Wicked

If you aren’t familiar with Wicked through either the excellent novel from Gregory Maguire or from the stage musical, then maybe you are wondering what the fuss is about.  Well, the tale is a revisionist take on the character of Elphaba, aka The Wicked Witch of the West from the classic book and film The Wizard of Oz.  This story casts a different light on whether she was actually ‘wicked’ or was a victim of a propaganda campaign to portray her as an enemy of the people.  Showing how she always felt like an outsider due to her green complexion, she entered into Shiz University alongside her sister, Nessarose, and was trained by Madame Morrible in ways to tap into her inherent magical abilities, with a hope to get to meet and work alongside the Wizard of Oz himself.  During her time at Shiz she initially clashed with the popular girl, Glinda (who would become the Good Witch), but the two eventually strike up an unusual friendship.  However the pair discover that there is something bad happening through the land of Oz, with the animals, who have intelligence and can speak, being stripped of their independence and pushed to become simple beasts.  With a hope that The Wizard can put an end to the suffering of the animals, Elphaba and Glinda set off to Emerald City.

That’s the basic plot of this, the first part of the tale, and for an outsider to the thrill of this musical all that needs saying is that fans of The Wizard of Oz, and other Oz set films, should find wonderful joy in the visual splendour, the story, and the musical numbers and set pieces on display.

Now, for those who do know the material already, let me share my own thoughts as a fan of the property…

I’m always happy for a return to the magical land of Oz, having always been a fan of the classic film, the series of books, and all the other films and shows spun off or inspired by those tales.  When Gregory Maguire’s book Wicked came out a couple of decades ago, it brought a more adult toned take on that world, and in particular the events prior to and concurrent with The Wizard of Oz.  The stage musical adaptation of that book brought it more in line with the original film, with memorable songs, and stage production that resulted in it being a Broadway and West End hit.  It’s a show I have had the pleasure of seeing on multiple occasions, and so when this film was first announced, I was excited.  The casting choices made sense to me – even Ariana Grande who, whilst I’m not a follower of her work, I was aware of the ditzy characters she has played on TV shows (my daughter watched them), which seemed perfect for the bubble headed blonde Glinda.  But, as with any adaptation to screen of something so beloved there was always the risk that it wouldn’t live up to expectations, and would lead to disappointment.

So, as you can imagine, as the 2 hours and 40 minutes played out, only telling half the story, getting to the end of it and immediately wishing to watch it all over again is high praise indeed!  This was a wonderfully, magnificent, emotional, and (dare I say it) absolutely perfect translation to film for the long running show!

Does it warrant the split into two films, both with long run times?  Well, I can’t say for the second part yet (we have to await that arriving next year), but for this first half it certainly does!  Film is an entirely different medium to stage, and whilst on stage sets change swiftly with a new backdrop, or a quick move of furniture, in film we expect transitions, establishing shots, and immersion into environments.  In addition, actors on stage are talking for the audience, and sometimes to the audience, but in a film you expect them to be interacting with each other more, whilst side characters warrant further development in the transition to film.  All these factors, and a few additional scenes to expand the characters out, adding more depth to not only the core duo but the supporting characters, extend the time to tell the story – but in no way slow it down!  The film flew by in an emotional whirlwind of visuals and sound, with all the wit and charm that made the stage production entice so well, only now in a lavish technicolour marvel.

Small touches, such as the title card that pops up for the film bearing the font used for The Wizard of Oz, lend well to the charm.  The costume detail, the set designs, and the entire production values do wonderful justice to the source material, and enhance it in a way the stage would be unable to do due to limitations.  This doesn’t feel like a stage adaptation – this feels like a big screen spectacle!  Those sets are so creative, especially the Shiz library which is a marvel to behold, and is showcased magnificently in one musical number.  The train to Oz is itself a feast for the eyes, really tapping into the magical land with a steampunk aesthetic so well.  The animals are all rendered with detail and personality, especially Dr Dillamond, the Goat history professor, whose apparatus for interacting with his environment is as well crafted as the CGI creation himself.

All of this so far without really mentioning how impressive the cast all are in their parts.  As hoped Grande plays Glinda (it’s Gah Linda!) really well, translating the ‘queen bee’ attention seeker from the stage to the screen perfectly.  She is self centered to the right level, up until the moment she isn’t and you go from hating her to loving her.  Paired up with the magnificence of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the pair sizzle with a sparking chemistry throughout.  Erivo also holds her own in her isolated moments, playing this outcast character simply trying to find a place to fit in so humbly that in the closing act when she rises to take control of her destiny she fires on all cylinders and ensures that as her war cry sounds out before the credits run you will be so ready for the second part to arrive next year.

Around the core two Jeff Goldblum is well placed as The Wizard – which being Goldblum merely means that he plays very typical to type, and that works perfectly here.  Michelle Yeoh brings a dominating presence as Morrible, whilst Peter Dinklage provides the voice for Dillamond and ensures that we feel his pain and worry for his fellow animals.   Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater do well as Nessa and Boq, even if they do feel a little sidelined in this first part (their impact will really come in part two), but out of all the support it is Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero who steals the limelight, especially in his signature musical number “Dancing Through Life” set in the aforementioned library.  Bailey is charm and swagger personified, and the camera certainly loves him.

Look, if you are a fan of the musical stage show, but have been worried that the extended run-time may be a little bloated, then fear not as all the magic and charm that the production enticed you with is here, only now granted a visual flair and depth – drawing a few elements from the book for inspiration – to more than warrant the splitting into two parts.  If this had stayed as one film, the climatic impact of Defying Gravity, which prefaces the interval for the stage, would have been diminished by simply cutting to the next scene.  Now we split where theatre goers would break for a drink and reflection, only our break is a year, and boy I’m counting down the days already!

Wicked is everything a stage to screen adaptation should be – accessible to those new to the material, whilst ensuring the core fans are appeased.  As the credits rolled at the end I felt like immediately going back in to watch it all over again, and will no doubt be paying a few more visits to Oz whilst this holds over on the big screen in the weeks to come.