Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Wicked, the Sequel

Did the author of The Wizard of Oz, have the plot of wicked in mind when he wrote his book, Alex asked after the performance.  Wyona explained to him, probably not.  Rebecca said later that Derrida and Foucalt might disagree.  In this instance, I am putting my money on Wyona -- not because she is right, but because that is the answer that I understand best.

Our seats were good -- a restricted view on the side, but we were in the stalls on row L, which was sweet.  When I saw Wyona come in before the performance, taking a chair in the middle of the stalls, I went over to spend the last 5 minutes  before the curtain went up, talking to her.  An usher asked, "Are all of you together, for if you are, I can find you better seats so you can all sit together.

 "Actually, this is not my seat at all," said Wyona.  "See the large man over there.  He is in my seat.  I gave it to him, for he is 3 seats over and cannot possibly fit into the one he has purchased."

"I will get you all together in good seats," he said.

We ended up in the centre of the stalls with 3 empty rows in front of us.  How is that for having an absolutely unrestricted  view of the stage.

I spent a lot of time looking at the costuming again, catching lines that were thrown away on me before, but now added depth to the play, watching the singing and dancing skills of the new Elphaba and Glinda.  I saw the best scarecrow/empty head-ed prince ever.  His legs were still weak and wobbly when he played out his final scene and walked into the wood.  Fantastic, especially after watching the equally amazing performance of the scarecrow in the original version the day before.

The boys needed a debriefing at the intermission, having just seen Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of the The Wizard of Oz.  Who is good?  Who is bad?  Who is only pretending to be good, but is bad?  Who is bad but pretending to be good? Will evil triumph over good?

Theatre at its best!

3 comments:

  1. There is a sequel?!? I can't keep up with the changes in London. It has been less than two years and there is so much new already. I shall have to visit again soon.

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  2. Hi Tonia,

    Re: the sequel?

    I was trying to say that the sequel to "Wicked" is "The Wizard of Oz", as in the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

    We saw "Ghost" last night which is one of the changes in London for me. And I see that "Singing in the Rain" is due to open February 2012. And the others here have seen "Driving Miss Daisy" with Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones. More on that from them, later.

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  3. Speaking of London changing, Tonia? Look at this site.

    http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/leonardo-virgin-of-the-rocks-united

    The link is text on the two paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci's that will be displayed side by side at the National Gallery through February. Already the timed-entry tickets are sold out until Dec 17th. Rebecca and Wyona are trying to find good times for us to sign up.

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