Posts Tagged "Wicked"
I’m not dead yet!
An awesome perk of living near a major metropolitan city is being able to enjoy the touring Broadway shows.
This month’s selection: Monty Python’s Spamalot! Oh yeah buddy! And let me tell you, you should see this. Really. It’s funny throughout. Especially the taunting Frenchmen.
The stage show was really great and it was awesome seeing J. Peterman [or you know, John O’Hurley] prance around on an invisible horse as King Arthur. I also loved all of the witty irreverent banter of the play, especially when they broke the fourth wall and pulled in the orchestra leader in on a few jokes. There was even a little audience participation [I so wish I was the lucky one...the guy also got a picture taken with the cast. So lucky!!!].
I met Tami there and we both had a fantastic time. It’s been a little bit since I last saw the movie [a few years back after forcing Lindsey to watch it…who only enjoyed the killer rabbit part] and I know it’s been years since Tam last saw the movie. We left singing “Always look on the bright side of life” [even though that was from “Life of Brian” and not Holy Grail].
It was amusing to see how some people dressed for the show. I guess because it’s a Broadway play they feel the need to dress up, but come on, it’s Spamalot. Not Les Misérables. I saw a few women that looked like they were going to hit a club after the show. Though I did see one guy dressed up as Tim the Enchanter. Bonus points for that guy.
I’m eagerly looking forward to the lineup announcement for next season. I really hope Legally Blonde comes back because I’d so love to see that. What else is playing on Broadway?
But I will say that I feel fortunate enough to have been able to catch these shows, especially Wicked.
Now that my Broadway season is over I’m really looking forward to checking out the King Tut exhibit that’s coming to town. Yes you did hear my inner Egyptologist squeal with delight. Tam plans on taking the kids to check it out and invited me to join them. I can’t wait!
Read MoreI wish I could travel by bubble…
I finally had the opportunity to see Wicked on Tuesday night and, my word, was it worth more than the price of admission. Does anyone else want to go and need someone to go with them? Because I can totally make myself available if needed.
After years, months and then weeks of waiting, I finally got to experience the show. Mind you, I came in having read the book so I was kind of prepared for the play not following along with what I already knew and while I was still a little picky about certain plot twists, I see how it made for a more interesting plot…considering how many characters are in the actual book and that it did sag in a few places, that was the only way to condense the show down.
But the costumes, especially Glinda’s gowns, were beautiful [I actually kind of want her gown – even with all the sparkles] and I totally did sing along to the two songs I know [Popular and Defying Gravity]. I think I might have to get that soundtrack while I’m at it.
And Patty Duke was great as Madame Morrible. And I’m so glad that Tami was also excited about seeing her perform. It was her first performance for this stretch and I think she did a pretty good job. It was exciting watching her act though; I remember watching the Patty Duke show when I was younger.
The show is filled with so many great one-liners, some of which are throwaway lines but man, they worked. While Tami liked the second act, where the story pushes forward with a ton more action, I really enjoyed the background building first act, especially the ending musical number that made my heart race and was overwhelming in that most welcomed of ways. All I could say was, “Wow.”
The play [like the book] really makes you challenge your allegiances in the film. You will feel so bad for Elphaba, the [not quite so] Wicked Witch of the West. She tries. So hard. And who knew, after all this time, that I was mispronouncing Elphaba’s name?
Though what stood out to me [besides how I was disappointed in the casting of Fiyero – though that’s just because of what I pictured from the book] was just how gleefully self-absorbed and bubbly Glinda [the “Gah” is silent] is. Her characterization from the book is good but to actually see it made it even better. I didn’t even picture her being as ditzy. The comic timing was spot on and I loved how she pretty much just flittered around the stage. She got plenty of big laughs. She means well but you know she’s a couple crayons short of a full box and is completely oblivious to that fact. And then you see moments of real humanity and vulnerability and it’s endearing. She was my favorite character in the show.
Here’s a little snippet of what I’m talking about, along with my favorite song.
All in all, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the ending. It’s definitely different than the book and it is a nice way to end the play, considering how they had already set things up but there was still something that was a bit unsettling about it for me. I can’t really say without spoiling it for everyone involved.
That said, we both thoroughly enjoyed the show and like I said earlier, I’m totally up for seeing it again. So, who’s going and may I tag along?
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