Wicked has no plans to depart the Regent
Wicked will stay in Melbourne for all of 2009 and is making no plans to come to Sydney, producer John Frost has confirmed.
Despite rumours the show was planning a run at the Capitol Theatre from late next year, Frost says no plans have been made for a Sydney season and there is a major focus on keeping the show in Melbourne for as long as possible.
"We haven’t even talked about what we’re doing or where we are going after this," Frost said.
"I can’t see it moving from Melbourne inside the next 12 to 18 months. At the moment we are purely focused on reaching our first anniversary in July next year."
Despite tough economic times, Wicked continues to do big business at the box office with only limited tickets – if that – available for most performances.
"It has exceeded my expectations," Frost said.
"I think it has become very settled now and we’re getting the types of audiences who only go to the theatre once or twice a year. We’re also seeing a lot of return business."
Frost said there was a conscious effort to make the hit musical "Melbourne-centric".
"We are aggressively out there trying to be part of the Melbourne infrastructure as such," he said.
"Therefore we are seeing not only a strong response from locals but also a very good base of ticket-buyers from interstate."
Frost said Bert Newton’s arrival to the show as the Wizard had been warmly received by the cast, even though it was in tough circumstances following the loss of Rob Guest.
"Bert’s interpretation is different to everyone else and I think it’s been a shot in the arm for the cast," he said.
"I’m also excited about Stuart Fisher joining us as Boq. That said we would like to see Anthony come back and join the show again at some point in the next few years – he’d certainly be welcome."
Frost said the remainder of the principal cast are on long-term contracts and will certainly be with the show beyond the six month mark.
The American creative team arrive back in Melbourne next week to tighten up the show and ensure all is running smoothly.
- Troy Dodds
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
It's Enough To Make Anyone Green With Envy
Anthony Callea and Kate Law reunited backstage.
Kate's trip from her Geelong home to one of the most popular productions in Melbourne became a day to remember when she was also given the opportunity to be reunited with Vision Australia's 2007 Carols by Candlelight Carols Ambassador and Aria Award winner, Anthony Callea.
Kate, along with her brothers Jacob and Nicholas, spent a lot of time with Anthony Callea in the lead up to last year's Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight, but they have not seen each other since Christmas Eve.
So Kate was understandably excited when Anthony took time out of his busy schedule to say hi and pose for a few photos backstage before the show.
Kate was also among a number of Vision Australia clients who took advantage of the audio description service for this show.
Clients were also given the opportunity to take part in a tactile tour of the costumes and stage.
"I was lucky to spend so much time with Anthony last year so it was very nice to meet him again. I really liked Anthony's character in the show too - he made me laugh," she said.
Due to popular demand Vision Australia will provide another audio description of Wicked on Saturday 10 January at 2pm at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne.
For more information or to book tickets please contact EASE Ticketing, on 03 9699 8497 or email ease@artsaccess.com.au
source - Vision Australia Website
Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Wicked Bond
Kate's mate Anthony
Blind Geelong girl Kate Law has been re-united with former Australian Idol singer Anthony Callea as a special backstage guest at the musical Wicked.
Kate, 8, and her mother Jayne have both been vision-impaired since birth.
They first met Callea at Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight where he was an ambassador last year.
Kate who loves drawing and singing, soon fell in love with the singer and they formed a strong bond.
Last Saturday, Callea invited Kate and Jayne to the backstage of his current hit show Wicked.Callea and Kate spent their reunion by chatting and taking a photo.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
New Wizard Ready To Cast His Spell
Bert Newton shows stage magic
November 09, 2008 12:00am
TV LEGEND Bert Newton will again tread the boards as the Wizard of Oz when he joins the cast of Wicked this week.
Newton will make his debut in the stage show on Thursday night. He replaces Rob Guest, who died last month after a stroke.
Co-producer John Frost is expected to make the official announcement on Tuesday. It will see Newton reprise the role he played on stage 17 years ago in the stage production of The Wizard of Oz. Wicked has grossed $25 million since opening in July and is expected to play for at least the next 12 months.
The move also means Newton will take the stage at this year's Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight with the entire cast of Wicked.
They will be joined at the Christmas Eve event by David Campbell, Hi-5, Marina Prior, Ian Stenlake and Anthony Callea. Georgie Parker and Tim Campbell will make their Carols debut, while Today Show hosts Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson will host the night.
November 09, 2008 12:00am
TV LEGEND Bert Newton will again tread the boards as the Wizard of Oz when he joins the cast of Wicked this week.
Newton will make his debut in the stage show on Thursday night. He replaces Rob Guest, who died last month after a stroke.
Co-producer John Frost is expected to make the official announcement on Tuesday. It will see Newton reprise the role he played on stage 17 years ago in the stage production of The Wizard of Oz. Wicked has grossed $25 million since opening in July and is expected to play for at least the next 12 months.
The move also means Newton will take the stage at this year's Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight with the entire cast of Wicked.
They will be joined at the Christmas Eve event by David Campbell, Hi-5, Marina Prior, Ian Stenlake and Anthony Callea. Georgie Parker and Tim Campbell will make their Carols debut, while Today Show hosts Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson will host the night.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Wicked Tops $30 Million At The Box Office
Lucy Durack and Anthony Callea in Wicked
Sunday, November 2
Hit musical Wicked has now taken more than $30 million at the box office and is showing no signs of any serious slow-down at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne.
The record-breaking production, which opened in July, stars Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack and has become a huge success, with more than 320,000 tickets already sold.
There are consistent rumours, however, that the show could move to Sydney next year and open at the Capitol Theatre.
Interestingly, 20 per cent of Wicked's ticket sales in Melbourne have come from interstate visitors.
Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops 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. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.
In his review of Wicked for AussieTheatre.com, Troy Dodds said, in part: "Wicked’s spectacular costumes and contemporary staging are the real stars of the show, and the gasp of wonderment from the audience when Elphaba (Amanda Harrison) flies into the air at the spectacular conclusion to act one embodies the incredible connection this show builds with an audience throughout. And such gasps keep coming, whether it be at one of the many hundreds of wonderful outfits or the strong, action-packed script that has so many surprises along the way that it almost makes Wicked a show you need to see two or three times to really take it all in."
This week, Harrison and Durack will sing the National Anthem at Oaks Day, part of the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne.Meanwhile, the Wicked cast met at the Regent Theatre late last month to discuss their producer’s request to re-use publicity footage at the Spring Racing Carnival, the ANZ website, the Regent Theatre website and Showbiz websites.
Troy Dodds - Aussietheatre.com
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Bert Newton The New Wizard
Moonface Bert Newton dances into Rob Guest role in Wicked
November 03, 2008
MOONFACE Bert Newton has stepped in to play the Wizard in Wicked after the sudden death of star Rob Guest.
While producers have refused to confirm the 20 to 1 host, his co-star Rob Mills said the cast were excited to work alongside the industry veteran.
Newton was a good friend of Guest, who passed away suddenly last month following a massive stroke.
Mills said Newton was coping well with the physical role. "From what I hear he's doing really well with the dancing," the former Idol singer said.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Special Service For Rob Guest
castmates from WICKED sing 'For Good'
Terry Brown
October 14, 2008 12:00am
A GIANT metal dragon rears above the Regent Theatre crowd. For five days a week the theatre is a place of fantasy - an escape from the world for $100-plus a seat.
At a Monday matinee that nobody hoped for, the tickets are free.
It is 11 days since Rob Guest died from a stroke that wasn't remotely in the script.
For one show only, the Regent becomes a place where reality is inescapable and hits hard enough to make grown men weep.
About 400 performers, stage crew and fans come for the memorial service.
Some look dressed for a theatre show, with their cocktail wear and sequins.
And they all bring memories of a man who owned the spotlight.
TV and theatre veteran Bert Newton is in attendance with wife Patti.
Marina Prior is there to speak, and Anthony Callea to sing.
Most faces in the audience, however, would be unfamiliar to other than keen theatre-goers.
Rows are filled with performers from the many shows Guest put his stamp on; Les Miserables, Jolson and, of course, Wicked.
Callea shared a dressing room with Guest.
He sings, almost hauntingly, the song Now That You've Gone.
"I know you had a good life. It doesn't make it any easier," he sings -- and tears well because for many there it is so true.
Slide shows mix respect and gentle ridicule.
To fond applause, Guest is shown in his New Zealand pop star days, with hippy hair, a banjo and even mingling with a Playboy bunny.
Performers who worked beside Guest in Les Miserables walk slowly on to the stage in a kind of funeral procession.
Some sob. One man weeps into his hands.
They struggle through the show's anthem, Do You Hear The People Sing? , then salute a huge picture of Guest behind them.
Speakers recall the practical joker who used a Bert and Patti Newton LP as a cheeseboard; who locked a castmate in a dressing room and then pumped theatrical smoke through the vent.
Prior remembers warming her icy feet on Guest in the backstage Green Room, and him pretending to mind.
"As his leading lady you felt cherished, gifted, supported and special," she says.
The real-life leading lady, Guest's partner Kellie Dickerson, feels more special still.
"I loved you and you knew it. You loved me and I knew it," she says to the man she lost.
"There's nothing left unsaid," she adds, then recites a litany of memories that live with her.
"Thank you for holding hands as we just walked down the street, just being happy," she says.
Guest was never happier than when he was on stage -- and took a lot of getting off.
Understudy Rodney Dobson jokes: "It seems we finally found out what it takes for Rob Guest to miss a show."
Speakers at the memorial aren't keen to vacate either.
The show must go on -- and it certainly does.
A running sheet has it pegged for an hour. After a series of actors and theatrical workers say their bit, the service nudges 2 1/2 hours.
Then the Wicked cast sing For Good.
In the show it is a duet between witches. For Guest, it is a hymn they struggle to force through tears.
"I have been changed for good," they sing.
"I do believe I have changed for the better because I knew you . . ."
It's an epitaph that fits perfectly as the stage lights dim for Rob Guest.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24491953-662,00.html
Friday, October 10, 2008
ROB GUEST FAREWELLED
Lucy Durack and Anthony Callea farewell their castmate
Entertainer Rob Guest has been farewelled at a "sombre" private funeral in Sydney ahead of a public memorial event in Melbourne on Monday.
Friends and family gathered at St Peter's Presbyterian Church in North Sydney on Friday for the service to farewell Guest, who died last week aged 58.
It was followed by a private burial.
One mourner, who did not wish to be named, said it was a very private affair."It was a packed church, very sombre," he said."And nobody that went is happy to talk about it because it was a very private and moving affair."
Kellie Dickerson, Guest's partner of 10 years, is understood to have been among the mourners, as was his publicist Suzie Howie, who worked with the star for 20 years.
Guest, who was best known for playing the lead in the hit production of Phantom of the Opera for most of the 90s, died in a Melbourne hospital after suffering a massive stroke.
Guest was starring in the musical Wicked, playing the Wizard of Oz, in Melbourne at the time of his death. Dickerson is the show's musical director.
Monday's public memorial event, to include a video tribute to his life, will be held at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne at 12.30pm, his publicist confirmed.Long-time friend and co-star Marina Prior, who will recount memories of Guest and read a letter from Andrew Lloyd Webber. All the Wicked cast will attend.
Others speakers will include Bert Newton, Dickerson and Wicked producer John Frost, and there will also be a recorded tribute from British theatre producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh.ANZ chief executive Brian Hartzer is set to make a "significant announcement" in Guest's honour.
Anthony Callea will perform Now That You Have Gone.
The professional and charismatic entertainer played more than 40 roles during his career. He holds the record as the longest-playing Phantom, with a record 2,289 performances over seven years.Born in Birmingham, England, Rob Guest grew up in New Zealand, where he began his career as a singer in the pop charts. He later became an Australian citizen.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Courageous Cast Perform To Honour Their 'Theatre Father'
Let's go on with the show
Roger Franklin
October 03, 2008 12:00am
THEATRE will always be about illusion, but last night at the Regent it was the rarest species of courage that also trod the boards.
Throughout the day, as news of Rob Guest's fatal stroke sank in, shaken performers were stealing themselves for the rough night ahead.
Like friend and fellow thespian Marina Prior, they did it by recalling his warmth and humour and laughing between tears about Guest's funny little ways, like his habit of playing his own songs to "warm up" before a show.
Most of all they did it by reminding each other that Guest was a trouper who never missed a curtain during more than 2000 performances in the Phantom of the Opera.
"Rob was the ultimate professional. He would go on whatever," said Prior, Guest's Phantom leading lady.
"He was the sort of person who would lift everyone else, no matter what went wrong."
And last night, even in death and with his name already removed from the cast list by the door, that same magic remained a shining light.
"We are grieving as a family for our wonderful 'Wizard'," producer John Frost told the audience before the show.
"Tonight we are dedicating this performance to the father figure of this company."
Before the show, some patrons were a little dubious.
"Disappointed? Of course we're disappointed," said Nicci Ramsay, who flew from Sydney with her husband to catch the show. But she had little to worry about.
Within seconds of the first bars rising from the pit, where Guest's partner and musical director Kellie Dickerson normally conducts the orchestra, the illusion was working.
Greasepaint hid the tracks of the actors' tears and the glare of footlights made it impossible to notice eyes turned red from grief.
On a cloud of stage smoke, Collins St was lifted all the way over the rainbow to Oz, where understudy Rod Dobson now fills the Wizard's shoes, and the night ended with a two-minute standing ovation.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24439423-2862,00.html
Roger Franklin
October 03, 2008 12:00am
THEATRE will always be about illusion, but last night at the Regent it was the rarest species of courage that also trod the boards.
Throughout the day, as news of Rob Guest's fatal stroke sank in, shaken performers were stealing themselves for the rough night ahead.
Like friend and fellow thespian Marina Prior, they did it by recalling his warmth and humour and laughing between tears about Guest's funny little ways, like his habit of playing his own songs to "warm up" before a show.
Most of all they did it by reminding each other that Guest was a trouper who never missed a curtain during more than 2000 performances in the Phantom of the Opera.
"Rob was the ultimate professional. He would go on whatever," said Prior, Guest's Phantom leading lady.
"He was the sort of person who would lift everyone else, no matter what went wrong."
And last night, even in death and with his name already removed from the cast list by the door, that same magic remained a shining light.
"We are grieving as a family for our wonderful 'Wizard'," producer John Frost told the audience before the show.
"Tonight we are dedicating this performance to the father figure of this company."
Before the show, some patrons were a little dubious.
"Disappointed? Of course we're disappointed," said Nicci Ramsay, who flew from Sydney with her husband to catch the show. But she had little to worry about.
Within seconds of the first bars rising from the pit, where Guest's partner and musical director Kellie Dickerson normally conducts the orchestra, the illusion was working.
Greasepaint hid the tracks of the actors' tears and the glare of footlights made it impossible to notice eyes turned red from grief.
On a cloud of stage smoke, Collins St was lifted all the way over the rainbow to Oz, where understudy Rod Dobson now fills the Wizard's shoes, and the night ended with a two-minute standing ovation.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24439423-2862,00.html
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
CAST RALLIES FOR ROB
Tears and prayers: standing ovation for Rob Guest's Wicked co-stars
Marika Dobbin
October 2, 2008 - 10:22AM
The cast of sold-out musical Wicked received a standing ovation in Melbourne last night and cried backstage knowing that star Rob Guest was on his deathbed.
Producer John Frost broke the news that Guest had suffered a massive stroke to the cast after yesterday's matinee performance at the Regent Theatre. He said it was one of the hardest moments of his career.
"It was really painful,'' Frost told Radio 3AW. "There were genuine tears and prayers ... The youngest is 17 in the show and a lot of these kids have never had to face death or pending death ... It wasn't a very nice place to be backstage yesterday.''
However, in accordance with showbiz tradition, the show went on last night despite both audience and performers knowing Guest was not expected to live through the night. He died this morning in Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital after being taken off life support .
Frost said last night's performance was electric with emotion and the audience embraced Guest's understudy Rodney Dobson, who played the role of the Wizard of Oz for just the second time.
"It was a terrific one, so I think you know, they all rallied knowing that Rob was waiting for them somewhere,'' he said.
Friends say there was no indication Guest was ill despite a gruelling performance schedule of eight shows a week.
"He never smoked, he had the odd drink like many of us to but never to any excess, and he was reasonably fit,'' Frost said.
With no performances scheduled on Monday or Tuesday, Guest, 57, was with his partner Kellie Dickerson, who is the show's musical director, when he collapsed at home on Tuesday at about 10pm.
He reportedly talked to a friend on the phone and then sat at his computer before telling Dickerson he felt ill and ``a bit wobbly''. He then collapsed on the floor.
The couple had been together for ten years since working together on The Sound of Music.
"She stands in that orchestra pit every night looking up at the stage at him singing his songs,'' Frost said.
"My biggest fear is that she will eventually have to come back to work and have to look up onto that stage and he won't be there. In his costume will be somebody else ... that is going to be really painful and personal.''
Guest was placed on life support to allow his family from New Zealand to fly to his bedside and say a final farewell.
Frost, who is a long-time friend, said Guest would have been thrilled by the media attention and public reaction to his death.
"I remember I sat there, and held his hand and told him how much I loved him and how much everybody's going to miss him and that things would be fine and enjoy the journey.''
"To see somebody in hospital you know all wired up ... and not conscious, you go in and see them and they don't look real.''
Guest played the lead in the Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera for a record 2000-plus performances over seven years.
The English-born star started his career as a pop singer in New Zealand in the 1970s and featured in popular television shows before moving to Las Vegas in the '80s.
His career moved up a gear when he was cast as Jean Valjean in the Australian production of Les Miserables, winning a Green Room award in 1991 before taking on the role of the Phantom.
In 1994, Guest received an OBE for services to the New Zealand entertainment industry.
After leaving Phantom he played Jean Valjean again in the 10th anniversary Les Miserables production that toured Australia and New Zealand.
Wicked set a box office record from its first week when it took $1.7 million after its July 12 opening.
The return now stands at nearly $27 million with more than 300,000 tickets sold. Another 80,000 tickets have just been issued and Frost says each show is a sell-out.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/tears-and-prayers-standing-ovation-for-rob-guests-wicked-costars-20081002-4sc2.html?page=-1
Marika Dobbin
October 2, 2008 - 10:22AM
The cast of sold-out musical Wicked received a standing ovation in Melbourne last night and cried backstage knowing that star Rob Guest was on his deathbed.
Producer John Frost broke the news that Guest had suffered a massive stroke to the cast after yesterday's matinee performance at the Regent Theatre. He said it was one of the hardest moments of his career.
"It was really painful,'' Frost told Radio 3AW. "There were genuine tears and prayers ... The youngest is 17 in the show and a lot of these kids have never had to face death or pending death ... It wasn't a very nice place to be backstage yesterday.''
However, in accordance with showbiz tradition, the show went on last night despite both audience and performers knowing Guest was not expected to live through the night. He died this morning in Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital after being taken off life support .
Frost said last night's performance was electric with emotion and the audience embraced Guest's understudy Rodney Dobson, who played the role of the Wizard of Oz for just the second time.
"It was a terrific one, so I think you know, they all rallied knowing that Rob was waiting for them somewhere,'' he said.
Friends say there was no indication Guest was ill despite a gruelling performance schedule of eight shows a week.
"He never smoked, he had the odd drink like many of us to but never to any excess, and he was reasonably fit,'' Frost said.
With no performances scheduled on Monday or Tuesday, Guest, 57, was with his partner Kellie Dickerson, who is the show's musical director, when he collapsed at home on Tuesday at about 10pm.
He reportedly talked to a friend on the phone and then sat at his computer before telling Dickerson he felt ill and ``a bit wobbly''. He then collapsed on the floor.
The couple had been together for ten years since working together on The Sound of Music.
"She stands in that orchestra pit every night looking up at the stage at him singing his songs,'' Frost said.
"My biggest fear is that she will eventually have to come back to work and have to look up onto that stage and he won't be there. In his costume will be somebody else ... that is going to be really painful and personal.''
Guest was placed on life support to allow his family from New Zealand to fly to his bedside and say a final farewell.
Frost, who is a long-time friend, said Guest would have been thrilled by the media attention and public reaction to his death.
"I remember I sat there, and held his hand and told him how much I loved him and how much everybody's going to miss him and that things would be fine and enjoy the journey.''
"To see somebody in hospital you know all wired up ... and not conscious, you go in and see them and they don't look real.''
Guest played the lead in the Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera for a record 2000-plus performances over seven years.
The English-born star started his career as a pop singer in New Zealand in the 1970s and featured in popular television shows before moving to Las Vegas in the '80s.
His career moved up a gear when he was cast as Jean Valjean in the Australian production of Les Miserables, winning a Green Room award in 1991 before taking on the role of the Phantom.
In 1994, Guest received an OBE for services to the New Zealand entertainment industry.
After leaving Phantom he played Jean Valjean again in the 10th anniversary Les Miserables production that toured Australia and New Zealand.
Wicked set a box office record from its first week when it took $1.7 million after its July 12 opening.
The return now stands at nearly $27 million with more than 300,000 tickets sold. Another 80,000 tickets have just been issued and Frost says each show is a sell-out.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/tears-and-prayers-standing-ovation-for-rob-guests-wicked-costars-20081002-4sc2.html?page=-1
WICKED STAR SUFFERS MASSIVE STROKE
ROB GUEST DEAD AT 57
Rob Guest dies after stroke
Renowned theatrical performer Rob Guest has died in a Melbourne Hospital after suffering a massive stroke overnight.
Renowned theatrical performer Rob Guest has died in a Melbourne Hospital after suffering a massive stroke overnight.
His family released a statement saying the 57-year-old died peacefully with family members by his side.
The British-born performer has enjoyed a long career on the stage.
He was best known for his record seven years playing the title role in the Phantom of the Opera, in both Australia and New Zealand.
Guest was a music star in New Zealand in the 1970s, and later moved to Las Vegas where he worked in the entertainment industry.
He was currently starring in the Melbourne stage production of Wicked, as the Wizard of Oz.
Guest relocated to Melbourne from the Gold Coast when he took the role in Wicked.
Guest relocated to Melbourne from the Gold Coast when he took the role in Wicked.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
GEELONG ADVERTISER REVIEW
IT'S WICKED, TRULY
GUY DAVIS 15 July 2008
Geelong Advertiser
Belive the hype. Wicked, the much-loved stage musical now playing at Melbourne's Regent Theatre after successful seasons in New York, London and elsewhere, is truly marvellous -- a lavish and thoroughly entertaining show that puts a winningly subversive spin on the classic story of The Wizard of Oz.
Its focus is on the tale's two main witches, and anyone who's seen The Wizard of Oz on TV will recall The Good Witch of the North personified all that was sweetness and light, while The Wicked Witch of the West ... well, didn't.
But Wicked, adapted from Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, invites you to look a little deeper into the lives of these two characters, taking the audience back to their schooldays when they first formed their bond.
Elphaba (Amanda Harrison) is feisty, outspoken, green-skinned; Glinda (Lucy Durack) is her opposite -- blonde, bubbly, popular.
When they're forced to share a room, it's loathe at first sight. But the two gradually find they have more in common than either of them imagined, and a friendship develops.
There are troubled times a-brewin' in the land of Oz, though, and Elphaba and Glinda are recruited by the Wizard (Rob Guest) to help maintain the status quo with their magical powers.
But when Elphaba discovers the Wizard's hidden agenda, she rebels, leading the powers that be to denounce her as wicked.
Maguire and Winnie Holzman, who adapted the book for the stage, have great fun viewing the story from a different perspective.
At the same time, the show has an identity -- quick-witted, sharp-tongued and big-hearted -- all its own.
That identity is evident in Stephen Schwartz's songs. If your heart doesn't race during the show-stopping `Defying Gravity', consult a cardiologist.
Musical-theatre powerhouses Harrison and Durack both create three-dimensional characters it's impossible not to understand, sympathise with and fall for.
These two leads are the standouts but no-one in the cast can be faulted. Australian Idol alumni Rob Mills and Anthony Callea work a treat. Mills in particular is great as the dashing love interest Fiyero.
Everything works in Wicked, from the magnificent sets that will make your jaw drop to the spellbinding songs that will remain in your head for days afterwards.
Saturday's premiere performance earned a standing ovation from the capacity crowd -- the acclaim was well and truly deserved.
GUY DAVIS 15 July 2008
Geelong Advertiser
Belive the hype. Wicked, the much-loved stage musical now playing at Melbourne's Regent Theatre after successful seasons in New York, London and elsewhere, is truly marvellous -- a lavish and thoroughly entertaining show that puts a winningly subversive spin on the classic story of The Wizard of Oz.
Its focus is on the tale's two main witches, and anyone who's seen The Wizard of Oz on TV will recall The Good Witch of the North personified all that was sweetness and light, while The Wicked Witch of the West ... well, didn't.
But Wicked, adapted from Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, invites you to look a little deeper into the lives of these two characters, taking the audience back to their schooldays when they first formed their bond.
Elphaba (Amanda Harrison) is feisty, outspoken, green-skinned; Glinda (Lucy Durack) is her opposite -- blonde, bubbly, popular.
When they're forced to share a room, it's loathe at first sight. But the two gradually find they have more in common than either of them imagined, and a friendship develops.
There are troubled times a-brewin' in the land of Oz, though, and Elphaba and Glinda are recruited by the Wizard (Rob Guest) to help maintain the status quo with their magical powers.
But when Elphaba discovers the Wizard's hidden agenda, she rebels, leading the powers that be to denounce her as wicked.
Maguire and Winnie Holzman, who adapted the book for the stage, have great fun viewing the story from a different perspective.
At the same time, the show has an identity -- quick-witted, sharp-tongued and big-hearted -- all its own.
That identity is evident in Stephen Schwartz's songs. If your heart doesn't race during the show-stopping `Defying Gravity', consult a cardiologist.
Musical-theatre powerhouses Harrison and Durack both create three-dimensional characters it's impossible not to understand, sympathise with and fall for.
These two leads are the standouts but no-one in the cast can be faulted. Australian Idol alumni Rob Mills and Anthony Callea work a treat. Mills in particular is great as the dashing love interest Fiyero.
Everything works in Wicked, from the magnificent sets that will make your jaw drop to the spellbinding songs that will remain in your head for days afterwards.
Saturday's premiere performance earned a standing ovation from the capacity crowd -- the acclaim was well and truly deserved.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
TROY DODDS - 'JUST HAVING MY SAY'
WICKED CASTS A MAGIC SPELL
Troy Dodds - Aussietheatre.com
My favourite moment from the opening night of Wicked on Saturday came in the moments following Amanda Harrison's performance of 'Defying Gravity' to close the first act. As the lights came back on for interval, there was an incredible buzz across the audience; a buzz reserved for when a show has captured an audience so much that they can't wait to gush about it to the person sitting next to them. It was a magical moment from a night full of memories and highlights.
When I first saw Wicked in New York back in 2004, with Idina Menzel and Jennifer Laura Thompson, I walked out of the theatre with a feeling I'd never felt before. This show has an incredible knack of drawing you in and never letting you go, and seeing another 2,000 people or so get that feeling on Saturday night was amazing. To the cast, the crew and the people who brought it to Australia, a massive congratulations and a job well done - you've exceeded every possible expectation.
There was a wonderful feeling in the foyer before and after the show, and while some of the regular theatre industry people were keen to pick out what was wrong with the show, those who hadn't seen it before were in awe. And that's the opinion that is the most crucial to me, because people familiar with Wicked will always have a pre-conceived viewpoint, so it was indeed most interesting to hear from people who were legitimately shocked and surprised about just how good this show was.
Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack are the perfect pair for Elphaba and Glinda and both will provide the roles with the energy and vocal quality required. In fact, overall the entire cast is extremely good, with any fears over certain roles very much calmed. Anthony Callea and Rob Mills, who copped a lot of attention for their casting as Boq and Fiyero, were truly grand and Mills and Harrison's duet, 'As Long As You're Mine', was performed with such passion that it very nearly raised the roof off the Regent.
The after-party at the Sofitel Melbourne was a performance in itself. No expense was spared and while this party was certainly above and beyond anything else presented as part of an Australian musical opening, one thing was certain: Melbourne can throw a party a lot better than Sydney. It's happened before, and it'll happen again. Walking around in a suit holding a pizza in a cardboard box was a little unconventional, but Wicked is very much allowed to re-write the rules.
When the dust settled, there was the realisation that Wicked provides something very special for Australian music theatre. Not since the days of the string of Cam Mac shows have we seen a musical get so much attention, including from non-regular theatre-goers who seem to know more about Wicked than any other musical that's ever popped into town. The show very much holds a key to the future, and could have a wonderful snowball effect in the long-term.
People will have different opinions about various aspects of the show, and that is what makes Wicked so grand. Everything from our coverage here at the website to individual performances, marketing, ticket prices and so much more will, I am sure, be frowned upon every now and again. Our coverage has obviously been quite huge and that has been a planned move for several months, and the media overall has done a tremendous job in its coverage of Wicked, particularly of the opening weekend. How wonderful it has been to see a musical get so much attention for all the right reasons.
http://www.aussietheatre.com.au/
Troy Dodds - Aussietheatre.com
My favourite moment from the opening night of Wicked on Saturday came in the moments following Amanda Harrison's performance of 'Defying Gravity' to close the first act. As the lights came back on for interval, there was an incredible buzz across the audience; a buzz reserved for when a show has captured an audience so much that they can't wait to gush about it to the person sitting next to them. It was a magical moment from a night full of memories and highlights.
When I first saw Wicked in New York back in 2004, with Idina Menzel and Jennifer Laura Thompson, I walked out of the theatre with a feeling I'd never felt before. This show has an incredible knack of drawing you in and never letting you go, and seeing another 2,000 people or so get that feeling on Saturday night was amazing. To the cast, the crew and the people who brought it to Australia, a massive congratulations and a job well done - you've exceeded every possible expectation.
There was a wonderful feeling in the foyer before and after the show, and while some of the regular theatre industry people were keen to pick out what was wrong with the show, those who hadn't seen it before were in awe. And that's the opinion that is the most crucial to me, because people familiar with Wicked will always have a pre-conceived viewpoint, so it was indeed most interesting to hear from people who were legitimately shocked and surprised about just how good this show was.
Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack are the perfect pair for Elphaba and Glinda and both will provide the roles with the energy and vocal quality required. In fact, overall the entire cast is extremely good, with any fears over certain roles very much calmed. Anthony Callea and Rob Mills, who copped a lot of attention for their casting as Boq and Fiyero, were truly grand and Mills and Harrison's duet, 'As Long As You're Mine', was performed with such passion that it very nearly raised the roof off the Regent.
The after-party at the Sofitel Melbourne was a performance in itself. No expense was spared and while this party was certainly above and beyond anything else presented as part of an Australian musical opening, one thing was certain: Melbourne can throw a party a lot better than Sydney. It's happened before, and it'll happen again. Walking around in a suit holding a pizza in a cardboard box was a little unconventional, but Wicked is very much allowed to re-write the rules.
When the dust settled, there was the realisation that Wicked provides something very special for Australian music theatre. Not since the days of the string of Cam Mac shows have we seen a musical get so much attention, including from non-regular theatre-goers who seem to know more about Wicked than any other musical that's ever popped into town. The show very much holds a key to the future, and could have a wonderful snowball effect in the long-term.
People will have different opinions about various aspects of the show, and that is what makes Wicked so grand. Everything from our coverage here at the website to individual performances, marketing, ticket prices and so much more will, I am sure, be frowned upon every now and again. Our coverage has obviously been quite huge and that has been a planned move for several months, and the media overall has done a tremendous job in its coverage of Wicked, particularly of the opening weekend. How wonderful it has been to see a musical get so much attention for all the right reasons.
http://www.aussietheatre.com.au/
Saturday, September 6, 2008
AUSTRALIAN PRINCIPAL CAST PHOTOS
REVIEW / PROMO - Stuff.co.NZ
HAVE A WICKEDLY DECO TIME IN MELBOURNE
By DIANA PLATER - AAP
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Two major attractions are enticing art and theatre lovers to Melbourne as winter gradually yields to spring.
The blockbuster exhibition Art Deco 1910-1939 will continue at the National Gallery of Victoria until October 5.
And WICKED, the hot Broadway musical, is now pulling them in at the Regent Theatre.
Even before it opened on June 27 WICKED had made A$15m in advance bookings.
It recounts the untold story of the witches of Oz before Dorothy dropped in – they're the wicked witch of the west Elphaba, played by Amanda Harrison, and the good witch Glinda played by Lucy Durack.
Some of the best moments come from former Australian Idol contestants Anthony Callea as a munchkin and Rob Mills, playing the handsome and wealthy party boy prince Fiyero.
Known for her role in Prisoner, Maggie Kirkpatrick is Madame Morrible, headmistress of Shiz University, who definitely has a dark side.
And Rob Guest is the Wizard of Oz.
You have to guess who becomes the Lion, the Straw Man and the Tin Man.
The set, lighting and costumes – all very green – reflect the huge amount of money – $12 million ($NZ14.87 million – spent on the production.
But while the story is rather convoluted and at times the production surprisingly flat – especially when you recall the magic of The Wizard of Oz – WICKED's received rave reviews.
One of Australia's great theatres, the Regent, described as "Hollywood extravaganza", is well worth a visit, especially if you are a lover of grandiose interior decor
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4661391a2181.html
By DIANA PLATER - AAP
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Two major attractions are enticing art and theatre lovers to Melbourne as winter gradually yields to spring.
The blockbuster exhibition Art Deco 1910-1939 will continue at the National Gallery of Victoria until October 5.
And WICKED, the hot Broadway musical, is now pulling them in at the Regent Theatre.
Even before it opened on June 27 WICKED had made A$15m in advance bookings.
It recounts the untold story of the witches of Oz before Dorothy dropped in – they're the wicked witch of the west Elphaba, played by Amanda Harrison, and the good witch Glinda played by Lucy Durack.
Some of the best moments come from former Australian Idol contestants Anthony Callea as a munchkin and Rob Mills, playing the handsome and wealthy party boy prince Fiyero.
Known for her role in Prisoner, Maggie Kirkpatrick is Madame Morrible, headmistress of Shiz University, who definitely has a dark side.
And Rob Guest is the Wizard of Oz.
You have to guess who becomes the Lion, the Straw Man and the Tin Man.
The set, lighting and costumes – all very green – reflect the huge amount of money – $12 million ($NZ14.87 million – spent on the production.
But while the story is rather convoluted and at times the production surprisingly flat – especially when you recall the magic of The Wizard of Oz – WICKED's received rave reviews.
One of Australia's great theatres, the Regent, described as "Hollywood extravaganza", is well worth a visit, especially if you are a lover of grandiose interior decor
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4661391a2181.html
REVIEW - GEN Q
WICKED - THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE WITCHES OF OZ
By Antony Steadman Theatre Editor
Published Aug 17, 2008
Wicked can be summed up in one word - Amazing! From the moment the audience enters the theatre, they are treated to a spectacular feast for the senses. Complete with a giant mechanical dragon hovering above the stage, the set extends out across the theatre from the proscenium, bringing the action that bit closer to the crowd. This commercial theatre juggernaut tells the untold story of Galinda (who later becomes Glinda the Good) and Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and the genesis of what we know as The Wizard of Oz.
The cast from the ensemble to the principals absolutely nail the material and don't put a foot or note wrong. The cast includes the incomparable Rob Guest as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz who is charming in the role. Maggie Kirkpatric, an Australian Entertainment stalwart plays the malicious Madame Morrible, who is not who she first seems to be.
Australian Idol favourites Anthony Callea and Rob Mills surprise in their roles as Boq and Fiyero respectively. It's a shame Anthony doesn't get his own song, as his performance is extremely well projected and note perfect. Mills as the playboy Winkie prince shines on stage with a depth that one would not expect from him. Penny McNamee is perfect as Nessa Rose, Elphaba's younger, crippled sister.
Our two leading ladies are Lucy Durack as Glinda and Amanda Harrison as the afforementioned Elphaba. Lucy is a fine comedian and is perfect as the bubbly, perky, blonde Glinda. Her rendition of Popular is extremely funny and Durack shows a great understanding of the material The star of the evening is Amanda as Elphaba. She shows an extreme depth, from her first number, The Wizard and I, she grows emotionally throughout and peaks to become a fiery young woman in Defying Gravity, which is possibly the most spectacular number.
The jaw dropping, eye popping, astounding show amazes and is tight from the smallest detail on the sleeve of a costume to the biggest set piece. A truly spectacular night at the theatre.
Wicked is currently playing an open ended engagement at Melbourne's Regent Theatre
http://www.generationq.net/entertainment/theatre/wicked-the-untold-story-of-the-witches-of-oz-170881.shtml
By Antony Steadman Theatre Editor
Published Aug 17, 2008
Wicked can be summed up in one word - Amazing! From the moment the audience enters the theatre, they are treated to a spectacular feast for the senses. Complete with a giant mechanical dragon hovering above the stage, the set extends out across the theatre from the proscenium, bringing the action that bit closer to the crowd. This commercial theatre juggernaut tells the untold story of Galinda (who later becomes Glinda the Good) and Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and the genesis of what we know as The Wizard of Oz.
The cast from the ensemble to the principals absolutely nail the material and don't put a foot or note wrong. The cast includes the incomparable Rob Guest as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz who is charming in the role. Maggie Kirkpatric, an Australian Entertainment stalwart plays the malicious Madame Morrible, who is not who she first seems to be.
Australian Idol favourites Anthony Callea and Rob Mills surprise in their roles as Boq and Fiyero respectively. It's a shame Anthony doesn't get his own song, as his performance is extremely well projected and note perfect. Mills as the playboy Winkie prince shines on stage with a depth that one would not expect from him. Penny McNamee is perfect as Nessa Rose, Elphaba's younger, crippled sister.
Our two leading ladies are Lucy Durack as Glinda and Amanda Harrison as the afforementioned Elphaba. Lucy is a fine comedian and is perfect as the bubbly, perky, blonde Glinda. Her rendition of Popular is extremely funny and Durack shows a great understanding of the material The star of the evening is Amanda as Elphaba. She shows an extreme depth, from her first number, The Wizard and I, she grows emotionally throughout and peaks to become a fiery young woman in Defying Gravity, which is possibly the most spectacular number.
The jaw dropping, eye popping, astounding show amazes and is tight from the smallest detail on the sleeve of a costume to the biggest set piece. A truly spectacular night at the theatre.
Wicked is currently playing an open ended engagement at Melbourne's Regent Theatre
http://www.generationq.net/entertainment/theatre/wicked-the-untold-story-of-the-witches-of-oz-170881.shtml
Review - The Australian - July 14 2008
EVERYTHING BUT A FEW GOOD SONGS
Peter Burch
July 14, 2008
THIS runaway success story is based on Gregory Maguire's first adult novel, in which he proposes a prequel to L. Frank Baum's famous children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Baum presents the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, as driven by meanness and spite, while Glinda, the good witch, is all beauty and serenity.
Winnie Holzman's imaginative re-telling of Maguire's Wicked reveals a much darker side to the story. Beginning with Glinda floating into Oz in a bubble and telling the rapturous Oz citizens that the Wicked Witch has been liquidated, Wicked then constructs a series of flashbacks that explore how the two women met in their youth, how their lives intersected, clashed and how their circumstances finally generated an uneasy mutual understanding.
Wicked explores the corrosive effects of fear and loathing and the resultant abandonment of decency and morality.
Glinda is a wretchedly spoiled brat, with a head of golden curls sprouting through an empty, rat-cunning skull and a shrill voice that could open an oyster at 40 paces. She has the adoration of everyone around her. She's wily and manipulative, but presents herself as all sweetness and light. While Elphaba, born green and plain, suffers all the disadvantages and prejudices that beset outcasts.
Wicked's cast is outstanding. Amanda Harrison's Elphaba takes the honours with a performance of immense power and sensitivity and some superbly delivered singing. The Glinda of Lucy Durack is beautifully delivered as is Rob Mills's agile and powerfully vocal Fiyero, the object of the two witches' mutual affection.
Anthony Callea's munchkin outsider is brimful of pathos and energy and Rob Guest's appearance as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz maintained an elegant dignity. As the school ma'am Madame Morrible, Maggie Kirkpatrick initially cut a startling figure, trussed up into a form-fitting costume with a halo of permed hair. She reminded me of the time I met Sophie Tucker in my youth.
Wicked's production values are exceptional. Lisa Leguillou's expert direction coupled with Eugene Lee's clockwork-themed scenery, Susan Hilferty's dazzling costuming, Kenneth Posner's lighting, Tony Meola's sound design and Kellie Dickerson's musical direction of William David Brohn's terrific orchestrations fused into a powerful piece of theatre
But something is seriously missing: good music. This may well be Stephen Schwartz's most successful show but regrettably, its by no means his best effort.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24013390-5013575,00.html
Peter Burch
July 14, 2008
THIS runaway success story is based on Gregory Maguire's first adult novel, in which he proposes a prequel to L. Frank Baum's famous children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Baum presents the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, as driven by meanness and spite, while Glinda, the good witch, is all beauty and serenity.
Winnie Holzman's imaginative re-telling of Maguire's Wicked reveals a much darker side to the story. Beginning with Glinda floating into Oz in a bubble and telling the rapturous Oz citizens that the Wicked Witch has been liquidated, Wicked then constructs a series of flashbacks that explore how the two women met in their youth, how their lives intersected, clashed and how their circumstances finally generated an uneasy mutual understanding.
Wicked explores the corrosive effects of fear and loathing and the resultant abandonment of decency and morality.
Glinda is a wretchedly spoiled brat, with a head of golden curls sprouting through an empty, rat-cunning skull and a shrill voice that could open an oyster at 40 paces. She has the adoration of everyone around her. She's wily and manipulative, but presents herself as all sweetness and light. While Elphaba, born green and plain, suffers all the disadvantages and prejudices that beset outcasts.
Wicked's cast is outstanding. Amanda Harrison's Elphaba takes the honours with a performance of immense power and sensitivity and some superbly delivered singing. The Glinda of Lucy Durack is beautifully delivered as is Rob Mills's agile and powerfully vocal Fiyero, the object of the two witches' mutual affection.
Anthony Callea's munchkin outsider is brimful of pathos and energy and Rob Guest's appearance as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz maintained an elegant dignity. As the school ma'am Madame Morrible, Maggie Kirkpatrick initially cut a startling figure, trussed up into a form-fitting costume with a halo of permed hair. She reminded me of the time I met Sophie Tucker in my youth.
Wicked's production values are exceptional. Lisa Leguillou's expert direction coupled with Eugene Lee's clockwork-themed scenery, Susan Hilferty's dazzling costuming, Kenneth Posner's lighting, Tony Meola's sound design and Kellie Dickerson's musical direction of William David Brohn's terrific orchestrations fused into a powerful piece of theatre
But something is seriously missing: good music. This may well be Stephen Schwartz's most successful show but regrettably, its by no means his best effort.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24013390-5013575,00.html
Friday, September 5, 2008
AussieTheatre Review
WICKED
Regent Theatre, Melbourne; The Gordon/Frost Organisation, Universal Pictures
Saturday, July 12, 2008. Opening Night Performance.
Review by TROY DODDS.
Musical theatre is often looked at as a ferocious and entertaining beast without a heart; a genre that provides plenty of flamboyant singing and dancing but very little substance. Every now and again, however, a show comes along that embodies the spirit, emotion and class that musical theatre holds in its overall promise, and Wicked is such a show.
Wicked’s pedigree internationally is without question: it’s a smash hit on Broadway, hugely successful in London and other overseas productions continue to do well. Its innocent shell – a prequel to the much-loved children’s tale The Wizard Of Oz – hides an even deeper interior, telling the extraordinary story of two young girls from backgrounds that couldn’t be any more different; both overcoming great challenges, and extraordinary hurdles. How these girls become friends, and then emerge as the Glinda The Good and The Wicked Witch Of The West, is an epic journey that is a full blown experience rather than a two hour joyflight.
Wicked’s spectacular costumes and contemporary staging are the real stars of the show, and the gasp of wonderment from the audience when Elphaba (Amanda Harrison) flies into the air at the spectacular conclusion to act one embodies the incredible connection this show builds with an audience throughout. And such gasps keep coming, whether it be at one of the many hundreds of wonderful outfits or the strong, action-packed script that has so many surprises along the way that it almost makes Wicked a show you need to see two or three times to really take it all in.
While Wicked’s overall package is unquestionably brilliant, there’s plenty of pressure on the principal cast to carry it over the line, particularly when it comes to the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, played in Australia by the durable Amanda Harrison and the perky, bubbly Lucy Durack. The show requires utter strength in these roles and a balancing act is also needed as one overshadowing the other can provide difficulties, particularly given there needs to be a considerable shift in pre-conceived ideas and notions throughout the show.
While both Harrison and Durack seemed vocally strained at times on opening night (in fact, there were cracks throughout the entire principal cast), the ingredients were all there to suggest that the duo will pack a powerful punch in the Australian production when things settle down.
Harrison makes a wonderful Elphaba, and while she doesn’t get it right early on with ‘The Wizard And I’, by the time she is mid-way through the second act performing ‘No One Mourns The Wicked’, she has very much arrived. It’s a performance that builds and while I would prefer to see Elphaba a model of consistency throughout, Harrison certainly delivers the role the strength, charm and ultimate grunt it requires.
Durack owns the first act. From the moment she descends on the stage in a giant bubble through to her trademark number ‘Popular’, she has star written all over her. It’s a performance full of brilliant comic timing, strong acting and while, as mentioned earlier, her voice wasn’t perfect on opening night, as soon as she settles into the role Durack will very much deliver a near perfect performance – it’s on the verge of being that already and the way she brings the required ark of emotion (from the bubbles and squeak early on to the darker elements in the second act) is five star stuff.
By the time Harrison and Durack get to their emotional duet late in the show, ‘For Good’, the two witches have very much found the balance Wicked requires to ensure it reaches its conclusion as intended. The casting is spot on, it just needs a little more ironing out and probably two or three more weeks worth of performances before it is where it needs to be.
Rob Mills and Anthony Callea are both great as Fiyero and Boq respectively. Mills delivers ‘Dancing Through Life’ with plenty of joy and enthusiasm while Callea is a fun and engaging Boq, and his scenes with Penny McNamee (Nessarose) are wonderfully entertaining – a duo well and truly connected.
Rob Guest makes for a fine Wizard, though Maggie Kirkpatrick’s Madame Morrible needs a little more grunt and power to ensure the audience feel the right emotion towards the end of the show. The ensemble cast is solid, with its contemporary dancing a real highlight from the outset and at no stage does the show feel cramped as one may have feared at the Regent
So often we look at shows and it’s easy to pinpoint errors and when they were made, whether it was in the casting room, the rehearsal process or the day-to-day performances themselves. Wicked, however, gets it so right. The casting is strong, the staging is wonderful, the direction and musical direction is spot on and as expected given its international success, the script is tight and punchy.
Squabbles are minor. As mentioned earlier, there’s some vocal issues to iron out, and at times the sound appears just a little too low, particularly in numbers like ‘Defying Gravity’ which should really rock the theatre - both orchestra and performer could do with pumping it up just a little there
Wicked is a musical that pulls at the heartstrings, makes you laugh and fills you with a sense of excitement all at the same time. It reminds you of your closest friendship, your darkest times, the fun and frivolity of life and the importance of the choices we make, and those made for us.
This is the best production of a mainstage musical Australia has seen in decades, and it has all the promise of a show that should run for years
A must-see, go-back-again extravaganza.
http://www.aussietheatre.com/revwicked.htm
Regent Theatre, Melbourne; The Gordon/Frost Organisation, Universal Pictures
Saturday, July 12, 2008. Opening Night Performance.
Review by TROY DODDS.
Musical theatre is often looked at as a ferocious and entertaining beast without a heart; a genre that provides plenty of flamboyant singing and dancing but very little substance. Every now and again, however, a show comes along that embodies the spirit, emotion and class that musical theatre holds in its overall promise, and Wicked is such a show.
Wicked’s pedigree internationally is without question: it’s a smash hit on Broadway, hugely successful in London and other overseas productions continue to do well. Its innocent shell – a prequel to the much-loved children’s tale The Wizard Of Oz – hides an even deeper interior, telling the extraordinary story of two young girls from backgrounds that couldn’t be any more different; both overcoming great challenges, and extraordinary hurdles. How these girls become friends, and then emerge as the Glinda The Good and The Wicked Witch Of The West, is an epic journey that is a full blown experience rather than a two hour joyflight.
Wicked’s spectacular costumes and contemporary staging are the real stars of the show, and the gasp of wonderment from the audience when Elphaba (Amanda Harrison) flies into the air at the spectacular conclusion to act one embodies the incredible connection this show builds with an audience throughout. And such gasps keep coming, whether it be at one of the many hundreds of wonderful outfits or the strong, action-packed script that has so many surprises along the way that it almost makes Wicked a show you need to see two or three times to really take it all in.
While Wicked’s overall package is unquestionably brilliant, there’s plenty of pressure on the principal cast to carry it over the line, particularly when it comes to the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, played in Australia by the durable Amanda Harrison and the perky, bubbly Lucy Durack. The show requires utter strength in these roles and a balancing act is also needed as one overshadowing the other can provide difficulties, particularly given there needs to be a considerable shift in pre-conceived ideas and notions throughout the show.
While both Harrison and Durack seemed vocally strained at times on opening night (in fact, there were cracks throughout the entire principal cast), the ingredients were all there to suggest that the duo will pack a powerful punch in the Australian production when things settle down.
Harrison makes a wonderful Elphaba, and while she doesn’t get it right early on with ‘The Wizard And I’, by the time she is mid-way through the second act performing ‘No One Mourns The Wicked’, she has very much arrived. It’s a performance that builds and while I would prefer to see Elphaba a model of consistency throughout, Harrison certainly delivers the role the strength, charm and ultimate grunt it requires.
Durack owns the first act. From the moment she descends on the stage in a giant bubble through to her trademark number ‘Popular’, she has star written all over her. It’s a performance full of brilliant comic timing, strong acting and while, as mentioned earlier, her voice wasn’t perfect on opening night, as soon as she settles into the role Durack will very much deliver a near perfect performance – it’s on the verge of being that already and the way she brings the required ark of emotion (from the bubbles and squeak early on to the darker elements in the second act) is five star stuff.
By the time Harrison and Durack get to their emotional duet late in the show, ‘For Good’, the two witches have very much found the balance Wicked requires to ensure it reaches its conclusion as intended. The casting is spot on, it just needs a little more ironing out and probably two or three more weeks worth of performances before it is where it needs to be.
Rob Mills and Anthony Callea are both great as Fiyero and Boq respectively. Mills delivers ‘Dancing Through Life’ with plenty of joy and enthusiasm while Callea is a fun and engaging Boq, and his scenes with Penny McNamee (Nessarose) are wonderfully entertaining – a duo well and truly connected.
Rob Guest makes for a fine Wizard, though Maggie Kirkpatrick’s Madame Morrible needs a little more grunt and power to ensure the audience feel the right emotion towards the end of the show. The ensemble cast is solid, with its contemporary dancing a real highlight from the outset and at no stage does the show feel cramped as one may have feared at the Regent
So often we look at shows and it’s easy to pinpoint errors and when they were made, whether it was in the casting room, the rehearsal process or the day-to-day performances themselves. Wicked, however, gets it so right. The casting is strong, the staging is wonderful, the direction and musical direction is spot on and as expected given its international success, the script is tight and punchy.
Squabbles are minor. As mentioned earlier, there’s some vocal issues to iron out, and at times the sound appears just a little too low, particularly in numbers like ‘Defying Gravity’ which should really rock the theatre - both orchestra and performer could do with pumping it up just a little there
Wicked is a musical that pulls at the heartstrings, makes you laugh and fills you with a sense of excitement all at the same time. It reminds you of your closest friendship, your darkest times, the fun and frivolity of life and the importance of the choices we make, and those made for us.
This is the best production of a mainstage musical Australia has seen in decades, and it has all the promise of a show that should run for years
A must-see, go-back-again extravaganza.
http://www.aussietheatre.com/revwicked.htm
Review - The Age
WICKEDLY WONDERFUL VISIT TO OZ
July 14, 2008
YOU know you're not in Kansas any more when normally sane people arrive at the theatre smothered in sequins, or sporting capes and pointed hats with their faces painted green. So it was at the Melbourne gala opening of the massively successful Broadway musical Wicked.
The Australian production is well worth Ozifying yourself for. This dazzling entertainment more than justifies the hype and, thanks in large part to an outstanding cast, will doubtless compare favourably with its international counterparts.
Based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked takes L. Frank Baum's much-loved land of Oz and adds a subversive backstory. Its protagonists are the Witches of Oz: Elphaba (Amanda Harrison), a socially awkward and exceptionally green girl who grows up to be the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda (Lucy Durack), a shallow princess who turns into the Good Witch of the North.
The two girls meet at school and form an unlikely friendship. They become rivals in love, vying for the affections of the dashing but feckless Fiyero (Rob Mills), and there's a romantic subplot involving the munchkin Boq (Anthony Callea) and Elphaba's disabled sister, Nessarose (Penny McNamee).But all is not well in Oz. The citizens have been incited to fear and hatred of the talking animals, and Elphaba is determined to stand up to those responsible. When she discovers that the propaganda is coming from the Wizard of Oz (Rob Guest) and his sinister agent Madame Morrible (Maggie Kirkpatrick), she sets herself against their despotic regime at grave personal cost.
Wicked is a strange reinvention of a classic fantasy that involves a clever merging of two incongruous genres: teen chick flick and disturbing political satire. Oz aficionados will find almost every loose end tied: we discover why the Wicked Witch is green, where the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion come from, and even why Dorothy's house fell from the sky.
Critical reception of the musical has been mixed, though. Stephen Schwartz's music has everything from soaring power ballads to catchy comic songs, but it overuses motifs. Riffs from previous numbers are reprised in different emotional contexts — a device that becomes too predictable. And for all its talk about moral complexity and the need to live an examined life, Wicked does succumb to a schmaltzy fairytale ending.
These flaws aren't significant, however, when every aspect of theatre craft combines to create an immersive experience.
The casting is inspired, and director Lisa Leguillou has the actors working in perfect harmony. Harrison and Durack give commanding performances. They nail the vocals. Their movement, comic delivery and timing are almost faultless, and together they possess a fantastic stage chemistry.
The Australian Idol factor also comes to the party: Mills is an appealing presence as the young romantic lead, while Callea seems born to play a munchkin. Guest and Kirkpatrick are both old hands, making charismatic villains. And the ensemble doesn't put a foot wrong.
Some of the technical wizardry is astonishing: the lighting creates the illusion of Elphaba flying high, the set design incorporates everything from the Emerald City to a huge dragon, and costumes range from flying monkeys to edgy Edwardian-inspired outfits.
Anyone with a taste for musical theatre will be spellbound.
July 14, 2008
YOU know you're not in Kansas any more when normally sane people arrive at the theatre smothered in sequins, or sporting capes and pointed hats with their faces painted green. So it was at the Melbourne gala opening of the massively successful Broadway musical Wicked.
The Australian production is well worth Ozifying yourself for. This dazzling entertainment more than justifies the hype and, thanks in large part to an outstanding cast, will doubtless compare favourably with its international counterparts.
Based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked takes L. Frank Baum's much-loved land of Oz and adds a subversive backstory. Its protagonists are the Witches of Oz: Elphaba (Amanda Harrison), a socially awkward and exceptionally green girl who grows up to be the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda (Lucy Durack), a shallow princess who turns into the Good Witch of the North.
The two girls meet at school and form an unlikely friendship. They become rivals in love, vying for the affections of the dashing but feckless Fiyero (Rob Mills), and there's a romantic subplot involving the munchkin Boq (Anthony Callea) and Elphaba's disabled sister, Nessarose (Penny McNamee).But all is not well in Oz. The citizens have been incited to fear and hatred of the talking animals, and Elphaba is determined to stand up to those responsible. When she discovers that the propaganda is coming from the Wizard of Oz (Rob Guest) and his sinister agent Madame Morrible (Maggie Kirkpatrick), she sets herself against their despotic regime at grave personal cost.
Wicked is a strange reinvention of a classic fantasy that involves a clever merging of two incongruous genres: teen chick flick and disturbing political satire. Oz aficionados will find almost every loose end tied: we discover why the Wicked Witch is green, where the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion come from, and even why Dorothy's house fell from the sky.
Critical reception of the musical has been mixed, though. Stephen Schwartz's music has everything from soaring power ballads to catchy comic songs, but it overuses motifs. Riffs from previous numbers are reprised in different emotional contexts — a device that becomes too predictable. And for all its talk about moral complexity and the need to live an examined life, Wicked does succumb to a schmaltzy fairytale ending.
These flaws aren't significant, however, when every aspect of theatre craft combines to create an immersive experience.
The casting is inspired, and director Lisa Leguillou has the actors working in perfect harmony. Harrison and Durack give commanding performances. They nail the vocals. Their movement, comic delivery and timing are almost faultless, and together they possess a fantastic stage chemistry.
The Australian Idol factor also comes to the party: Mills is an appealing presence as the young romantic lead, while Callea seems born to play a munchkin. Guest and Kirkpatrick are both old hands, making charismatic villains. And the ensemble doesn't put a foot wrong.
Some of the technical wizardry is astonishing: the lighting creates the illusion of Elphaba flying high, the set design incorporates everything from the Emerald City to a huge dragon, and costumes range from flying monkeys to edgy Edwardian-inspired outfits.
Anyone with a taste for musical theatre will be spellbound.
A Wickedly Fun Concoction - Sunday Telegraph Review
CLICK PIC TO OPEN ARTICLE IN NEW WINDOW
THEN CLICK TO ENLARGE
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REVIEW - Australian Stage Online
WICKED - THE MUSICAL
Written by Michael Finn
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Upon taking your seat in the Regent Theatre it is hard not to be overwhelmed by the size of the setting and huge dragon towering above the stage. Wicked is a theme park ride of a mega-musical that weaves us through an exhilarating and heart rending journey.
Wicked offers a new and ingenious back-story to the Wizard of Oz, answering questions and mysteries affecting the original narrative. But don’t scrutinize the parallelism of both stories too closely or flaws may start to show. Just sit back and delight in this girl’s own adventure about the relationship between the witches in the tale.
Right from the spectacular opening number, our complacency is rocked. What we know as the fight between Good and Wicked is too naïve. The explication of things not proving as they seem reoccurs throughout this fairy tale. But the writers don’t let this serious allegory get in the way of a timeless story of friendship tested by jealousy and insecurities.
Two young girls from very different backgrounds collide at the exclusive Shiz University over the benefits of privilege, and the lure of popularity over principles
Amanda Harrison is exquisite as the spirited and quick-tempered Elphaba. Soaring vocally, whether as a cry for acceptance or defiantly rejecting the way of the Wizard, Harrison excels in this role. She layers her performance with genuine warmth (shared with Dillamond) and a passionate intensity with Fiyero. Lucy Durack is a perky and self-absorbed Galinda, who is a feisty adversary cum best friend for Elphaba. Durack sparkles in Popular, insensitively eager to convert her roommate to the realms of the cool and accepted. Her flawless comic contributions relieve many tense scenes with impeccable timing.
The Ensemble are energetic and impressive in their supporting roles. Rob Guest charms as the showy Wizard of Oz, whose parental good nature hides his true motives. Maggie Kirkpatrick relishes her role as the quietly powerful Madame Morrible. Her dismissive manner thinly disguises her ambition and Kirkpatrick uses true venom to attack those in her path. Rob Mills is cheeky as the flunk out student Fiyero, who later reveals himself to be a responsible and righteous young man. Penny McNamee convinces as the tragically beautiful Nessarose, spoilt and needy witch. Anthony Callea is gentle and winsome as the Munchkin Boq, who finally takes a stand after being walked over by his fellow students. And Rodney Dobson gives a spirited and earnest performance as the victimised teacher Doctor Dillamond.
Wicked is a celebration of the creativity of composer Stephen Schwartz, librettist Winnie Holzman and novelist Gregory Maguire
Wicked is at times like a tornado, it whips you into a fast paced, surreal experience with tenacious music driving the danger and unpredictability. The closing of the first Act soars to dizzying heights, not only musically but also with an exhilarating sense of fear and anticipation
Schwartz’s score also thrills when Elphaba is distraught about trying to save her love in No Good Deed. He skillfully captures the euphoria of his characters in the passionate As Long As You’re Mine and The Wizard and I.
Winnie Holzman has written a very witty and imaginative book, no more fanciful than the original novel by L. Frank Baum. She draws characters that develop through the relationships and are influenced by their amazing journey.
The striking costumes by Susan Hilferty add much to create the fantastical imagery of the Oz. These dazzling designs are influenced by the illustrations of Dr Seuss and original "pictures" from The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by W. W. Denslow.
Within the remarkable settings, Eugene Lee has succeeded in creating fresh images that yet have a familarity with Oz.
The enchanting lighting design by Kenneth Posner bathes the stage with a magical glow and intensifies the actors fervent emotions. It is refreshing to hear sound designed and executed so well that vocals are clear and lyrics decipherable. Kellie Dickerson's excellent orchestra supports the actors, never overpowering them.
Musicals don’t get any more exhilarating or extraordinary than Wicked.
http://www.australianstage.com.au/reviews/melbourne/wicked---the-musical-1684.html
Written by Michael Finn
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Upon taking your seat in the Regent Theatre it is hard not to be overwhelmed by the size of the setting and huge dragon towering above the stage. Wicked is a theme park ride of a mega-musical that weaves us through an exhilarating and heart rending journey.
Wicked offers a new and ingenious back-story to the Wizard of Oz, answering questions and mysteries affecting the original narrative. But don’t scrutinize the parallelism of both stories too closely or flaws may start to show. Just sit back and delight in this girl’s own adventure about the relationship between the witches in the tale.
Right from the spectacular opening number, our complacency is rocked. What we know as the fight between Good and Wicked is too naïve. The explication of things not proving as they seem reoccurs throughout this fairy tale. But the writers don’t let this serious allegory get in the way of a timeless story of friendship tested by jealousy and insecurities.
Two young girls from very different backgrounds collide at the exclusive Shiz University over the benefits of privilege, and the lure of popularity over principles
Amanda Harrison is exquisite as the spirited and quick-tempered Elphaba. Soaring vocally, whether as a cry for acceptance or defiantly rejecting the way of the Wizard, Harrison excels in this role. She layers her performance with genuine warmth (shared with Dillamond) and a passionate intensity with Fiyero. Lucy Durack is a perky and self-absorbed Galinda, who is a feisty adversary cum best friend for Elphaba. Durack sparkles in Popular, insensitively eager to convert her roommate to the realms of the cool and accepted. Her flawless comic contributions relieve many tense scenes with impeccable timing.
The Ensemble are energetic and impressive in their supporting roles. Rob Guest charms as the showy Wizard of Oz, whose parental good nature hides his true motives. Maggie Kirkpatrick relishes her role as the quietly powerful Madame Morrible. Her dismissive manner thinly disguises her ambition and Kirkpatrick uses true venom to attack those in her path. Rob Mills is cheeky as the flunk out student Fiyero, who later reveals himself to be a responsible and righteous young man. Penny McNamee convinces as the tragically beautiful Nessarose, spoilt and needy witch. Anthony Callea is gentle and winsome as the Munchkin Boq, who finally takes a stand after being walked over by his fellow students. And Rodney Dobson gives a spirited and earnest performance as the victimised teacher Doctor Dillamond.
Wicked is a celebration of the creativity of composer Stephen Schwartz, librettist Winnie Holzman and novelist Gregory Maguire
Wicked is at times like a tornado, it whips you into a fast paced, surreal experience with tenacious music driving the danger and unpredictability. The closing of the first Act soars to dizzying heights, not only musically but also with an exhilarating sense of fear and anticipation
Schwartz’s score also thrills when Elphaba is distraught about trying to save her love in No Good Deed. He skillfully captures the euphoria of his characters in the passionate As Long As You’re Mine and The Wizard and I.
Winnie Holzman has written a very witty and imaginative book, no more fanciful than the original novel by L. Frank Baum. She draws characters that develop through the relationships and are influenced by their amazing journey.
The striking costumes by Susan Hilferty add much to create the fantastical imagery of the Oz. These dazzling designs are influenced by the illustrations of Dr Seuss and original "pictures" from The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by W. W. Denslow.
Within the remarkable settings, Eugene Lee has succeeded in creating fresh images that yet have a familarity with Oz.
The enchanting lighting design by Kenneth Posner bathes the stage with a magical glow and intensifies the actors fervent emotions. It is refreshing to hear sound designed and executed so well that vocals are clear and lyrics decipherable. Kellie Dickerson's excellent orchestra supports the actors, never overpowering them.
Musicals don’t get any more exhilarating or extraordinary than Wicked.
http://www.australianstage.com.au/reviews/melbourne/wicked---the-musical-1684.html
A Tale Of Two Witches
A TALE OF TWO WITCHES
5:00AM Thursday July 24, 2008
By Kerri Jackson
Contemplations on the nature of evil seems a rather weighty topic for one of the world's most successful musicals. Yet it's that which sits at the heart of Wicked, The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz, the Australian production of which opened in Melbourne this month to huge expectations that it will match the show's spectacular global success.
Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, turning fairytale tradition on its ear to condemn the habit of confusing beauty with goodness, and examine, if lightly, what makes someone wicked.
It begins with Glinda the not-yet-good and Elphaba the not-yet-wicked as school chums in the wizard's Oz. As they move toward the events that follow Dorothy's arrival, many Wizard of Oz mysteries are solved why the slippers are ruby, why the lion is cowardly and the tin man needs a heart.
It's a plot that demands much of the two leads, and here that falls to Amanda Harrison as Elphaba and Lucy Durack as Glinda. Both are outstanding - instilling powerful vocals with huge emotion, backed up by strong acting. Harrison is particularly good as Elphaba hits her hugely effective, dramatic pinnacle at the end of the first half. So much so it's hard not to feel the second half is lacking something in comparison.
Perhaps the biggest surprise comes from two former Australian Idolers Rob Mills, as male lead Fiyero, and Anthony Callea as a perfectly cast munchkin. Both hold their own with strong vocals - Callea particularly has a voice that seems perfect for musical theatre. They are ably backed up by former Kiwi TV star Rob Guest in a relatively small but important role as the paranoid, grasping Wizard.
Wicked is not perfect - it takes time to warm up and in parts gets a little repetitive - but it is fresh and therefore engaging.
The Melbourne season is to run indefinitely. Given the show's scale - it's not likely to make it here any time soon - this is the best chance for Kiwi fans to see it.
5:00AM Thursday July 24, 2008
By Kerri Jackson
Contemplations on the nature of evil seems a rather weighty topic for one of the world's most successful musicals. Yet it's that which sits at the heart of Wicked, The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz, the Australian production of which opened in Melbourne this month to huge expectations that it will match the show's spectacular global success.
Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, turning fairytale tradition on its ear to condemn the habit of confusing beauty with goodness, and examine, if lightly, what makes someone wicked.
It begins with Glinda the not-yet-good and Elphaba the not-yet-wicked as school chums in the wizard's Oz. As they move toward the events that follow Dorothy's arrival, many Wizard of Oz mysteries are solved why the slippers are ruby, why the lion is cowardly and the tin man needs a heart.
It's a plot that demands much of the two leads, and here that falls to Amanda Harrison as Elphaba and Lucy Durack as Glinda. Both are outstanding - instilling powerful vocals with huge emotion, backed up by strong acting. Harrison is particularly good as Elphaba hits her hugely effective, dramatic pinnacle at the end of the first half. So much so it's hard not to feel the second half is lacking something in comparison.
Perhaps the biggest surprise comes from two former Australian Idolers Rob Mills, as male lead Fiyero, and Anthony Callea as a perfectly cast munchkin. Both hold their own with strong vocals - Callea particularly has a voice that seems perfect for musical theatre. They are ably backed up by former Kiwi TV star Rob Guest in a relatively small but important role as the paranoid, grasping Wizard.
Wicked is not perfect - it takes time to warm up and in parts gets a little repetitive - but it is fresh and therefore engaging.
The Melbourne season is to run indefinitely. Given the show's scale - it's not likely to make it here any time soon - this is the best chance for Kiwi fans to see it.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wicked - review
WICKED
Reviewed by John Daly-Peoples
Friday July 18 2008
Wicked written by Stephen Schwartz &Winnie Holzman
based on the novel by Gregory Maguire from the original ideas of Frank Baum
Regent Theatre Melbourne
Premier performance July 12
Until some time in the future
You may have always been troubled by some of the great questions of the age which were thrown up by the film The Wizard of Oz, such as why the tin man didn’t have a heart, why the lion needed to get some courage and why the scarecrow needed to get a brain.These questions and a few other even more important ones are answered in the new musical Wicked which opened last week in Melbourne.
The story is set in the Land of Oz and covers a period of probably ten years before Dorothy arrived in her house killing the Witch of the East.We get to find out why there were two witches and why they were regarded as wicked. This is revisionist history however so your beliefs in the invented world of Frank Baum will be shattered a little.For instance when we left the Wizard of Oz last time he was a benign recluse who had to pretend to be an oppressive dictator. In Wicked he is a bit more of an ambivalent character, psychologically flawed, addicted to controlling.
While there is a great story line there are also interesting and convoluted love interests and well as social and political intrigue which can be interpreted as having contemporary relevance with oppression of indigenous minorities (Munchkins) and a lot of political obfuscation.
The two stars of the shows are Amanda Harrison singing the role of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba and Lucy Durack as Glinda (formerly known as the Good Witch of the North).But it is Amanda Harrison who stands out in a role which is full of subtlety and complexity.
Born of an illicit love affair she is stained green as though suffering because of her mother’s folly. She must redeem herself before she can be made free.The role has a bit of the Harry Potters about her when she first goes to University enrolling in the sorcery course but we realize she will use her powers for good.In her singing The Wizard and I she really articulated clearly and it allowed her to set out her vision with a tight emotional presentation.
Glinda, the goody two shoes of the film becomes is a self obsessed character with occasional bouts of being smart. But she can certainly sing with Lucy Durack giving her an effervescent personality and a rich soaring voice to match. She even manages a perceptive sensitivity in her Act I song Why Does Wickedness Happen.
The grammatically challenged Madame Morribile sung by Maggie Kirkpatrick gives an over the top performance with a thunderous, well crafted voice.
There are some genuinely witty passages notably in the history class conducted by Doctor Dillamond (Rodney Dobson) when one of the students complains saying “Why don't you teach us about history instead of going on about the past.”
It’s shortly after that scene we get some intimations about something socially and politically amiss in Oz with the clever Something Bad is Happening in Oz The Wizard is stylishly performed by Rob Guest with his They Called Me Wonderful, a song about moral ambiguities is a good old fashioned solo dance number which he carries off with panache.
Rob Mills as the lover boy Fiyero and Scarecrow puts on a well measured performance as does Anthony Callea as Boq and the Tin Man.The other witch, Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister is sung by Penny McNamee who brilliantly manages the change from nice to nasty.
The set designed by Eugene Lee is huge and has a machine / clockwork theme which probably alludes to notions of time and history as well as the machinations of the bureaucracy.The special effects are masterful and keep coming along with fabulous costumes and props. There is even a huge, occasionally smoke breathing dragon looming out over the audience.The flying monkeys are a brilliant touch and the chorus does a particularly vibrant account of the citizens of Oz dressed as though they have just come from the Ascot scene from My Fair Lady, only done in green Wicked follows in the wake of several block buster musicals in Australia and New Zealand but this one has a twist to it.
The producers envisage that it will be in Melbourne for at twelve to eighteen months and it will not be transferring to Sydney or Brisbane.The various Victorian local and state agencies are using the show to promote Melbourne as a tourist destination. Even the ANZ bank is getting a good run with the show labeling themselves “The Official Bank of Oz”.
The producers have already spent A$12.5 million and sold over A$10 million worth of seats. In line with their expectations 27 per cent of the ticket sales have been from outside the greater Melbourne area.The musical has been very successful wherever it has been performed and is currently being performed in eight centres world wide and has been seen by 13 million people world wide grossing more then $1 billion Wicked co-producer John Frost says that they have found they have created an extra market because it is viewed as 4 – 6 ticket shows with more than just couples buying seats as happens with shows like Phantom.
The Premier John Brumby is also enthusiastic saying that Wicked was part of the Victorian Government’s strategy to make visiting Melbourne in winter attractive to visitors. “These shows help draw a steady flow of interstate and international visitors during the quieter months, ensuring that the hotels are occupied but also providing visitors with new experiences.“Our domestic tourism rose by an impressive 5.5 per cent to 6.7 million visitors while tourism across the country only rose 1.7 per cent.”We even outperformed Sydney with domestic overnights visitors spending $135 million more in Melbourne.”
John Daly-Peoples traveled to Melbourne courtesy of Tourism Victoria, Qantas and Sofitel Melbourne.http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/wicked-33162
Reviewed by John Daly-Peoples
Friday July 18 2008
Wicked written by Stephen Schwartz &Winnie Holzman
based on the novel by Gregory Maguire from the original ideas of Frank Baum
Regent Theatre Melbourne
Premier performance July 12
Until some time in the future
You may have always been troubled by some of the great questions of the age which were thrown up by the film The Wizard of Oz, such as why the tin man didn’t have a heart, why the lion needed to get some courage and why the scarecrow needed to get a brain.These questions and a few other even more important ones are answered in the new musical Wicked which opened last week in Melbourne.
The story is set in the Land of Oz and covers a period of probably ten years before Dorothy arrived in her house killing the Witch of the East.We get to find out why there were two witches and why they were regarded as wicked. This is revisionist history however so your beliefs in the invented world of Frank Baum will be shattered a little.For instance when we left the Wizard of Oz last time he was a benign recluse who had to pretend to be an oppressive dictator. In Wicked he is a bit more of an ambivalent character, psychologically flawed, addicted to controlling.
While there is a great story line there are also interesting and convoluted love interests and well as social and political intrigue which can be interpreted as having contemporary relevance with oppression of indigenous minorities (Munchkins) and a lot of political obfuscation.
The two stars of the shows are Amanda Harrison singing the role of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba and Lucy Durack as Glinda (formerly known as the Good Witch of the North).But it is Amanda Harrison who stands out in a role which is full of subtlety and complexity.
Born of an illicit love affair she is stained green as though suffering because of her mother’s folly. She must redeem herself before she can be made free.The role has a bit of the Harry Potters about her when she first goes to University enrolling in the sorcery course but we realize she will use her powers for good.In her singing The Wizard and I she really articulated clearly and it allowed her to set out her vision with a tight emotional presentation.
Glinda, the goody two shoes of the film becomes is a self obsessed character with occasional bouts of being smart. But she can certainly sing with Lucy Durack giving her an effervescent personality and a rich soaring voice to match. She even manages a perceptive sensitivity in her Act I song Why Does Wickedness Happen.
The grammatically challenged Madame Morribile sung by Maggie Kirkpatrick gives an over the top performance with a thunderous, well crafted voice.
There are some genuinely witty passages notably in the history class conducted by Doctor Dillamond (Rodney Dobson) when one of the students complains saying “Why don't you teach us about history instead of going on about the past.”
It’s shortly after that scene we get some intimations about something socially and politically amiss in Oz with the clever Something Bad is Happening in Oz The Wizard is stylishly performed by Rob Guest with his They Called Me Wonderful, a song about moral ambiguities is a good old fashioned solo dance number which he carries off with panache.
Rob Mills as the lover boy Fiyero and Scarecrow puts on a well measured performance as does Anthony Callea as Boq and the Tin Man.The other witch, Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister is sung by Penny McNamee who brilliantly manages the change from nice to nasty.
The set designed by Eugene Lee is huge and has a machine / clockwork theme which probably alludes to notions of time and history as well as the machinations of the bureaucracy.The special effects are masterful and keep coming along with fabulous costumes and props. There is even a huge, occasionally smoke breathing dragon looming out over the audience.The flying monkeys are a brilliant touch and the chorus does a particularly vibrant account of the citizens of Oz dressed as though they have just come from the Ascot scene from My Fair Lady, only done in green Wicked follows in the wake of several block buster musicals in Australia and New Zealand but this one has a twist to it.
The producers envisage that it will be in Melbourne for at twelve to eighteen months and it will not be transferring to Sydney or Brisbane.The various Victorian local and state agencies are using the show to promote Melbourne as a tourist destination. Even the ANZ bank is getting a good run with the show labeling themselves “The Official Bank of Oz”.
The producers have already spent A$12.5 million and sold over A$10 million worth of seats. In line with their expectations 27 per cent of the ticket sales have been from outside the greater Melbourne area.The musical has been very successful wherever it has been performed and is currently being performed in eight centres world wide and has been seen by 13 million people world wide grossing more then $1 billion Wicked co-producer John Frost says that they have found they have created an extra market because it is viewed as 4 – 6 ticket shows with more than just couples buying seats as happens with shows like Phantom.
The Premier John Brumby is also enthusiastic saying that Wicked was part of the Victorian Government’s strategy to make visiting Melbourne in winter attractive to visitors. “These shows help draw a steady flow of interstate and international visitors during the quieter months, ensuring that the hotels are occupied but also providing visitors with new experiences.“Our domestic tourism rose by an impressive 5.5 per cent to 6.7 million visitors while tourism across the country only rose 1.7 per cent.”We even outperformed Sydney with domestic overnights visitors spending $135 million more in Melbourne.”
John Daly-Peoples traveled to Melbourne courtesy of Tourism Victoria, Qantas and Sofitel Melbourne.http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/wicked-33162
The Secret Life Of Oz - BLAZE magazine review
The Secret Life of Oz: Wicked
Written by Peter Burdon Thursday, 31 July 2008
Wicked is rightly called a phenomenon. It has no business working at all. The story is a travesty, should you perchance have read Gregory Maguire's delicious novel on which the musical is, er, based. Composer Stephen Schwartz’s lyrics are risible (“Like some terrible green lizard … defaming our poor wizard” is perhaps the most toe-curling). You could go on for hours.
But no. Wicked is a smash, three hours and ten minutes of escapist bliss, and lead me to the merchandise!
The Australian cast is superlative, with Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack as Elphaba and Glinda on a par with their illustrious US counterparts. The production is amazing, with more movement and colour (admittedly, with a bias towards green) than you can imagine. Far too much movement, actually. You’d be tempted to shout out “Stop!” if you weren’t so busy clapping.
So what is this marvel? Well, unless you’ve been living as a hermit, you’ll know that Wicked is a musical version of a ‘prequel’ to The Wizard of Oz that explains just how the Witch of the West became Wicked! An ugly duckling, Elphaba, teased mercilessly at school, forms an unlikely friendship with the vivacious Glinda. Alas, Elphaba turns to the dark side, and falls from grace.
Wicked is peppered with catchy songs, with Glinda’s 'Popular' and Elphaba’s show-stopping Act I curtain 'Defying Gravity' the best known, though that honour arguably belongs to their closing duet, 'For Good'. It’s a moot point whether you remember a note of any of the others, but you know you enjoyed them!
Apart from the stellar performances of Harrison and Durack, there is a very strong supporting cast of uniform excellence. Rob Guest hams it up as the Wizard, and Rob Mills positively surprises with the quality of his performance as the handsome Fiyero. Maggie Kirkpatrick channels the Freak as the mean and malicious Madame Morrible, while Anthony Callea exploits both voice and stature as the passionate Munchkin Boq.
As Wicked approaches its fifth anniversary on Broadway, the Australian production is just beginning, but heaven knows, it ought to last. Do yourself a favour and book a weekender in Melbourne. It’s worth every cent.
http://blaze.e-p.net.au/theatre/the-secret-life-of-oz-wicked.html
Written by Peter Burdon Thursday, 31 July 2008
Wicked is rightly called a phenomenon. It has no business working at all. The story is a travesty, should you perchance have read Gregory Maguire's delicious novel on which the musical is, er, based. Composer Stephen Schwartz’s lyrics are risible (“Like some terrible green lizard … defaming our poor wizard” is perhaps the most toe-curling). You could go on for hours.
But no. Wicked is a smash, three hours and ten minutes of escapist bliss, and lead me to the merchandise!
The Australian cast is superlative, with Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack as Elphaba and Glinda on a par with their illustrious US counterparts. The production is amazing, with more movement and colour (admittedly, with a bias towards green) than you can imagine. Far too much movement, actually. You’d be tempted to shout out “Stop!” if you weren’t so busy clapping.
So what is this marvel? Well, unless you’ve been living as a hermit, you’ll know that Wicked is a musical version of a ‘prequel’ to The Wizard of Oz that explains just how the Witch of the West became Wicked! An ugly duckling, Elphaba, teased mercilessly at school, forms an unlikely friendship with the vivacious Glinda. Alas, Elphaba turns to the dark side, and falls from grace.
Wicked is peppered with catchy songs, with Glinda’s 'Popular' and Elphaba’s show-stopping Act I curtain 'Defying Gravity' the best known, though that honour arguably belongs to their closing duet, 'For Good'. It’s a moot point whether you remember a note of any of the others, but you know you enjoyed them!
Apart from the stellar performances of Harrison and Durack, there is a very strong supporting cast of uniform excellence. Rob Guest hams it up as the Wizard, and Rob Mills positively surprises with the quality of his performance as the handsome Fiyero. Maggie Kirkpatrick channels the Freak as the mean and malicious Madame Morrible, while Anthony Callea exploits both voice and stature as the passionate Munchkin Boq.
As Wicked approaches its fifth anniversary on Broadway, the Australian production is just beginning, but heaven knows, it ought to last. Do yourself a favour and book a weekender in Melbourne. It’s worth every cent.
http://blaze.e-p.net.au/theatre/the-secret-life-of-oz-wicked.html
A WICKED SHOW - Tiger Airways Magazine Article
A Wicked Show
Who says things tend to go bad for former singing idol contestants? Sometimes they go Wicked. At least that’s the case for Rob Mills and Anthony Callea, former Australian Idol finalists now starring in the Australian production of the Broadway blockbuster, Wicked which starts its official run at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre 12 July.
Though Mills may boast the higher-profile role as Fiyero, the prince who falls in love with both Good Witch Glinda and future Wicked Witch of the West Elphaba, the diminutive Callea seems perfectly content playing Boq, the munchkin besotted with Glinda. “Finally, being vertically challenged has its benefits,” Callea says. “I look forward to becoming Australia’s favourite munchkin.”For tickets and more information, visit http://www.wickedthemusical.com.au/.
http://tigertales.sg/2008/07/01/buzz-8/
Who says things tend to go bad for former singing idol contestants? Sometimes they go Wicked. At least that’s the case for Rob Mills and Anthony Callea, former Australian Idol finalists now starring in the Australian production of the Broadway blockbuster, Wicked which starts its official run at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre 12 July.
Though Mills may boast the higher-profile role as Fiyero, the prince who falls in love with both Good Witch Glinda and future Wicked Witch of the West Elphaba, the diminutive Callea seems perfectly content playing Boq, the munchkin besotted with Glinda. “Finally, being vertically challenged has its benefits,” Callea says. “I look forward to becoming Australia’s favourite munchkin.”For tickets and more information, visit http://www.wickedthemusical.com.au/.
http://tigertales.sg/2008/07/01/buzz-8/
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