The Ongoing Wicked Discussion Thread

[shady23]

Where I was sat (right side of stalls) the audience behaviour was fine. Yes there was loud cheering but not at any inappropriate moments. Just at character entrances at at the end of the songs.

I think anyone new to the show who was sat there would have just thought it was a very invested, appreciative audience.

I realise this may not have been the case in other areas of the theatre but that was my experience last night.

[WireHangers]

Sept 15, 2021 23:20:38 GMT inthenose said:

For me, there is just no personality to it any more. Looking back at the original West End cast, the characters were cast with quirky and interesting choices. Oodles of charisma. Idina was full of life, Helen Dallimore had that squeaky voice gimmick. Adam Garcia was wonderful as Fiyero. It even had Miriam Margolyes shouting her way through the evening. It was just full of character and nuance. The cast had easily identifiable character traits which made them interesting and relatable. It had a soul.

I think what I'm getting at is over the years it has become more and more identikit in nature. The jokes don't land because they are being delivered by your standard, identically trained, identical looking actors.

As with all these long runners, the show is a machine and the cast are just small cogs. Cast member leaves, there's an identical one giving the exact same performance beat for beat, with no process of character discovery whatsoever. "Stand here, walk here four paces to this mark. Deliver this line with this expression on your face. Pause two beats".

Last time I went it just all felt so safe and utterly lacking in the eccentricities and personality needed to bring the world to life.
Without resorting to stunt casting, it needs some star power. Some character. Some energy.

Doubt I'll ever see the show again and reports from two separate friends who went tonight were extremely negative.

I have to say, there’s always been something off about WICKED and I’ve never been able to put my finger on it. Whenever I see a professional production of the show I never quite enjoy it as much as I thought I would and I’ve never understood why but you’ve hit the nail on the head. The premise of the show promises a spectacular evening of theatre but the actors are always rather bland.

I’ve seen the show three times. Once in London, once in Sydney and the amateur premier in Melbourne - the very best production I saw was the amateur production. It was produced by CLOC at the National Theatre in London and while the direction was basically a carbon copy of the original production the characters were completely reimagined. The woman playing Glinda, I can’t remember her name, was my favourite Glinda out of all three I’d seen!

[robertb213]

More footage on Sophie's Instagram. Looks like it was mic trouble that caused the opening line to be missed.

[Being Alive]

Just don't know what you were all expecting I guess - am normally one of the first to complain about bad audiences but I thought it warranted it last night.

Certainly didn't feel like people were going 'hey look at me I'm the biggest fan' 🤷🏻‍♂️

Hey ho.

[Deleted]

Sept 16, 2021 11:41:31 GMT Being Alive said:

Certainly didn't feel like people were going 'hey look at me I'm the biggest fan'

I think it's because that's the impression I did get - there was so much obvious loud laughter (the attention seeking kind, not just someone with a loud laugh) and it seemed to be a fight for who could start the standing ovations first or scream the loudest.

It felt different to the 10th anniversary or Rachel Tucker's last, for example - those nights there were maybe a few fans who took it too far, but they were a very small minority. Last night it felt like there were hundreds of them, and I was left with the impression that social media suggests, which is that they were deliberately trying to out-do Broadway and the screaming was all deliberately, rather than just enjoying the show and cheering when it was merited.

[richey]

Having watched the Theatrecafe clip, the audience behaviour does seem OTT. There are ways of showing appreciation but that seems extreme. Comparing to being at Joseph for Linzi's first show after 30 years, the audience there gave massive applause for her entrance but were then controlled. The reaction when Glinda appears could be justified but when it gets to the point that you can't hear what's happening that's ridiculous.

[ThereWillBeSun]

Sept 16, 2021 12:41:18 GMT richey said:

Having watched the Theatrecafe clip, the audience behaviour does seem OTT. There are ways of showing appreciation but that seems extreme. Comparing to being at Joseph for Linzi's first show after 30 years, the audience there gave massive applause for her entrance but were then controlled. The reaction when Glinda appears could be justified but when it gets to the point that you can't hear what's happening that's ridiculous.

Exactly my take!!!! My colleague saw Wicked last night and said it was crazy.

Compare this to HADESTOWN on Broadway. Massive reaction. Cult following I'd argue, it really has a niche. As as the company came onstage for their opening positions and the audience were just applauding and cheering. I look at that and find that emotional and heartwarming/ Andre told them to be quiet just by his hands and the audience went quiet. It's a mutual respect. Then they did an exchange 'alright?' before continuing. Still an amazing atmosphere. And that's just me observing via footage released by the socials team.

I understand that people are excited. It's been a sh*t time for the industry. But there seriously comes a point where it is so PRETENTIOUS, like I have previously outlined a few posts back. 

[Negamuse]

I guess it's easy to look at a section of the audience that is going too far and say "well they're too much, it's pretentious", but this is the thing, the reaction was the same *everywhere* last night. At some point it's just how people were genuinely feeling. Myself I bought my ticket in that auction they did knowing full well that I might not get to hear much of the show and in that sense I was pleasantly surprised that the reaction was largely contained to the bits where it was "appropriate".

I don't know, I feel like if someone rocked up to todaytix on spec and was lucky enough to get tickets and was confused by the reaction and it spoiled their experience, I feel bad for them, but there were people sitting around me who had been saying before it started they were there for the first time and they were cheering and standing up just like everyone else. I kind of feel like if you're a Wicked veteran as it were, if you're going to these first few shows expecting anything else it's the same kind of question I'd ask of someone who buys a house next to a pub and then complains about the noise, I'm sorry you had a bad time but what the heck were you expecting?

Just reading social media it feels like the cast and the vast, vast majority of people who went agreed it was a magical, celebratory night. I'm never ever going to forget it.

[Playbill99]

I wonder what the reaction will be at the 15th Anniversary show on 28th. I'm going - it'll be the first time I've seen the show in nearly 3 years (I think) and 50th time seeing it overall. As what other people said on this thread, I simply got a bit bored of Wicked. It'll always have a special place in my heart. It's the show that got me into theatre as a whole and was the first West End show I saw. It seems to have lost it's magic of late though so I'm really looking forward to seeing it again after so long.

[isabel]

I hope the cast member who had to go off lastnight was ok.
How unlucky waiting 18 months or however long, and then not being able to do the show

[BurlyBeaR]

The audience should never, ever be attracting more attention than the show.

[Dr Tom]

Well I’m in and it was very easy. They seem to have banned hand sanitiser and cast boards.

[Deleted]

Sept 16, 2021 18:32:49 GMT Dr Tom said:

Well I’m in and it was very easy. They seem to have banned hand sanitiser and cast boards.

I think there is a TV over one of the box offices that shows the cast list. But its like a rolling slideshow. Very annoying.

[shady23]

Sept 16, 2021 12:41:18 GMT richey said:

Having watched the Theatrecafe clip, the audience behaviour does seem OTT. There are ways of showing appreciation but that seems extreme. Comparing to being at Joseph for Linzi's first show after 30 years, the audience there gave massive applause for her entrance but were then controlled. The reaction when Glinda appears could be justified but when it gets to the point that you can't hear what's happening that's ridiculous.

Let's be honest, the vast majority of people booked for Joseph have gone for the show and lots have gone for Jason etc. We may try and convince ourselves otherwise but the average casual theatre goer will not know who Linzi is or know her history with the show.

[shady23]

Grace Chapman made her Nessa debut this evening.

[isabel]

At the bows have they changed the order ? I sure before, the Wizard was last to bow, followed by the Witches ?

[LaLuPone]

Sept 16, 2021 22:33:21 GMT isabel said:

At the bows have they changed the order ? I sure before, the Wizard was last to bow, followed by the Witches ?

Yes they changed this in (I think) 2017. It was around then anyway. It was done in this order to start with because of Joel Grey being a Broadway veteran and a “star” of sorts and then they kept it that way until I guess someone decided it made more sense for Fiyero to bow afterwards, being the lead male role.

[bengal73]

Thoroughly enjoyed the show tonight after a long spell away. It certainly resonated more than on my last visit

[danb]

But the bulk of people at Linzi’s shows had booked them because she was in them, yet still showed support in a loving joyous way. (rather than checking to see if anyone was noticing them having memorised Linzi’s favourite coloured Opal Fruit.)

[shady23]

Had they though or had they just booked the performance they could make?

The vast majority would have no idea which narrator was on when or not and most would not care.

[Dr Tom]

I enjoyed this last night. First time seeing the show for a few years. Although I do feel it's one of those shows that needs a revamp (perhaps the new German production will do this).

I was at the extreme end of the front row which is a bit restricted at times, but a close view and lots of legroom. Plus you have minimal other people around.

They made a mask announcement at the start and at the end of the interval and I was pleasantly surprised to see people put them on.

The sound where I was sat was very unbalanced. Loud music, quiet vocals and some times I wasn't sure if microphones were on or not. But it is not a hard show to follow.

My most pleasant surprise is the audience were incredibly restrained and well-behaved. Some polite clapping, but no commotions or cheering. Quite a few empty seats too, but this is a big theatre to fill right now. A pleasant enough evening.

[MrBraithwaite]

Sept 16, 2021 23:21:06 GMT shady23 said:

Had they though or had they just booked the performance they could make?

The vast majority would have no idea which narrator was on when or not and most would not care.

Believe me: as much as I hated the show, when I saw it with Linzi, you could tell from the applause, that people knew who she was. Not just a couple of fans.

[deej4life]

Grace Chapman was on as Nessarose again tonight. Michael Colbourne was also on as Fiyero! (17th September, 2021)

[shady23]

Tonight is a double standby night.

Charlie Baptie is Glinda and Amy Webb as Elphaba.

Both were previously the covers on the UK. I saw them both and they were very good indeed.

[deej4life]

Michael Colbourne was on as Fiyero for both shows today. Amy Webb was on as Elphaba for the evening show (25th September, 2021).