Wicked is entertaining, fun and surprisingly humorous. Telling the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy flew into Oz, Wicked asks the question ‘are we born wicked?’ Complete with flying monkeys, a huge dragon, and many a munchkin, Wicked tells of how Elphaba, a green, unpopular, yet compassionate school girl becomes the hated and hunted Wicked Witch. Elphaba and Glinda (or should I say ‘G-Linda), two best friends, torn apart by love, and the Wizard’s lust for power, develop into the characters we all know and love from The Wizard of Oz.
Elphaba is played by the very talented Amanda Harrison, painted in green with long dark hair. Right from the start she is a sorry sight, but strangely beautiful. Her strong character makes one forget about her outward appearance, particularly as Glinda attempts to make her popular. Amanda Harrison has a long list of Australian theatrical credits including Sunset Boulevard alongside Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables and The Boy From Oz. A Helpmann Award winner, Harrison has been a hit in London’s West End, in Mamma Mia! and We Will Rock You, touring with We Will Rock You to Australia in 2003. Fresh off the stage from Miss Saigon, Harrison is a theatre force to be reckoned with.
Glinda the Good is played by the beautiful Lucy Durack. A graduate of WAPAA, Lucy too has a long and impressive list of theatre and screen credits including Channel 7’s All Saints. Durack has performed in 42nd Street, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Kiss Me Kate, Oklahoma! And Mamma Mia! to name a few, and is as sweet as she is cunning, playing the role of Glinda with a perfect balance of sugar and spice.
Both Harrison and Durack have incredible voices and can harmonise together beautifully. I have not yet seen the US version of Wicked, but I have heard the music from the US tour and have to say that both Harrison and Durack seem to surpass their US counterparts with the quality of their voices. They are just stunning.
The cast is filled with big names such as Anthony Callea, Rob Mills, and Rob Guest as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After seeing Rob Guest perform with such brilliance it is sad to hear of his unexpected passing. Wicked Australia will sadly miss the experience he brought to the stage and to the character of The Wizard. Guest was an amazing theatre talent.
Behind the Scenes of Wicked - take a sneak peak!
Video from You Tube
Amanda Harrison as Elphaba and Lucy Durack as Glinda.
Photo: Jeff Busby
Amanda Harrison as Elphaba and Rob Guest as The Wizard.
Photo: Jeff Busby
The dance numbers are well choreographed and executed, combining musical theatre with swing dancing, acrobatics and even a splash of pointe. I enjoyed watching the dancers, most of which had incredibly long lines and beautiful artistry. For a dancer, Wicked is a fantastic musical to see, as it contains many dancing scenes that are choreographed and executed with excellence.
The story is clever and the lines creative and fun. Where there is no musical score or dancing the audience is entertained by clever lines and a very unique vocabulary. Wicked seems to have its own dictionary! It is very entertaining.
The musical score is fantastic. I couldn’t help but tap my feet and bop along. I even felt the urge to dance at times! Like all good musicals, the music stands strong on its own.
Wicked has already won a Grammy and two Tony Awards and is sure to be a huge hit in Australia. To go back to the vocabulary of my youth, Wicked definitely is Wicked!
