So glad you've come...

Welcome to Tigressland, my own personal little corner of the Internet where I hang out expressing my views about the smaller things in life. No controversy here (I'm saving that for the book lol) just the everyday minutiae that add up to my rather unpredictable, but always fun, life! So pull up a cushion and come chill.....and follow! We bloggers love it when you follow ;-) ~Tigress

Thursday 4 June 2015

It ain't easy being green

So what does one do when one witnesses a stage show, the likes of which (or should that be witch...) one has not seen before? A show so entertaining, enthralling, awe inspiring and quite simply.....magical that one would watch it again and again and again? A show that was irresistibly.... Wicked!?

Well, blog about it of course. Whaddya think I have this thing for?

It was an epic night I must say: a delicious dinner at Perth’s Atrium restaurant, a cocktail hither and yon, thoroughly entertaining theatre, all shared with the delightful company of my newly promoted fiancĂ© and the Gypsy Niece.

Aaah good times

But it was the theatre that thoroughly stole the night.

From the second Glinda the Good Witch appears on stage in her mechanical bubble you know you’re in for a treat. Through imaginative (and oft humorous) script and brilliant singing performances “Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz” tells the tale of Glinda and Elphaba, two, at first very reluctant, school chums who slowly learn to trust and embrace each other’s quirks and idiosyncrasies to form a strong, if unlikely, friendship.

Glinda is good; somewhat irritating, judgemental, self absorbed, hyperactive and shallow, but good nonetheless. Elphaba is also good...just...well...green.

As the plot unfolds, the audience learns the chain of events which lead to Elphaba taking up the role of ‘Wicked witch of the west” showing, of course, that no person is shaped in a vacuum and frequently things are not always as they seen. And more specifically, just because you’re green and a bit pissed off, doesn't mean you did what they say you did.

All the psyche contributors are there: parental inadequacy, cultural misunderstanding, the trials and tribulations of friendship....not to mention a spot of romantic rivalry to boot. No dramatic stone is left unturned as those watching are taken on a whirlwind trip through the ages, leading up to the moment of Elphaba’s apparent demise and the return of order to society.

It is delightfully well done. 

And overall the entire story unfolds seamlessly alongside the original 1939 Wizard of Oz narrative. Little nods here and there are cast toward plot points which almost all viewers will recognize: A house falling here, a tin man created there...and a lion cub that she really didn't mean to scare the crap out of, but basically, sometimes, shit just happens.

One also learns that animals once spoke and it was the government of Oz shutting this phenomenon down. So not only is the audience challenged to think about the value of diversity over assimilation, but the parallels drawn between the politics of Oz and our own media/government controlled culture were deliciously en pointe as well.

I know what some of you may be thinking: Could I possibly be over-‘adulting’ a delightful children’s tale?

Oh bugger off. If it’s one thing that the likes of The Simpsons, South Park and Family Guy have taught us, it’s that childlike stories are often the best way to affect cultural change. As many news shows fall further and further into the abyss of farcical infotainment (and often the ‘info’ part is debateable), lessons on morality must be inserted, in easily digestible lumps, within other genres.

And it’s not like these guys were particularly subtle about it. The wizard especially comes out with some delightful quotes that are particularly thought provoking:

The truth isn't a thing of fact, or reason. It's simply what everyone agrees on.”

“Where I come from, we believe all sorts of things that aren't true. We call it history.”

[after Elphaba discovers he's behind the anti-Animalism] “Where I'm from, the best way to bring people together... is to give them a really good enemy.”

That last one eh.

Well now.

But the redirecting of one’s moral compass aside, the show was good, damn good. And you could be forgiven for wanting to take up any of the performing arts after having seen it. But I doubt you’ll be able to compete with Suzie Mathers’ (Glinda) trilling and infectious energy or Jemma Rix’s (Elphaba)...well anything....not only was her voice fantastic but even her cheekbones (green or otherwise) were enough to make you feel desperately inadequate...but in the best possible way.

It is simply delightful, From fantastic sets to fabulous merchandise....what's not to love here.


A little collage a la Gypsy Niece :)

Do I even need to say that I would recommend this show? Really? I’ll even take it a step further for you and say, I’ll be extrememly impressed if anything I see from now beats it. Stay tuned though, coz I think the Kevman is now turning me into a Showaholic....

I shall attempt to show restraint though (pun completely intended), as we now have a wedding to save for. I must remain calm in the face of tempta........

Wait, what? “Cats” is coming to Perth?!?!?!?

And “Dirty Dancing”?????


*deep breaths*

Till next week!

~Tigress

No comments:

Post a Comment