I'm an irregular theatre goer at best, and neither show was on my list of must-sees (which normally only include Sting and any video game music concerts). To me, the Lion King was a good cartoon seen nigh a decade ago, paying a premium to watch a bunch of arty people in costumes reprising the songs of the Lion King sounded somewhat dubious. I put it down on the list mostly because one is always encouraged to try new things, especially things one does not think one will like.
And this other Wicked play, well, the premise of the story sounded interesting, but I didn't know the story or the songs - unlike Les Miserables, fer instance - so it would be paying a premium sight unseen for something that I might not even like...
Alas, I never got around to buying tickets for the Lion King, something I mildly regret now. Because today, equally spur of the moment after reading that list, I decided to treat myself and go watch Wicked before I ran out of chances (it closes end of March.)
I realize now that I greatly enjoy musicals. Especially ones with a clever plot, writing, songs and a spectacular cast - mostly Australians, not the original Broadway ones, but they were fantastic.
Wicked is a story set in the land of the Wizard of Oz, with a wonderful twist. What if the Wicked Witch of the West was the protagonist? It's an origin story, it's a story about labels and stereotypes and expectations and rewriting history to suit the victors (something that resonates especially for me this month), it had a dose of unexpected humor making it both tragic and comic...
...and I especially liked how cleverly the writers fleshed out and hinted at the three-dimensionality of all the characters with the brevity of a few songs. It would be easy to make Glinda the Good Witch a one-sided obnoxious antagonist to the Wicked Witch Elphaba recast in a new Harry Potter-esque geeky outcast light. But things only start out that way.
Elphaba's story, while fun to witness, is predictable in this new modern age. Born green, facing discrimination and unpopularity in the modern fairytale's equivalent of magic high school, standing up for the underdogs, she is a natural rebel against authority. Frustrated, disappointed, betrayed, it is no surprise when she finally hits a point of crisis and metamorphoses into the part of the Wicked Witch that events and history-rewriters were setting up for her.
There were some subplots that I did not predict, which added subtle nuances to the classic tragic story. A dash of romantic love, some foreshadowing of the lion, tin man and scarecrow of the Dorothy timeline, and the surprise of the tempestous relationship with Glinda - best enemies and best friends?
Glinda's story, on the other hand, was a true surprise. I had expected her to be cast as the villain, as the natural antagonist. There is an unspoken layer of subtext just below the outward appearances of popularity, success, glitz and glamour of obnoxious blond-ness that also has her just as equally tragic a hero as Elphaba.
The supporting characters and cast were great as well, fitting the story like a glove. Elphaba's sister in a wheelchair, two male love interests all metamorphosed into recognizable characters from the story.
The visuals were a treat, full of colour and spectacle and mechanical marvel. An animatronic Dragon and the Wizard of Oz mask/voice were very well done.
And the cast was rock solid tonight and on form. I feel especially fortunate that Jemma Rix and Suzie Mathers had such wonderful singing voices, and great acting chemistry together. Poor actors in a musical can give a play a very rote or awful quality. But them? Well, I can't wait to go see Wicked a second...or a third time.
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