Wicked
Presented by: Gordon Frost / Universal Pictures
Venue: Regent Theatre, Melbourne
Reviewer: Simon Parris
Date Reviewed: 12th July 2008
 

Wicked has arrived in Melbourne! The fantastic news is that the producers have fully recreated the lavish spectacle of the Broadway production. The loving care, considerable thought and meticulous effort that have gone into casting, sets, costumes, direction and choreography are abundantly clear.

Wicked is that rare piece of musical theatre where all aspects of the art form coalesce to create a masterpiece and each aspect is equally integral to the success. Score, lyrics, book, sets, costumes, direction, choreography and lighting are all from professionals at the top of their craft. Any one of these aspects from this show could probably hold up a lesser production on their own, but combined they create an unforgettable theatrical experience.

No gimmicky chandeliers, barricades or helicopters here, the stunning set by Eugene Lee frames the action and allows the scenes to flow seamlessly. Lighting by Kenneth Posner includes several spectacular uses of a multitude of fairy lights. Lighting is also integral when Elphaba ‘defies gravity’ at the end of act one, and the effect appears to have been improved here from the Broadway and London productions. The eye-popping costumes by Tony winner Susan Hilferty are worth the price of admission alone, but again they are not there just for spectacle. Characters are clearly defined by their outfits, and the progressive changes are a vital part of the story. The deliberately absurd lines of the ensemble costumes clearly place the action in an alternate universe.
Anthony Callea, Rob Mills, Lucy Durack

The physical artistry on display would be enough to recommend Wicked, but what makes it truly outstanding is the depth and quality of its score and book. Stephen Schwartz has written a ravishing score, already one of the most popular in decades. Soaring ballads, comic patter and musical scenes combine to illustrate the heart of the characters and propel the action. ‘The Wizard and I’ is an example of the skill that has gone into writing the lyrics. On the surface it’s an ‘I Want’ song, where Elphaba shares her hopes and dreams, but there is a sinister subtext. She sings of her vision of a celebration throughout Oz that’s all because of her – we have already seen that celebration in the opening moments of the show: it’s a celebration of her death. She dreams that the Wizard will de-greenify her, but having seen the movie of The Wizard of Oz, we know that the Wizard is a sham and it will never happen.

The book by Winnie Holzman takes what is essentially a beautiful tale of friendship and miraculously combines it with a mythology as dense as that in the Harry Potter series, a series of surprising twists and turns, social commentary on racism and on the abuse of power, the pain and passion of adolescence and some hilarious, sly references to The Wizard of Oz. Ms Holzman previously demonstrated her innate understanding of the teenaged girl’s mind in the short lived but beloved television series My So-Called Life, starring Clare Danes and Jared Leto.

The sequence which best illustrates the collaborative brilliance at work here is ‘Dancing Through Life’. Every character (except the yet-to-be-seen Wizard) takes part in a thrilling number, which integrates a gorgeous melody, underscored dialogue, set changes, costume changes, props and choreography to drive the story forward at a breakneck pace. With the arrival of Fiyero, the love triangle involving Glinda and Elphaba is established. The strained relationship between Boq and Nessarose is introduced. Under the influence of her friends, Glinda meanly gives Elphaba a (very recognisable) black pointed hat. Glinda then feels guilty when Madame Morrible gives her a wand from a grateful Elphaba and allows her to join the sorcery class.                                                           Amanda Harrison & Lucy Durack                         Elphaba arrives at the dance in her new hat and is a laughing stock until the influential Glinda steps up to join her on the dance floor, allowing the others to join in with Elphaba’s distinctive dance moves. Phew! A play would take all night to present the action that unfolds in that one sequence.

Amanda Harrison is a triumphant success as Elphaba, her brilliant performance practically eclipsing the physical spectacle of the show. Almost never off stage, Ms Harrison’s energy, commitment and focus are unwavering. She sells every lyric with impeccable clarity and her voice soars in the big ballads. Another feature of her singing is the noticeable change in tone she uses as Elphaba grows from a girl to a young woman.

With her gorgeous blonde beauty and lovely soprano voice, Lucy Durack was born to play Glinda. With much of the focus in the show on Elphaba’s journey, Glinda nonetheless grows from a self-centred, vain, spoilt girl to a still somewhat selfish leader who is torn between her own interests and her underlying empathy with her best friend Elphaba. Ms Durack adds many comic touches to the role and she is a pleasure to watch on stage. She matches Ms Harrison in energy and the pair complement each other beautifully.

Maggie Kirkpatrick is a statuesque Madame Morrible, looking fabulous in the costumes and wigs. She gives a very strong performance, revelling in Morrible’s malevolence, and her diction is particularly crisp. Rob Guest makes a welcome return to the Melbourne stage. Well cast as the Wizard, Mr Guest is affable and charming in the role. Cracking on a couple of notes may have been due to opening night nerves.

Anthony Callea demonstrates his beautiful singing voice, although there is so little singing for him to do in the thankless role of Boq. Looking suitably cute in the Munchkin costumes, his acting unfortunately drew some of the wrong sort of laughs on opening night. Rob Mills generally sings and acts well in the crowd-pleasing role of Fiyero. His somewhat stilted movement will hopefully improve as the season progresses. Penny McNamee is a suitably tragic and brittle Nessarose.
Rob Mills & Amanda Harrison

Overall this is simply the must see event of the year. It has been well worth the wait for our own production of Wicked. Do whatever you have to do to secure a ticket!

Simon has appeared in more than 30 productions over the past twenty years. Recent roles include Eugene Fodor in Crazy for You (Whitehorse) and Mr Fox in Mack and Mabel (CLOC). Other favourite roles include Max in The Sound of Music, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Julio in Paint Your Wagon, Marcellus in The Music Man and Grantaire in Les Miserables. In 2005, Simon was nominated for a Guild Award in the category Best Cameo Performance for his role as the Judge in Hello, Dolly! (Whitehorse). He is also a keen audience member, having seen over 50 shows in five weeks on a recent trip to New York and London.

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