The Ongoing Wicked Discussion Thread

[sky]

I used to work front of house for ATG and cover at the Apollo Victoria. The Duty Manager makes a FOH report every evening. They have a whole section in the FOH report for sound complaints, every single evening. It's a tale as old as time for Wicked, and they will not spend the money to do something about it. It's really sad.

[sky]

I'm new, but I've kept an eye on this board since Lucie took over to see what people are thinking. Yes, she is missing a lot of shows. Yes, management are just as upset about that as you think they are. No, there isn't enough support for a mammoth role like Elphaba, and it's not just the singing that's exhausting. It's the scenes too. It's a big role and a lot of Elphabas have suffered. Lucie is an experienced lead and no one has ever known her to go off so much. Even her friends are surprised.

I do not know for sure whether Laura Pick chose to leave or was just not renewed, but she was solid and consistent. I know they're missing her now.

[FairyGodmother]

I've seen a few clips from press night.

One of the invited slebs said "...I had no idea it was to do with the Wizard of Oz." :/

[isabel]

Mar 26, 2022 13:59:59 GMT FairyGodmother said:

I've seen a few clips from press night.

One of the invited slebs said "...I had no idea it was to do with the Wizard of Oz." :/

This made me laugh

A Cousin of mine saw it few weeks ago, sitting front of Circle & said the sound wasn’t great then. She said it sounded like the Cast kept mumbling & it was hard to always make out what they were saying.

[deej4life]

Elphaba is a big role. Not only are the three big songs a tough gig eight times a week, but you spend so much time on stage in heavy costumes while expending a lot of physical energy.

Not only this, but there is the psychological fatigue in the role that comes from the isolation Elphaba experiences as a character. Numerous Elphabas have discussed how it can feel lonely playing Elphaba at times.

Furthermore, despite comments on this board about the show "taking its last breath", Wicked is still one of the largest shows in the West End. I can only imagine the pressure Lucie must feel to live up to previous performers, perform eight times a week and maintain her own personal standards.

Many other West End Elphabas have discussed how the psychological drain of the role can be just as impactful as the physical fatigue experienced.

I believe much more support should be offered to the lead Elphabas, whether that be more holidays, regular check-ins from management or the implementation of an alternate. Ideally, all three would be provided.

[shady23]

Social media has made things more difficult in many ways and this role could consume you if you let it.

Now the three hours of the show isn't all you are expected to get, some fans are wanting attention from performers 24/7 on social media.

If I was a company manager I would be advising performers to take a step back from social media. It's overwhelming.

[shady23]

Mar 26, 2022 13:59:59 GMT FairyGodmother said:

I've seen a few clips from press night.

One of the invited slebs said "...I had no idea it was to do with the Wizard of Oz." :/

I do wonder how many ticket sales actually come from these random celebrities posting "look I am at a theatre press night" on social media.

[danb]

”Not only this, but there is the psychological fatigue in the role that comes from the isolation Elphaba experiences as a character. Numerous Elphabas have discussed how it can feel lonely playing Elphaba at times.”



If this were really the case one might like to suggest they shake themselves and get over it. You’ve landed the biggest female lead in the West End. You can either wallow in Elfies Existential Misery (great band name) or just remember that it’s ACTING. The sing is a big one. The ‘daily journey & struggle’ is not.

[BurlyBeaR]

I’d like to ask Emma Hatton which role she found most challenging. Elphaba or Eva Peron.

As for psychological fatigue… come on. Its a piece of entertaining but silly fluff.

[inthenose]

Mar 26, 2022 20:09:00 GMT danb said:

”Not only this, but there is the psychological fatigue in the role that comes from the isolation Elphaba experiences as a character. Numerous Elphabas have discussed how it can feel lonely playing Elphaba at times.”



If this were really the case one might like to suggest they shake themselves and get over it. You’ve landed the biggest female lead in the West End. You can either wallow in Elfies Existential Misery (great band name) or just remember that it’s ACTING. The sing is a big one. The ‘daily journey & struggle’ is not.

The sing is a big one - is it?

She has three big belty numbers, The Wizard and I, Defying Gravity and No Good Deed. She is on stage a lot, granted, but if you look at Anything Goes, 42nd Street and the like, it's the same plus some heavy dancing.

Evita is a far more challenging role with much harder vocals - plus dance. Belting Rainbow High, Don't Cry for me Argentina, Goodnight and Thank you, A New Argentina, her death...

As for her "emotional journey"... when I was young before I became a stage manager, I used to think actors were living their parts each night, coming off into the wings, maintaining character etc. It's just not the case, but especially in a fluff fun musical like this. The truth is everyone is discussing their dinner plans and latest argument with their partner between scenes.

[LaLuPone]

Mar 26, 2022 20:17:53 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

I’d like to ask Emma Hatton which role she found most challenging. Elphaba or Eva Peron.

As for psychological fatigue… come on. Its a piece of entertaining but silly fluff.

In terms of Elphaba versus Eva, yes Eva is definitely a harder sing but they’ve always appreciated that and Emma would have got 2 shows off a week and Elphaba doesn’t so it becomes hard to compare then.
Also haven’t they lowered the keys a lot since the Elaine and Patti days? So I’m not sure if it’s as hard as it once was.

[LaLuPone]

I am of the opinion that every Elphaba actress does deserve 1 show off a week, sure maybe it’s not as demanding a role as some other big musical theatre roles but it’s also a lot more demanding than others that do already have an alternate. If the actress still has patchy attendance while doing 7 shows a week, then I’d say it’s time to wonder if she can handle the role.

Also I have to be honest I did just have a big giggle at the “emotional toll” thing, I don’t get that at all sorry.

[deej4life]

And society seems to wonder why mental health issues aren't talked about...

[LaLuPone]

I’m sure a lot of us on this board have struggled with mental health issues. I personally have generalised anxiety disorder and clinical depression so I’m the last person to discourage talking openly about mental health but saying that playing Elphaba takes an emotional toll because the character is isolated in the show is a bit of a stretch! Surely as an actor one of the key skills you need is to be able to separate the part you play from yourself, leave it all on the stage as they say.

[BurlyBeaR]

My job is really demanding. I’d love a day off every week. It’s not going to happen. Why? Because I’m being PAID to perform a demanding role.

[shady23]

If you are off sick you don't have people discussing your sickness record and why you are ill on the internet.

You don't also don't have Shiela from Skegness messaging saying you have spoilt her life because she has paid amount of money to watch you.

You won't have Internet forums analysing your every note and comparing you to everyone who has done your job before you.

You probably don't have people following you home from work either.

You really cannot compare the two.

[stuartmcd]

Mar 26, 2022 20:57:59 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

My job is really demanding. I’d love a day off every week. It’s not going to happen. Why? Because I’m being PAID to perform a demanding role.

But to perform on stage requires you to be physically at 100%. If I wake up and have a bit of a croaky throat I can still crack on with my job. Heck I had covid and still continued to work.

Stage actors can’t do that. And if taking one show off a week can help avoid those stresses on the body so that they can perform the other 7 shows at their best then I say go for it. I’d rather they had one scheduled show off every week than being off randomly due to illness.

[jacob]

the lack of empathy<3 even if views seem to differ ..

[LaLuPone]

Mar 26, 2022 22:22:00 GMT jacob said:

the lack of empathy<3 even if views seem to differ ..

It’s a bit hard for us to have empathy because none of us are professional actors! Sympathy you mean 😛

[daisy24601]

My thing with this is, they actually have someone in the building sitting there who can do the show once a week. I don't know of any other show with standbys. They can stick them on once a week and not be down a cast member.

[danb]

It isn’t a lack of empathy. It is a healthy outlook on real life. Lucie is one of the real-lest, unspoilt performers I’ve ever met and I doubt for one minute she gives any of this nonsense a second thought. She comes to work, leads a company, carries a show, sings a demanding score then goes home again. It is her job.

(And yes it is a big sing. It isn’t the ‘biggest’ sing, but it is quite substantial!)

[filendile]

Unless I'm missing something, people seem to be exaggerating how often Lucie is out. She missed a couple last week when she went off off mid-show but came back and has done all shows this week so far, judging by westendunderstudies on twitter. Covid absences at the start of her run were out of her control.

[jacob]

Mar 26, 2022 23:09:46 GMT danb said:

It isn’t a lack of empathy. It is a healthy outlook on real life. Lucie is one of the real-lest, unspoilt performers I’ve ever met and I doubt for one minute she gives any of this nonsense a second thought. She comes to work, leads a company, carries a show, sings a demanding score then goes home again. It is her job.

(And yes it is a big sing. It isn’t the ‘biggest’ sing, but it is quite substantial!)

My comment wasn’t necessarily in regards to LJ,just about people not seeing the demanding nature of being a leading role in a show :0

[danb]

People love to dramatise though. It is getting a little tiresome to see which board members are clearly performers/creatives etc who like every ‘poor me’ post defending peoples work ethic, right to an alternate, need to keep in tip top shape etc.

For every high profile performer who has had issues (ie documented online), there are a hundred who don’t broadcast or have broadcast their impeccable attendance and skill every night. It is their job to perform as much as it is their job to keep fit and well enough to do it. If they choose to burn the candle at both ends or do something that could potentially jeopardise their ‘instrument’, they should be held to account by both their employer and the audience that misses them. COVID has really put a spanner in the works because it requires the whole company of individuals to make sacrifices to keep the company going.

[Deleted]

Mar 27, 2022 10:44:57 GMT danb said:

People love to dramatise though. It is getting a little tiresome to see which board members are clearly performers/creatives etc who like every ‘poor me’ post defending peoples work ethic, right to an alternate, need to keep in tip top shape etc.

For every high profile performer who has had issues (ie documented online), there are a hundred who don’t broadcast or have broadcast their impeccable attendance and skill every night. It is their job to perform as much as it is their job to keep fit and well enough to do it. If they choose to burn the candle at both ends or do something that could potentially jeopardise their ‘instrument’, they should be held to account by both their employer and the audience that misses them. COVID has really put a spanner in the works because it requires the whole company of individuals to make sacrifices to keep the company going.

Yes people do love to dramatise. The Cabaret thread is proof of that. She'll never work again!! *rolls eyes*

I'm not sure why being understanding of someone's situation, not expecting performers to be superhuman or not feeling entitled to know every single detail of someones life makes them a performer/creative. If that's the case I'd better change my business cards. And yes even in this day and age we still use business cards lol