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London Review
London ReviewWicked
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Madame: I’m sure you’re very bright
Glinda: She’s phosphorescent |
Company
(Photo: Tristram Kenton) |
Re-casting all except the part of the green witch Elphaba (Idina Menzel) with British or Australian actors means that the accents are different. Helen Dallimore, an Australian, plays Glinda as a stuck up, upper class, English public school girl who ends up sharing a room with the new green girl. Miriam Margolyes (Madame Morrible) has been put in a blonde wig and Danny La Rue (a British transvestite) make-up, so that she looks like she goes to the same beauty salon as The Muppets Miss Piggy. With this handicap, it is hard to see her comic acting. Nigel Planer seems rather too benign to be the evil Wizard but reveals a strong singing voice.
I have little to disagree with as to my editor Elyse Sommer’s review of the show on Broadway and I direct you to that review. It includes a picture of the two original witches, the song list, and a fascinating backgounder on Frank Baum.
I found Wicked visually very exciting, I loved the magical lighting, the opulent staging, the inventive costumes, which were a blend of Victoriana and fantasy with clever and frivolous hats in every shade of green. The set for the Emerald City will have other set designers green with envy.
The music was pleasant and tuneful but not memorable on first hearing. Of course many musicals need their songs to be heard more than once to become great music. But my main criticism is that although well enough acted, the characters did not elicit my sympathy or engage my emotions and that has to be attributed to the script writer and lyricist.
Idina Menzel as Elphaba is of course very, very good (you'll find a picture of her in the NY review linked above). She has a lovely singing voice and can act. Adam Garcia is very cute as Fiyero and well cast as the vain socialite who finds another way. Helen Dallimore too is bubbly as Glinda, she is all blonde curls and blonde intellect rather than the pale version of Elphaba. When Glinda dresses up Elphaba and puts a pink rose in her hair I was reminded of a painting by Vladimir Tretchikoff famous for his Green Chinese Women art popular in the 1950s.
I should imagine that Wicked will be critic proof.. On opening night there was a standing ovation and it was obvious that the audience were having a wonderful time. In Act Two, Glinda’s opening scene "Thank Goodness" is a parody of Evita’s great balcony scene, a witty touch. The question I was left asking was how Elphaba’s green makeup stayed on and didn’t leave a mark on the people she came into contact with, but of course her compassion does. The musical’s themes of animal rights, sisterhood and colour (green) discrimination sit together awkwardly. There were many in the audience quickly picking up on the show’s allusions to The Wizard of Oz. I hadn’t realised what a following the Judy Garland film still has. I wonder what would have happened if the Dorothy part had gone to the producers’ first choice, Shirley Temple?
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WICKED
Book by Winnie Holzman based on the novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz Directed by Joe Mantello Choreographed by Wayne Cilento. Starring: Idina Menzel, Helen Dallimore, Nigel Planer, Adam Garcia, Miriam Margolyes With: Kerry Ellis (Alternate Elphaba and who will take over the role of Elphaba from January 2007), Martin Ball, James Gillan, Kate Rowley Jones, Simon Aadkins, Paul Ayres, Elinor collett, Joseph Connor, Nadine Cox, Sarah Earnshaw, Jye Frasca, Maria Graciano, Nicky Griffiths, Simon Hardwick, Pippa Higgs, Melissa Hunte, Kady-Jo Jackson, Cassidy Janson, Caroline Keiff, Joshua Lacey, Andy Mace, Adam Murray, Dominic Shaw, Philippa Stefani, Craig Stein, Oliver Tompsett, Tim Walton, Kerry Washington. Scenic Design: Eugene Lee Costume Design: Susan Hilferty Lighting Design: Kenneth Posner Projections: Elaine J. McCarthy Sound Design: Tony Meola Musical Director: Stephen Oremus Musical Staging by Wayne Cilento Orchestrations: William David Brohn UK Music Supervisor: Gareth Valentine Running time: Two hours and fifty minutes with one interval Box Office: 020 7359 4404 Booking at the Apollo Victoria to 24th February 2007, later 2007 dates booking from 3rd December 2006 Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge based on 27th September 2006 performance at the Apollo Victoria,London SW1 (Rail/Tube: Victoria) |
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