Hello, people. Today I have decided that I will start a series of reviews that shall be called Let?s Review Something Different. In it, I will review things like Plays, Books, and other unconventional forms of media, or just things that don?t get reviewed much.
Today, I start with something many of you might not know too well: Musical Theatre. Most of us have seen a musical. Be it a Disney movie, a school play, or even just some sketch, we?ve all seen them. One of the most popular of these is The Wizard of Oz. In this 1939 film, we follow Dorothy as she goes through the Land of Oz, looking for a way home after being transported there through some kind of tornado. It?s an old story, one we have all seen and some of us have read in the original form, a book called The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. But, that is not what we are here to talk about today. Today, we are to talk about the musical play Wicked.
Now, I won?t talk much about the story, as I don?t want to give away spoilers, but just let me say that it is quite good, if a little hard to follow. You see, if you don?t realize that time is passing, it makes this all seem like it happens in a matter of days and hours, not years, so it can be quite jarring. That is one of the two complaints I have about the play, honestly. It is just a little hard to follow. As for the writing, it can be a little? self-explanatory. The characters will ask what something is, even when they obviously know what it is. It?s to be expected, but I noticed it once or twice here and there, and it drew me out of the whole thing.
A thing I will say about the story is just what it is: It is a retelling of the Wizard of Oz, and a time before, from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. It really does a good job with making the Witch, something that many of us have seen since birth as a villain, a hero. Well, not a hero, more a protagonist. I think that Glenda the Good (that other witch that appeared for about five seconds right before Dorothy left on the Yellow Brick Road) says at the beginning of the play really tell us how they do this: ?No one is born wicked.? That?s basically how they go about making us like this character. She?s a bit snarky, a bit rude to some people, and a bit of a prude, but she is still a good person, despite her green skin and evil future.
One major plus for the play is a very nice Clock-Punk/Steam-Punk/Art-Deco style, which leans itself well to the whole thing. It gives all of the scenery this very interesting look, which helps draw you in, and it especially works during a few scenes with levitating primates to make them look less like creations of magic, and more like sick experiments. Another thing about the look of the play is the clothing. Now, I know it is strange to say ?the wardrobe looked good?, but this really stands out. The clothes really help set the mood, with everyone wearing clothes from the turn-of-the-century, which is when the books and movie were actually placed. But enough of that, let?s get on to the main attraction: the music.
The music in this musical is, altogether, very good. It?s mostly softer or bubblier than one would expect at times, but it is still nice, and still lends itself well to what is going on. I especially liked the first song, ?No One Mourns the Wicked.? It sets the mood well and still sounds good, and when it is sung at the end it is still good. The big song number was probably ?Defying Gravity?, the song right before the end of Act I, and it is good, but I still say the first is better. The songs are still all good, and I would like to find the soundtrack, but I?m too lazy to do that.
Now, the next bit is the ending, so I?m going to put down spoilers for it is about the ending, the only real thing I have against the play:
But, anyway, except that, this is a great play, and I would suggest that you go see it if you can. I would especially say you go see it if you live in Chicago, Illinois, as that?s where the very good Jackie Burns is as the Wicked Witch.
So, in the end, go see this, and, maybe next time, let?s review something different.
Today, I start with something many of you might not know too well: Musical Theatre. Most of us have seen a musical. Be it a Disney movie, a school play, or even just some sketch, we?ve all seen them. One of the most popular of these is The Wizard of Oz. In this 1939 film, we follow Dorothy as she goes through the Land of Oz, looking for a way home after being transported there through some kind of tornado. It?s an old story, one we have all seen and some of us have read in the original form, a book called The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. But, that is not what we are here to talk about today. Today, we are to talk about the musical play Wicked.
Now, I won?t talk much about the story, as I don?t want to give away spoilers, but just let me say that it is quite good, if a little hard to follow. You see, if you don?t realize that time is passing, it makes this all seem like it happens in a matter of days and hours, not years, so it can be quite jarring. That is one of the two complaints I have about the play, honestly. It is just a little hard to follow. As for the writing, it can be a little? self-explanatory. The characters will ask what something is, even when they obviously know what it is. It?s to be expected, but I noticed it once or twice here and there, and it drew me out of the whole thing.
A thing I will say about the story is just what it is: It is a retelling of the Wizard of Oz, and a time before, from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. It really does a good job with making the Witch, something that many of us have seen since birth as a villain, a hero. Well, not a hero, more a protagonist. I think that Glenda the Good (that other witch that appeared for about five seconds right before Dorothy left on the Yellow Brick Road) says at the beginning of the play really tell us how they do this: ?No one is born wicked.? That?s basically how they go about making us like this character. She?s a bit snarky, a bit rude to some people, and a bit of a prude, but she is still a good person, despite her green skin and evil future.
One major plus for the play is a very nice Clock-Punk/Steam-Punk/Art-Deco style, which leans itself well to the whole thing. It gives all of the scenery this very interesting look, which helps draw you in, and it especially works during a few scenes with levitating primates to make them look less like creations of magic, and more like sick experiments. Another thing about the look of the play is the clothing. Now, I know it is strange to say ?the wardrobe looked good?, but this really stands out. The clothes really help set the mood, with everyone wearing clothes from the turn-of-the-century, which is when the books and movie were actually placed. But enough of that, let?s get on to the main attraction: the music.
The music in this musical is, altogether, very good. It?s mostly softer or bubblier than one would expect at times, but it is still nice, and still lends itself well to what is going on. I especially liked the first song, ?No One Mourns the Wicked.? It sets the mood well and still sounds good, and when it is sung at the end it is still good. The big song number was probably ?Defying Gravity?, the song right before the end of Act I, and it is good, but I still say the first is better. The songs are still all good, and I would like to find the soundtrack, but I?m too lazy to do that.
Now, the next bit is the ending, so I?m going to put down spoilers for it is about the ending, the only real thing I have against the play:
Now, I do have one major complaint about the play: the ending. We all know the ending of the Wicked Witch. Dorothy douses her and boom, ding dong the Witch is dead. Well? they change it. She slips in through a trap door right after being doused, as water doesn?t actually kill her (as hinted at for when she stood in the rain in an earlier scene.) I know that this is basically Fanfiction on stage, but? it still just messes with me that, while they could have had an ending that ends with the bad guys (who are mostly the good guys in The Wizard of Oz and masterfully turned into bad guys here) win, with Glenda having more-or less taken over as the Wicked Witch. I guess it does kind of go with the fact that, as said in several other of the Oz books, you can?t die in the Land of Oz, it still doesn?t make sense, as the Wicked Witch of the East dies via Dorothy?s house to the face. But, hey, whatever, fanfiction, who cares? Hell, it even pares up two people (the Strawman and the Wicked Witch) that were never even hinted of being together in the actual product.
But, anyway, except that, this is a great play, and I would suggest that you go see it if you can. I would especially say you go see it if you live in Chicago, Illinois, as that?s where the very good Jackie Burns is as the Wicked Witch.
So, in the end, go see this, and, maybe next time, let?s review something different.
