Wicked

Sometimes a smaller-scale reimagining of a blockbuster serves to better illuminate the emotions and themes that form the core of the story than any big-budget staging could. Such is the case with this, the first amateur production of Wicked to be staged in South Australia. Though it can’t hope to match Broadway in terms of lavish spectacle, Matt Byrne’s conception of the show is still quite visually striking in its own, more modest way and the emotional journey of the main character comes through with an intensity that commands the audience’s attention.

Sets are relatively minimalist for a show like this, with the production relying heavily upon video projections, some of which are animated, to establish each different location. They are vividly evocative and combined with the subtle nuances of the show’s lighting scheme, create an appropriately otherworldly atmosphere. Costumes are boldly colourful, but also do a good job of reflecting the personality of the characters inhabiting them.

The enduring appeal of Wicked to theatregoers was never merely cosmetic anyway. The things that Winnie Holzman’s book has to say about the seductive power of bigotry, government manipulation of the people through media, the way in which celebrity is often conferred upon the least deserving and how the most devastating atrocities can be committed with the best of intentions, sadly remain as relevant to today’s world as they were when the musical was first written. Also, many of Stephen Schwartz’s songs are focused upon timeless, universal themes that transcend the show’s fantastical setting and which any human being can relate to. Be it the power of friendship to change one’s outlook on life (“For Good”), or the need to step outside one’s comfort zone in order to grow as a person (“Defying Gravity”).

The main characters in this musical fascinate because of their dual nature; each of them create a public image that is very different to their private selves. The cast embody these conflicted characters with considerable flair, playing both the humour and pathos of each scene with equal aplomb, the technical quality of their singing beyond reproach. 

Dianne Lang’s Elphaba (Wicked Witch Of The West) is by turns fiercely sardonic and quietly vulnerable. Kat Jade’s Glinda is frequently hilarious in her catty, “mean girl” attitude, but knows when to pull back and allow the audience a glimpse at the insecurity lurking beneath her façade of blonde-bombshell superiority. Together the two have a heated chemistry, be it as opponents in argument or as the yin-yang soul-mates they eventually become. As the man who comes between these two formidable women, Michael Bates brings just the right measure of swagger and sensitivity to his performance.

Rick Williams (The Wizard) and Lisa Simonetti (Madam Morrible) are both chillingly effective as villains who hide their evil nature behind a carefully crafted mask of charming affability. Whereas Sophie Bubner (Nessarose) and Zak Vasilou (Boq) ultimately emerge as the kind of anti-heroes that the audience can feel some pity for, if not outright sympathy, even after their fall from grace. The rest of the ensemble all acquit themselves well, and do justice to the lively choreography.

The only people likely to be alienated by this accomplished production are the kind of literary purists who could never warm to previous stagings of Wicked. The musical is a very loose adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s novel, which itself took some very extensive liberties with the original “Oz” canon written by L. Frank Baum. Also, though the show contains fleeting allusions to the beloved 30s MGM movie, the vision of Oz presented here is inconsistent with that cinematic classic of yore. In order to fully enjoy Wicked, one must accept that it takes place in its own universe, separate from the established continuity of any previous “Oz” story. Personally, it took me a while to appreciate Wicked, because I was very attached to some older interpretations of the “Oz” legend (especially the 1985 cult film “Return To Oz”). As a result, when I first saw Wicked staged professionally, I struggled to accept the work on its own terms. But I put all preconceived notions aside when viewing Matt Byrne’s latest offering, and wound up falling head over heels in love with Wicked as a result. It’s my sincerest hope that the majority of the Adelaide theatregoing public can do likewise.

Benjamin Orchard