Wicked in the T.dot
Tuesday night mom, my brother's girlfriend, and I headed into the big city to see Wicked. It was gf's first-time, having been converted by Glee (I know, I know). Mom and I went the last time the tour passed through our parts four years ago. It was an enjoyable evening not ruined by the horrible and loud man sitting behind us.
To be fair, the man did actually shut up during the show so he's not among the worst theatre audience members I've experienced (see the asian tourists who sat behind me at Miz. One of them spent the entire first act and part of the second (I'm guessing) translating what was happening for the others), but he was still pretty terrible. Once we were seated, I opened the programme and noticed that we had an understudy for the role of Elphaba. Well, when the man behind us saw he began complaining loudly: "Oh no, we've got the understudy. I hate it when they do this?" he moaned. Yes, because Jackie Burns decided to get sick JUST to screw you over. He then proceeded to bet with his young daughter(s) and friend(s) about whether or not she would be any good! Instead of reassuring the kids that she would probably be fine he bet that she would be bad, and not in a jokey way either. This prompted me to mention that the understudy Valjean I saw, Jonathan Williams, had been fantastic. Likewise, the people down the row from us began discussing how they had seen an understudy in We Will Rock You and she had been great. Apparently the man didn't understand that an understudy isn't someone they bring in off the street to perform that night.
The man continued to be obnoxious by pointing out to the girls the "bat" over the stage. It's a dragon. Thankfully he shut up when the show began and the understudy's performance of Defying Gravity seemed to shut him up.
As for the show itself, I did enjoy it more the first time around but it's hard to tell how much of that was the lack of expectations I had and how I hadn't expected it to be funny and how much of that was the performers.
G(a)linda was played by Chandra Lee Schwartz. She's a very "legally blonde" Glinda, more so than even others I've seen in the role and to a large extent it works - she had the humour down and added some great touches like worshipping the shoe closet in "Popular" - but I didn't feel like her G(a)linda grew over the course of the show. She's also not the strongest vocally that I've heard sing the role although she was capable enough. I did like her "For Good", when she was getting quite emotional and there was a connection between her witch and Elphaba. I would have liked to see her G(a)linda grow more over the second act and gain some compassion and intelligence, but I thought she did well.
Elphaba was played by Jackie Burns' understudy, Carla Stickler, who did a great job. Her Elphaba was at times very soft, mostly while speaking though and not during her songs, and Elphie was a more hopeful and enthusiastic character than angrier interpretations. She clearly has the powerful, but controlled, voice necessary for the role though and her "Defying Gravity" was wonderful! As my less than tactful girl friend commented when we got up at intermission, "I just had an orgasm". I went for the less dramatic and more cliched expression "It gave me chills." Mom and I's only complaint was that she had a bad habit of pushing her glasses back up her nose. I think this was either a nervous habit or, more likely, unfamiliarity with wearing glasses. I wear mine occasionally, for distance, and because I'm not a habitual glasses wearer I find myself fidgeting with the fit. I suspect that was what happened in Carla's case since it happened too frequently and in places where the character shouldn't be nervous, to be an acting choice on her part. I have to add that she did sing one of the best "No Good Deed" s I've ever heard with the right amount of riffing without losing the tune.
As for the rest of the cast, Fiyero was charming enough for the role, The Wizard did affably evil well, and Madam Morrible played her part effectively.
So overall it was a fun night out and a great show... despite having the dreaded understudy. ;)