COME HERE, MY LITTLE PRETTY!

 

“Wicked” – now onstage in the Grand Theatre of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands resort – is just as witty, mesmerising and full of surprises as you’d expect from one of Broadway’s most successful show. 

It hypnotises with great costumes, extravagant sets and outstanding performances and ultimately strikes home with hard questions about humanity and its habits. 

“Wicked” was written in 1995 as a “prequel” to the 1900 L Frank Baum children’s classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. 

Gregory Maguire’s novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” speculated on what happened before Dorothy came along, and the engaging tale was spun into a multiple-award-winning musical by Stephen Schwartz. It’s now in its eighth year on Broadway and has been seen by 28 million people around the world.

Here’s you chance to really get to know Elphaba the Green Witch, an “accidental friend” of Glinda the Good Witch. Completely opposite in character, they both benefit from their meeting, but then something happens to turn Elphaba wicked. 

The compact stage somehow becomes a series of magical lands, seemingly limitless in its ability to evoke different locations beautifully and convincingly. The use of lights is quite crafty and innovative and the costumes are colourful, fun and pleasantly contemporary. 

The cast is Australian. Leading ladies Jemma Rix as Elphaba and Suzie Mathers as Glinda keep the story appealing – spellbinding, in fact – with their exceptional singing and acting that’s remarkably realistic considering this parallel world of wizardry and flying monkeys.

You don’t need to know “The Wizard of Oz” story, but “Wicked” is much more enjoyable if you do, since there are several references to it and the characters are developed much further.

What you definitely need is an open heart. This is a tale full of symbolism and metaphor. You might find yourself relating to both good and bad behaviour or hovering in between. 

Maguire’s novel isn’t exactly made for small children, but “Wicked” the musical keeps things visually fun and, plot-wise, there are layers of story to digest but it’s not too complicated to follow. 

It’s perhaps adults who find the show most captivating – even haunting. They leave wondering what in this world is truly evil and what is maybe not so bad after all.

 

NOT KANSAS

See “Wicked” at the Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre Tuesday through Friday at 7.30pm or at a 1.30 matinee any weekend.

Tickets cost S$55 to $250 (Bt1,320 to Bt6,000) at www.WickedTheMusical.com.sg.