I’m not going to be watching “Wicked”, even if you tie me into a chair Alex-from-Clockwork-Orange-style and pry my eyes open.
Why? Because I HATE adaptations that completely run roughshod over the original material.
The Wicked Witch Of The West in the original novel was a villainess.
The WWW in the movie was a villainess.
Apparently, the WWW in the Broadway show was a kind-hearted good person inside who sings uplifting songs, and embraces Dorothy at the climax.
Screw that.
All I can think of is “Springtime For Hitler”.
That being said, I can hardly wait for the Broadway musical version of “Silence of the lambs”, with Hannibal Lecter as a misunderstood chef who ends up singing a duet with Clarice Starling at the slow’s climax and embracing her passionately. Jame Gumb is the comic relief who gets tired of tripping on his ding-dong and tucks it away, with hilarious results.
I’ve got a friend Dave, who’s examining the cost analysis with ROI and has started taking VoC polls for it.
I’ve also written the first song – “Blood Eagle” :
♫ Blood Eagle – you take my breath away
Blood Eagle – I don’t know what to say
Take my lungs – I’ll never need them
Take my books – I’ll never get to read them ♫
the source material for the musical isn’t Baum’s book. it’s based on an entirely different book by Gregory Maguire. it’s a book for adults, not children, and apart the geography and a few character, it has only a passing connection to TWOO. it’s not one of my favorite books, and you probably still wouldn’t like it, but it’s a complicated book that is full of politics and intrigue.
I like the play. Music is pretty good.
Reportedly, the WWW is somewhat sympathetic (green hue from bad chemical reaction with copper?), but Ga-Linda is not all sweetness and light.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Think of it as a prequel: the story of how the WWW became so, well, wicked