Review: Wicked by touring company
by Thaïs Hinton
Everyone knows how Dorothy Gale came to Oz and killed the Wicked Witch of the West. Judy Garland and pals in the 1939 film by MGM dwell deep in American cultural consciousness, none of them more so than Margaret Hamilton as the vengeful Wicked Witch of the West.
In the Oz depicted by the touring company of Wicked currently at UT's Bass Concert Hall we get to hear another side of the story, adapted from the novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire. The script, lyrics, and score by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman are clever. I have read the novel, and I liked the show. Their extreme care with their source material shows through.
Wicked runs through February 12 and appeared to be playing to a nearly complete house on the first Thursday evening. At the opening a beautiful map of Oz covers the stage and the stage action begins as the Munchkins are celebrating the death of the Witch. Glinda the Good enters via bubble, mechanically suspended from the flies. The bubble floats all the way down and Glinda steps off as with words she takes the audience back in time to earlier years. The Good Witch explains that she knew Elphaba, the bright green deceased, from their college days.
I thought that actress Tiffany Haas was safely strapped in to that bubble, so I was shocked when she stepped off, apparently unsecured. Even though I was ardently suspending my disbelief, I was genuinely afraid for Haas, who of course made it look just like magic. The special effects were expertly done by Chic Silber.
No one-trick pony, that bubble reappears later in the show.
The set features giant clockworks, complete with red-eyed dragon and all the grandeur due to the Wizard. Eugene Lee designed the settings, which were eerily and expertly lit by Kenneth Posner. The production moves smoothly during set changes, thanks to the fine ensemble cast who keep the audence's eyes moving with action situated away from the crew behind the curtains. The dance numbers do what good choreography is supposed to do: they make a seamless meld of lyrics, music and the emotional tone of the scene. Hats off to James Lynn Abbott for the dance arrangements.
The show travels lightly, bringing in three keyboards, guitars and drums. Nine local musicians round out their numbers. At some points during the show the music overshadowed the singing a bit. Perhaps this was due to a technical difficulty with the body mikes, because the situation improved during the second act. It’s not as if an orchestra can play in a whisper. And the singers belted, crooned, and dueted their way into the hearts of the audience, technical problems notwithstanding. The score is so compelling; I wish I had been able to hear every single word.
Elphaba was admirably portrayed by Anne Brummel, starring opposite Tiffany Haas as Glinda. Haas plays Glinda as one of those creepy popular kids, the shallow, pretty type. Brummel’s Elphapa is very physically controlled, with awkward body language when the script calls for it but otherwise right on her marks. If you're the sentimental type, don’t forget your tissues, because Brummel as Elphaba will make you tear up a few times during the show. For example, Glinda meanly gives a black hat to her schoolmate Elphaba, expecting to make her a laughingstock. Elphaba shows up at the dance, obviously not ever having danced before. Glinda realizes and regrets her mistake. To cover for it she dances like Elphaba, and pretty soon the whole class is joining in, moving their arms just as awkwardly. On Glinda it looks good, of course.
The ensemble is strong and two other notable performances caught the eye. The most memorable number for me was the Wizard's “A Sentimental Man.” That’s all due to the fine efforts of Don Amendolia as the Wizard. David Nathan Perlow does an excellent turn as the love interest, and he never misses an opportunity to use physical business to establish the character.
Wicked is a sympathetic tale of an underdog (after all, as Kermit sang, "It's not easy being green!"), diversity and profiling -- an examination of what it means to be good inside if you happen to look bad on the outside. Glinda and Elphaba both struggle with the inner self versus the outer self throughout the show.
Everyone struggles to belong. Because she was born green, Elphaba never fits in any group…until she reaches Emerald City! She tries to do well, but her actions get twisted by circumstance and a very good spin doctor. Wicked rouses our sympathies for her and depicts a struggle that shouldn't be missed.
Review by Ryan E. Johnson at examiner.com, January 27
Review by Cate Blouke for the Statesman's Austin360.com Seeing Things blog, January 31
Short review by Gabino Iglesias at www.austinpost.com, January 30
Wicked
by Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman, Gregory Maguire
touring company
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