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.
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Monday, September 8, 2008
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
A Wickedly Fun Concoction - Sunday Telegraph Review
CLICK PIC TO OPEN ARTICLE IN NEW WINDOW
THEN CLICK TO ENLARGE
THEN CLICK TO ENLARGE
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
Thursday, September 4, 2008
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
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