And right before the end of the scene, before Elphaba leaves the room, she was twirling around in her pink ruffly dress and randomly pulled up her skirt and said “even my panties have ruffles.” (They did. And they were pink.)
Needless to say, the audience was roaring with laughter. But to me, Green was a better performer in this scene -- against Kassebaum’s rather shallow take on Galinda, Green’s Elphaba was thoughtful, understandably nervous, and rather shy. I completely believed her when she ran offstage right before the end of the scene.
I’m Not That Girl:
Once again, it’s obvious that there’s more between Williams and Green than there is between Williams and Kassebaum. From the beginning of this scene, where a startled Fiyero informed Elphaba she’d been “Galinda-fied,” it was evident that this was going to be a good one.
Their joint rescue of the lion cub and subsequent conversation was charged with a sort of awkward, magical air. Gone were the actors I’d been watching minutes before -- Fiyero and Elphaba stood before me in person, each trying hard to deny what they saw in the other. Fiyero kept pretending to be “utterly self-absorbed and deeply shallow,” while Elphaba took those cautious first steps out of her comfort zone, touching his hand, and even his face before he flinched and gave away the fact that he was just as startled as she was by the intensity of feeling conjured by such innocent contact.
The song itself served only to underscore the power behind those few moments’ interaction, but those few moments were enough to establish, in my mind, that Elphaba and Fiyero are the only ones who truly “deserve each other” in the entire musical.
One Short Day:
The beginning of this scene only proved my previous assertions about the chemistry between Fiyero and Elphaba. Of course, Galinda had to jump in at the last moment and decide to change her name, in order to get Fiyero to pay attention to her…but Green’s Elphaba was refreshingly unaware of the power-play she participated in. It was obvious that she knew she liked him, but that she also felt he was off-limits, not just because he was Galinda’s (or as I suppose I should say now, Glinda’s), but because despite their romantic tension she made her head believe that he would never love her.
Kassebaum’s performance improved notably from this scene onward, and overall she was a better Glinda than she was a Galinda. Her “I know he’s not perfect, and I still want him” was very poignant, and when she followed that line up with “this must be how other people feel,” there was a more serious note to it. Though people in the audience laughed, the delivery of the line transformed it into more of a turning point as Glinda discovered that she wasn’t quite as shallow as she’d been, because she cared.
And when Elphaba asked Glinda to go with her to the Emerald City, the invitation was very heartfelt.
As for the song part of this scene, it was the usual large, happy number. The sets were entertaining, the costumes bizarre (one lady danced around in something like a cross between a skirt and a layered truffle), and though the song wasn’t very important in and of itself, it served as a counterpoint to the poignancy of the beginning of the scene.
I must say, though, I want a pair of those green glasses that they wear in that scene. I’ll put them on my Christmas list…
A Sentimental Man:
Not too much to this song, though the guy who played the Wizard reminded me strangely of George Bush. And he had an awesome gray coat that went to his calves and was lined in pale yellow satin. It swirled around when he danced.
Once again, the dialogue here was more important to the show than the musical number. The look on Elphaba’s face when the Wizard pulled back the curtain and showed her that all of the monkeys had wings, and then said that he was going to use them for spies… The disillusionment that began in this scene continued on into the next and made Green’s “Defying Gravity” all the more powerful. When she screamed to the Wizard, “You have no real power!” it was with the shock and horror that you’d expect from a kid who pulled the beard off the Santa Claus at the mall.
Defying Gravity:
There’s no question here: the song is the scene. From Glinda’s first “I hope you’re happy!” to Elphaba’s final declaration of her intents, the entire theatre was charged with a surreal power. It was obvious that something had changed not only within Elphaba, but also within the audience, as they watched unconsciously from the edge of their collective seats. Green’s voice was transformed into a perfect medium: she knew she’d been wrong, but held no regrets; she knew she was alone, but also that she had found the friend of a lifetime; she knew she was going off to try the impossible, but she knew it was still something she had to try.
This song to me became something so much more, and I know I will never listen to it in the same way again. I’d always understood the double meaning of the title line, but sitting there in the theatre I felt it as a chord struck somewhere deep within me: the urge to do the unthinkable, to fight for a cause that is nonexistent, to follow my heart even when it would be so much safer just to follow my head. That dichotomy between what is right and what is easy, between what is true and what is believed, never hit home so hard as in that moment. I felt that the song was being sung right at me, and for me, to remind me that impossible goals are the ones that are most worth pursuing, because they are often the most noble of all. It challenged me to spread the truth, to help the oppressed, and to always keep an open mind toward what life might throw my way. I don’t know if I could do something as drastic as Elphaba did -- but I now do know that I would try.
Kassebaum’s Glinda was wonderful in this scene as well, though needless to say, Green stole the show. Glinda was beautifully torn between her friend and everything she’d ever believed in, and Kassebaum thrived in this intermediary state, portraying Glinda in all her confused, angst-ridden glory.
When during the final notes Elphaba soared into the sky, I swear that for a moment I was soaring with her.
Thank Goodness:
Kassebaum’s performance in this act was simply superb; she stole this number. Glinda was noticeably torn, and still hurting from her parting with Elphaba. Kassebaum managed to show that Glinda was at the same time disillusioned with and intoxicated by the politics she became a part of. I read one critic who said that, in this song, she sounded like a disillusioned Republican in today's America, and I must admit that I can see where he was coming from with that.
Her vocal musings about true happiness were poignant in light of the dialogue between her and Williams. Fiyero’s feelings for Elphaba were obvious in every line he spoke about her; his admiration was so visible that a part of me was surprised that Kane’s Morrible didn’t notice! I’d read the script before I saw this, and from the simple lines I hadn’t felt an attraction growing on Fiyero’s side, but seeing Williams perform wiped away my doubts on the matter. His Fiyero was shaken up a good deal by Elphaba’s straightforward nature and belief, and I didn’t find it at all difficult to understand his motivation for exiting at the end of this scene.
The Wicked Witch of the East:
This song, which doesn’t appear on the cast CD for whatever reason, was really much better as a scene. I must first say that I absolutely am in love with Elphaba’s second act costume. If anyone has one lying around somewhere, you know what to give me for Christmas! It was really cool -- all black (of course), with her signature hat. The dress she wore had an ankle-length skirt that was really textured and looked like it was made of pretty thick fabric. It was a very modest outfit, but of course Green still looked gorgeous in it, emerald skin and all. (For the billionth time, I wish I could pull that off!) And she had this great black cape. At least I have one of those…
But as for the actual scene, it was interesting to see the interaction between Elphaba and Nessa. Green portrayed Elphaba as being very close to her sister despite their differences, and sincerely wanting to help her. The small part that Nessa sang, about not wanting to depend on anyone anymore, was short but sweet. The actress who played Nessa portrayed her as needy but still in power and aware of it.
There wasn’t much to say for this scene; it’s there to move the plot along, but not the characters so much, though Logan Lipton appeared again, first as an adorable but annoyed Boq, and then at the end of the scene as the Tin Man, once Elphaba transformed him.
Wonderful:
The Wizard was such a Bush in this scene that I was even surprised. The song in itself was wonderful, because of how the Wizard discussed the ways in which people tend to perceive things. Part of me could even understand how Elphaba was swayed by his sweet words and promises of releasing the flying monkeys. Knowing what I know about the musical, I couldn’t help but see the poignancy of the time toward the end of this scene when the Wizard and Elphaba danced.
In this scene, Green was understandably harsh, and indeed in the start of the second act in general she came across as being very coarse, but also almost lonely, looking for someone who would share her battle with her. Though I don’t think she believed the Wizard would truly solve all her problems, she was (like Glinda) wanting to believe, though for different reasons than her blonde friend.
I’m Not That Girl (Reprise):
Finally, another scene that was just as good as its accompanying song. The interaction and onstage tension between Kassebaum, Green, and Williams at the beginning was beautifully real, and though there was still some awkwardness between Elphaba and Fiyero, it all wore off as soon as Elphaba realized that Fiyero cared for her so much, and in a way she hadn’t expected. Kassebaum’s Glinda was outraged that her friend had stolen Fiyero right out from under her nose, but beneath the outrage I believe she knew why such a thing had happened.
The song part of this scene, though the shortest on the record (less than a minute) was very poignant especially because of how the staging of it mirrored the staging of Elphaba’s “I’m Not That Girl” from the first act. Where in that scene, Elphaba stood below a bridge upon which Fiyero and Galinda met and embraced, now it was Glinda’s turn to stand and watch as her friend ran away across the bridge with the man she thought she had loved. The parallelism was one of the things that made it so powerful.
As Long As You’re Mine:
First of all, I must say that this is the best and most truthful love song of all time, and that someday I will find a Fiyero of my own to sing it with me.
That said, Green and Williams both performed admirably during this song. While Williams couldn’t quite hit the notes Norbert Leo Butz could reach, I only heard one point where the notes had been modified so that he could sing them more easily. There wasn’t much of a choreography to this song, just them kneeling on the ground downstage and slightly to the right -- practically right in front of where I was sitting, though my seat was all the way up in the back of the mezzanine.
I don’t care -- it was beautiful. I stopped seeing actors down there on the stage and I saw real characters, I don’t care that they’re fictional! There was something so quietly powerful about the scene; in all of its beauty it was still something simple and universal. I don’t know if that was just me or if everyone felt it…but everyone was quiet until well after the song was done. That pervading sense of rightness in the middle of chaos was almost enough to make me cry for joy. Love, for however long it lasts, should be cherished.
A spark thrilled through me when, after Elphaba’s “For the first time, I feel…wicked,” she got this sly, contented look in her eye and leaned forward to draw a startled Fiyero into an obviously passionate kiss.
There is much more to the scene than that, but I feel that if I go into too much detail about it, it will affect the power created by a simple song, so I will leave those things to memory.
No Good Deed:
This angst-ridden tune isn’t destined to become an anthem for the show like “Defying Gravity,” but nonetheless it packs one heck of a punch. This showcased Elphaba at the height of her disillusionment, and while (as I’ve said before) Green is no Idina, she still managed to sing this with the necessary power, like the world had purposefully wronged her. I don’t think she sounded like she really meant it when she said she’d never do anything good again, but that’s just a different take on Elphaba. As anyone who’s read the book knows, book!Elphaba is dark enough to believe in never doing good, but I think that musical!Elphaba is not as disillusioned with herself as she is with the others around her who are incompetent. Though she said she was through with good, the audience could tell she didn’t quite mean it.
All the same, this scene/song was full of emotion and well worth watching.
March of the Witch Hunters:
This scene didn’t really do much, other than advance the plot and explain the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion to those in the audience who didn’t quite understand. I don’t think there is much to be said about it, though Lipton made a final appearance as the Tin Man, obviously angry with Elphaba. I think this scene derived its power from Madame Morrible’s short appearance, showing the audience if not the characters just how powerful bad publicity and propaganda could be. The mob that wanted to join the Witch Hunters was obviously and believably crazed; in retrospect I see this scene as a definite political commentary.
For Good:
This was, without a doubt, the best duet (and possibly even the best scene) in the entire musical. I think that everyone in the audience could, on some level, understand what was being said, and (more importantly) what was meant. And maybe there were those present whose hands searched for the hands of those next to them, and held the hand of a friend throughout this song about what it’s like to know that a part of your heart belongs to someone else, forever -- for good.
I cried. I am not ashamed to admit that, as I remember it now to write about it, my eyes fill with tears again. It was a scene of beauty and emotion that transcended time, so that I know that every time I think about it or write of it the same tears will come to my eyes as I remember Elphaba and Glinda -- for they were no longer actors, but real living characters -- down on that stage, acknowledging the bond they shared, the strongest bond that two people can share, the bond that stands the tests of time and even space and forces people across the globe to accept the impossible: that two people, no matter how different, could for an instant share one mind, and one heart.
As I sat there my eyes were only for the characters. Gone was any memory of this being “just a musical.” When Glinda and Elphaba hugged, for the last time, I sobbed, knowing how terrible it would have to be to part with any of my friends in such a matter. In that second, I felt a true and overwhelming compassion for all of the friends I’ve ever had, and I knew without a doubt that each one of them -- even each one of you reading this now -- has changed a part of me for the better, and though sometimes it’s come through tears and heartache, I don’t regret a minute of it. I would do it all again. I probably will do it all again.
It was enough, just to look and know that that was why I go through friendship, that is why I love even though it hurts. In that instant I felt all of my friends around me, and I walked out of the theatre remembering their hugs, their smiles, their warm words and their heartfelt encouragement. I know that, while I might be sometimes by myself, I will never be alone.
Finale:
I suppose I should talk about the Finale as well, but after “For Good” everything was simply a denouement. The real power of this show, in my eyes, was that it reminded the audience about passion, whether it be passionate conviction, love, or friendship. It is a show about feeling, and about having a heart; about the ties between people that never break. It is about politics, and the tactics of a totalitarian regime; it is about just having fun sometimes. But more than that, it is about life -- a reminder that what comes will come, and we just have to meet it when it does, and grasp at those experiences, however fleeting they may be.
Well, there you have it: Wicked, in all its glory. In closing, I'd just like to say that this is another reason why I hate the ever-so-splendid Gregory Maguire -- not only did he write Elphaba's story before I could, he wrote it better than anyone else could have dreamed possible. So for a moment, I'd like to thank the crazy guy who is the reason I just spent hours typing this all up. It might not be mine...
...but I still couldn't be happier.
