Even before the show starts, it’s clear thatWickedis looking to dazzle. From the glittery map of The Land of Oz to the impressive dragon fixture at the top of the stage, this is a show all about spectacle. In the obvious sense, that spectacle manifests in set decoration, costumes, choreography, and effects, but it extends to the performances of its cast and their incredible vocal talents.Wicked The Musicalis a production on a level that meets or even exceeds the show’s long-running history and highlights why it was a perfect choice for a feature film adaptation.
At its core,Wickedis a story about friendship. It charts the interconnected paths of Elphaba (Lauren Samuels) and Glinda (Austen Danielle Bohmer), who start out as enemies at university before becoming close confidants and seemingly rivals. Before either is known as Wicked or Good, Elphaba and Glinda’s story is one that examines what it means to represent those labels, and whether they are aptly applied. Broadly, Wicked is a show that gives greater context toThe Wizard of Ozby answering questions you may or may not have had about its mysterious backdrop. Its adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s Wicked makes for an entertaining romp through a world that is familiar on the surface, but becomes more nuanced as the show goes on. Nothing is as it seems in The Land of Oz, andWicked’s story is as much about key revelations as anything else.
While it is fun to discover why Elphaba is green or how a girl who first introduces herself as Galinda eventually drops the “guh,” the pacing picks up a little too much in Act 2. As Dorothy enters the picture (albeit from the literal shadows), the narrative starts to barrel towards a conclusion without little time to breathe. There are major revelations made in Act 2 that would have been better served to dwell on, or at least consider. And almost unceremoniously, the show simply concludes. Where Act 1 has a show-stopping sequence that sends the audience into Intermission,Wicked’s second Act lacks the same punctuation at its conclusion. Nevertheless, taken as a whole,Wickedis endlessly entertaining and it’s incredibly fun to pick up all of the pieces of lore along the way.
Wicked is as much an engaging story as it is an assault on the senses. Visually, the show is second to none, featuring lighting effects that dazzle, costumes that are unique and beautiful, and choreography that will have your eyes darting across the stage. Most of all, the sets are tremendously intricate – they feel big and extend the stage into your imagination. There’s nothing wrong with the simplicity of asmall production likeHadestown, butWickedshows what big Broadway musicals are all about. There are two effects in particular that are breathtaking.
ButWicked’s spectacle wouldn’t be worth experiencing if not for its performances. The list of actors that have embodied the characters of Elphaba and Glinda is legendary, but Samuels and Bohmer more than meet that tall task. Both deliver incredible ballads that are as touching/heartbreaking as they are technically magnificent. There isn’t much more to say than these two performers put their all into their roles, singing their hearts out and regularly wowing the audience. Where Samuels is a little more soulful, Bohmer gets to be more comedic, but never is either one-note. There’s a tremendous amount of nuance in each role, echoing the duality of the production as a whole.
The rest of the Wicked cast is equally great, filling out their roles alongside its two stars. Because of how crucial Elphaba and Glinda are to the production, it’s hard to give anyone else a chance to think about anyone else but that feels by design. It’s how each secondary character plays off of Wicked’s central duo that gives them meaning, and every actor does well to help the leads shine.
And then there are the songs, which are as diverse and catchy as they come. By now, you’ve likely heard all of themajorWickedhits like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity,“but there is nothing like experiencing them live. The way the production lets the actors use the songs as an extension of their performances is crucial to making the story come alive, and when it’s time to hit the high notes, the cast is more than ready to meet the challenge.Wickedhas a diversity of melodies that fit the moments and lyrically, it carefully constructs tunes that echo the emotions of its actors while also pushing the narrative forward.
Wicked has everything that you could want out of a Broadway show of the highest level: an entertaining story, some of the catchiest songs around, big effects and sets, and two knockout performances from its leads. It doesn’t get much better (or bigger) than this. This is the show to see if you want to better understand how electrifying a live Broadway show can be.
Cast
Wickedis currently on tour and playing now at the San Diego Civic Theatre.
