The Ongoing Wicked Discussion Thread

[strallenfan]

Mar 7, 2023 22:09:54 GMT tsxmitw said:

Mar 7, 2023 22:05:02 GMT strallenfan said:

Do you mean she does “ with me - and I’ll stand there with the wizard” in one breath Ashleigh Gray style or she does “the wizard and IIIII” in one breath? I thought most Elphies usually take a breath between notes on the latter.

So devastated that I missed tonight. Alexia has always been my number 1!

I mean “with me” through to “stand there with the wizard”

Alexia never used to do that and after years of listening to her bootlegs, it was such a nice surprise! She sounds so powerful too.

No you are right, she has never ever done that before! So excited to hear it ☺️

[mattnyc]

Lucy was just so wonderful. I liked Alexia but think she needs a little time to settle into the role a little before she really nails the role. Ryan Reid on the other hand, I didn’t enjoy at all. His acting seemed extremely stiff and he very noticeably struggled hitting notes in some songs and, to me, had trouble staying on key a lot.

[Being Alive]

I thought Alexia was SENSATIONAL tonight - the most I've enjoyed an Elphaba since the Wicked 10th anniversary years of Tucker and Verkaik - it's such a brilliant portrayal.

Lucy doesn't quite work for me, for the simple reason she isn't funny.
Her act 2 was lovely and she's definitely a Thank Goodness Glinda, but Alexia got more laughs in Popular than Lucy did and that's an issue.

Ryan is hopeless as per.
Sophie Louise Dann is an icon.

[mattnyc]

So funny how our thoughts of the two leads are totally swapped.

[Being Alive]

Ha yes.

The British way of doing Glinda just so rarely works (Dianne Pilkington really being the only one who completely nailed it) - the US version of Glinda is just so much better

[mattnyc]

I guess I haven’t seen that many British Glindas to know what you mean but I find that fascinating. Are there any examples you could give on differences?

[jacob]

Mar 8, 2023 1:37:35 GMT mattnyc said:

I guess I haven’t seen that many British Glindas to know what you mean but I find that fascinating. Are there any examples you could give on differences?

The act 1 characterisation is pretty different, Popular being a definite change .. the US Glindas take the campy, American, excitable cheer valley girl vibe and run with it which imo hugely helps the comedic bits throughout the show. The energy is all the way up there compared to some UK Glinda’s who are excitable but arguably just too prim and proper as they dance about haha

[Nelly]

Mar 8, 2023 7:33:21 GMT jacob said:

Mar 8, 2023 1:37:35 GMT mattnyc said:

I guess I haven’t seen that many British Glindas to know what you mean but I find that fascinating. Are there any examples you could give on differences?

The act 1 characterisation is pretty different, Popular being a definite change .. the US Glindas take the campy, American, excitable cheer valley girl vibe and run with it which imo hugely helps the comedic bits throughout the show. The energy is all the way up there compared to some UK Glinda’s who are excitable but arguably just too prim and proper as they dance about haha

Yes, I agree, you look at Megan Hilty’s glinda when she did it on Broadway and she used to make some of the Elphabi corpse she played the fool so much during Popular. I think you’re spot on with the prim and properness being a stumbling block.

[isabel]

Nothing more awkward than a Glinda who isn’t funny

[shady23]

Plenty of Glinda's have tried to do something different over the years but they have basically been told to stop it by the American Production team.

They are... limited!


(sorry )

[mattnyc]

I can see that but I’ve seen some American actresses playing Glinda over the years, who were on par with Lucy’s characterization, so I didn’t really notice. But now it’s something I’ll always be on the lookout for

[Being Alive]

Mar 8, 2023 9:47:10 GMT isabel said:

Nothing more awkward than a Glinda who isn’t funny

I think we are so used in London to Glindas not being funny that I'm never surprised when they don't get any real laughs

[deej4life]

I was shocked when I saw the show on Broadway and realised how funny Glinda can actually be throughout the show? Amanda Jane Cooper had me in hysterics throughout. It's a pity UK Glindas aren't allowed to reach those same heights.

[candela]

I was the same when i saw Ryan as Fiyero, something just didn't click for me. Who are his u/s now for this contract (going to try and see it when he on holiday)

[aingidh]

Mar 8, 2023 12:35:48 GMT candela said:

I was the same when i saw Ryan as Fiyero, something just didn't click for me. Who are his u/s now for this contract (going to try and see it when he on holiday)

Ross Harmon and Fergus Dale

[WireHangers]

Mar 8, 2023 12:22:25 GMT deej4life said:

I was shocked when I saw the show on Broadway and realised how funny Glinda can actually be throughout the show? Amanda Jane Cooper had me in hysterics throughout. It's a pity UK Glindas aren't allowed to reach those same heights.

To be fair, I think the American Glindas are the only ones who are funny because the Australian ones aren’t. They also go for the campy valley girl and use American accents. The accents work fine but the characterisation doesn’t.

[dancingthroughlife]

Long time lurker, first time poster 
Funny how opinions diverge!

Personally, from the videos I've seen online, I've always found US Glindas to be a bit just... too much.
"Popular" in particular is too over the top, too ditzy.

While the few (only four) times I've seen it in London, I definitely appreaciated a more "grounded" approach to Glinda... while still thinking the jokes landed.

[blake]

I just went to see the matinee yesterday after seeing it 4 times in the US over the last 20 years... yikes. Alexia as Elphaba and Lucy as Glinda both had fantastic voices, but about zero chemistry together. And speaking of chemistry, the connection between Alexia and Ryan was somehow even worse. And his voice... No idea how he was cast for a role not anywhere close to his range or ability.

Reading the other comments here, I didn't realize you've had a history of boring Glindas, and it was so sad! It lacked all the charm that I'm used to. This felt more like a community production with two girls who can sing well, but nothing else was at the level of even the traveling shows I've seen before.

[danb]

It had two excellent Glindas in Louise Dearman & Gina Beck but the slide seems to have started after them. I can’t even remember who I saw opposite Lucie Jones, other than Ryan Reid’s plodding Fiyero, but it was very dull.

[dancingthroughlife]

Oh, I see. I hadn't seen the show since 2011 (with Louise), so I guess that explains it.

Last year, in a failed attempt to see Lucie Jones, I also didn't click with the show as much as I would have liked, but not because of Glinda...

I'm excited to give it another try and check out Alexia, if I can find the time to fly to London this year. 
But I also need to make sure I see a Fiyero U/S this time around and not Ryan.

[starlight92]

I saw this again for Lucie's final show and thought Ryan was okay, he did seem to struggle a little with the big notes though. Anyone who's seen either of Ryan's understudies, how were they?

Also I don't know if it's just me, but even though Lucie and Ryan were both decent actors, I just didn't believe them that they were in love - I'm a sucker for romance but it felt a bit tacked on, like the writer thought that Elphaba needed a love interest, when the story would probably still work just as well with them just being close friends. So more of a criticism of the musical itself than the performances!

[dancingthroughlife]

Mar 9, 2023 20:52:36 GMT starlight92 said:

Anyone who's seen either of Ryan's understudies, how were they?

Fergus Dale was 2nd cover last year and - I believe - he's 1st Cover this year, so I'm also curious if anyone saw him the few times he was on a Fiyero.

[kyvai]

I think the Elphaba/Fiyero romance is also there to set up Elphaba and Glinda falling out, more so than just Glinda not being brave enough to rebel with Elphaba.

I went tonight to see the new cast, and I have to say I was VERY impressed. Best visit I’ve had in the past few years. Alexia and Lucy are both absolutely sublime vocally, I think they’re still settling in a bit maybe and both had the odd moment where something wasn’t quite perfect but overall - wowza. And I found their chemistry and relationship fine, even had a tiny tear in my eye in the last verse of For Good. And Lucy was definitely up there in Glindas for me. I thought she’d be too straight laced after seeing her Christine Daae, but no, she bought the fun too.

Ryan Reid, yeah, I liked him better today than before, but still, I think he just plays it too simple, there’s no twinkle in his eye, he’s a great dancer but his vocals are just ok. I also felt he looked about twice the age of every other student at Shiz from my closer up view from the second row today!

But I definitely rated the new leads and would recommend people to see the show again now, whereas last year I hesitated to do so after seeing lacklustre performances.

[musicbox]

I went tonight and honestly enjoyed it so much much more than when I seen it with Lucie - Alexia is very good!

Vocally she's on another level to Lucie to be honest, I kind of feel that producers have brought her back because she's a tried and tested safe pair of hands. I really liked how she plays Elphaba as well, she brings a soft a funny side out in her which makes you feel more empathy for her in the second act in my opinion.

I have to say I disagree that Lucy isn't funny, I thought she was pretty funny tonight and got quite a lot of laughs. The one area where I feel she fell short was in the vocal department - she just doesn't match Helen Woolfe for me!

The one irk I had tonight was the two women behind me who felt the need to very loudly talk about me being there alone when I sat down, calling me a 'weirdo'. I go to the theatre with last minute deals very often and honestly I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't realise how great it is!

[danb]

Mar 9, 2023 23:52:45 GMT musicbox said:

I went tonight and honestly enjoyed it so much much more than when I seen it with Lucie - Alexia is very good!

Vocally she's on another level to Lucie to be honest, I kind of feel that producers have brought her back because she's a tried and tested safe pair of hands. I really liked how she plays Elphaba as well, she brings a soft a funny side out in her which makes you feel more empathy for her in the second act in my opinion.

I have to say I disagree that Lucy isn't funny, I thought she was pretty funny tonight and got quite a lot of laughs. The one area where I feel she fell short was in the vocal department - she just doesn't match Helen Woolfe for me!

The one irk I had tonight was the two women behind me who felt the need to very loudly talk about me being there alone when I sat down, calling me a 'weirdo'. I go to the theatre with last minute deals very often and honestly I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't realise how great it is!

Oh I do hope you challenged them…I find the need to have someone sat with you when silently sitting in the dark for three hours wholly unnecessary. Their childish ignorance is entirely theirs! I’m not gonna miss something I want to see because I don’t have anyone to go with. I can normally drag my wife or son to most things but would rather save the money if they aren’t really bothered.