Why does everyone hate Wicked?- Page 2

[stylinbohemian]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 7:33pm

NOooooo Not a another thread on this! I love Wicked and all i mean its my favorite musical, BUT I HATE READING PEOPLE REAM IT!

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 7:34pm

Wicked was not a musical that when I saw it, I fell in LOVE with it, It grew on me.

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 7:34pm

I like Wicked. It's imaginative and original.

[Kringas]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 7:34pm

I can't speak for everyone, but Wicked is a problematic show. Mind you, this is coming from someone who really enjoyed it, but it did take me some time to warm up to it.

Some of the problems that I see with it (again, this is coming from someone who does like the show. Also bear in mind that it's just my opinion:

1. The music is less than spectacular at times. Both of the Wizard's songs are so damn boring and repetitive, for example.

2. The lyrics. Many are cliche-ridden. For example, in "Defying Gravity" (which itself is a cliched expression), could Schwartz really think of no other rhyme in the final verse but "I'm flying high"?

Or "Finally for this one night/I'm about to have a fun night." It repeats what Nessarose just said to Elphaba, and it's a horrible horrible lyric.

"Nothing matters, but knowing nothing matters/" What does that even mean? Whether or not it ties into the next line ("It's just life, so keep dancing through"), it's a fragmented thought that is never finished and makes no sense.

3. With all the trouble they went through come up with Ozified expressions and words("Confusifying," "definish"), methinks Winnie and Stevie often forgot that they were creating a different world. Why, for example, does Elphaba sing "Heaven knows" in "I'm not that Girl"? Does Oz have the same Judeo-Christian concept of heaven and hell that we do? Most likely not (certainly not in the source material), so it's a jarring use of a word that really doesn't fit within the context of the show.

3. The book (Maguire's not the book of the musical) made a valiant effort to adhere to the Oz we knew from the original Baum book and the movie. The musical steers itself quite off-course in Act Two, most notably with he origins of The Scarecrow and the Tin Man, most notably with the Scarecrow. In both Baum's book and the film, the Scarecrow is appointed the Wizard's successor. I wish the stage production had stayed more true to the established "facts" of Oz that were originally laid out in the original book and movie.

***SPOILER ALERT***

4. The ending. It's a cop-out and, as someone (I forget who) pointed out on this board, the show is robbed of a lot of poignancy by having Elphaba live.

***END SPOILER***

As for the fans being the cause of so much backlash, I just have to shrug at that. Rabid, monolithic fans of any show should give you pause, and I don't think the Wicked-heads (is that the expression) are any worse than some other show's fans.

As I said, I can't speak for everyone and this list is by no means comprehensive, but these are some of the flaws I found within the show, and that's from someone who still think it's pretty damn entertaining. It just appears that a lot of it has been constructed in a slip-shod manner, and that's a shame. It could have been ten times better than it actually is.


(Edited to add a Spoiler Alert)

Updated On: 6/16/05 at 07:34 PM

[XOsweet_dancerOX]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 7:35pm

Personally I love Wicked. I think that it is simply the fact that people go around loving Wicked and claim they love BW and they know no other musical. It is very overrated and too many people speak about it too often. My friends all know what Wicked is and love it but they are not familiar with Light in the Piazza at all. It is just the factor that people speak of it too often.

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 7:40pm

Kringas i hate you! I have read the book and so far avoided finding the ending of the musical out... you should have posted stating spoilers!

[Kringas]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 7:41pm

Mea culpa, Beer. Sorry about that.

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 7:46pm

never mind... may as well tell me exactly what happens now!

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 8:00pm

I don't hate Wicked ! I haven't seen it, bought the cast recording, liked it and I will have an opinion once I see it, eventually ! But what REALLY annoys me is posters who come here, post questions like "Why don't you like it ? " and instead of starting a good and civilised conversation trash other GREAT shows like Hairspray, calling it nauseous !!! Was it really hard to state your views without insulting other people who love Hairspray and All Shook up ? That's what other people mean when they talk about immature and rude Wicked fans ! Updated On: 6/16/05 at 08:00 PM

[morebroadwayplease]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 8:03pm

In my own opinion, I loved Wicked.

I don't know why the title of this thread is "Why Does Everyone Hate Wicked" It just doesn't make sense.
Just because you didn't like it, doesn't mean others don't either. Sorry, I'm just assuming that.

Forgive me for not reading everyone else's responses, I'm kinda busy.

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 8:15pm

morebroadwayplease ,just as a heads up, BWW is kinda known for the negativity shown towards Wicked. And that is why the thread title is the way it is.

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 8:27pm

Negativity against Wicked ??? Here ??? I have seen hundreds of threads praising Wicked ! And considerably fewer critisizing it ! It is just that many Wicked fans are so obsessed, that they cannot accept that maybe some people didn't like the show and are entitled to their opinion !

[decotodd]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 8:33pm

And neither one of you is 'sophisticated' enough to know to use a contraction: it is You're not "your" if you are telling someone that "you are not sophisticated enough..."
Updated On: 6/16/05 at 08:33 PM

[bwaybaby891]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 8:34pm

Give it up people. Before I have to start using profanity. We have talked about this so much that it makes me sick. Some people, like me love it, and others don't. BIG DEAL!!!! Some people like Spam and some don't. I don't see everyone on everyone else's case about that. Give it up finally. Damn, that felt good.

[FabalaYero85]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 8:50pm

I wanna join in the fun...OK I'm an OZ freak being overly obsessed with the 1939 film. I was estatic that they were making this show knowing nothing about it. Loved the book and loved the show. I still love Wicked the musical but reading this board the fun and love I had for the show sort of died. The fans are rabid and annoying as hell. The people the saw Idina as Elphaba are now branching into the RENT world and of course they have no love for that, they are basically seeing the film b/c their "idol" is in it. The Wicked fans or whatever you call it don't understand the differences between the Wizard of Oz, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Wicked. As an OZ freak that what disturbs me the most. I swear to god if someone calls the Scarecrow Fiyero or the Wicked Witch Elphaba or say that GLinda looks better blonde, life will not be good for the fan girls I meet. They are different things and should be treated as that. Ok I'm done :)

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 9:00pm

Piazza is my favorite show on Broadway.

I like Wicked - a lot.

The fact that you had to dis Harispray and All Shook Up (which is one of the most fun of the shows on Broadway) demerits your opinions.

Honestly, to make one show look better, you do not have to belittle another.

And yes, use the damn search feature or I will cyber drop kick you .

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 9:02pm

Seriously Greekmusicfan, all the other boards I go too..yeah if BWW is mentioned everyone goes "oh, that's the place that insults Wicked right?"

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 9:03pm

Heh, if I talk to someone, I try NOT to mention BWW for the fact that its reputation is scandalacious.

[QHDramaQueen]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 9:24pm

not another one... I love debate, but enough already. Also, people have different opinons, but to imply that someone is not "mature" enough to like a work is rather obnoxioua.

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 9:26pm

Mind you, I liked Wicked but, there is one thing that bothers the heck out of me.

The Wizard and I. It's incorrect grammar. It SHOULD be The Wizard and Me.

AHH!

[BroadwayGirlWicked]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 9:27pm

I love wicked!

[Marlene]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 10:27pm

I enjoyed Wicked myself, but in all honesty some of the fans do need to give it a break.

Oye, does there always need to be some sort of grammar war?

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 10:29pm

Oy*, does there always need to be some sort of grammar war?

Well, if people would use it correctly, there would be no guerras, guerres, войны, nor wars.

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 10:43pm

What makes Wicked something greater than its actual merits is really tied to the way the show was developed, and how its success outstripped any of its most ardent supporters expectations.

When it played out west, all we heard was that it was no Hairspray, and there was a lot of hard work to be done to make it Broadway worthy.

Then the show opened at the Gershwin to indifferent critical response, with the most influential press being negative. In a very rare circumstance, word of mouth began to build even during its preview period. Several weeks after its opening it was clear that Wicked would be immune to negative reviews.

Then it lost the Tony award. And the advance sale increased despite its defeat. Its national tour sold out on advance sale subscriptions at cities all over the country, and a dedicated production was pulled together for Chicago; something unheard of in the 21st Century.... I love typing 21st Century in the present tense. I feel like I live in the future.

Any way.

After all of this unanticipated triumph, the same critics who dismissed Wicked when it opened came forth with the reason for its uncalled for success. From the NYT to Reidel to the Wall Street Journal we were to learn that Wicked was a success because of adolescent girls and their mothers.

HAH!

Now if young girls and their mothers were responsible for the health of Broadway musicals, Little Women would be sold out through 2007. The myth that has been created about the demographics of Wicked's audience is both cynical and inaccurate. There is certainly a healthy showing of women both young and motherly at the Gershwin to see Wicked. But to suggest that they are the critical mass that creates a 30 million dollar advance sale is ludicrous.

When I went to see Wicked there were plenty of young men, bald men, gay men, straight men and, well, men. And yes this audience went nuts at the end of the first act. And yes this audience jumped to their feet as the first ensemble members formed at the final curtain.

There are very few perfect musicals. Wicked is clearly not one of them. Not even close. But it moves huge numbers of people. Many of them are young girls. Many of them are not.

Wicked is a great success. Period.

Now, about Ms. Applegate..........

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/16/05 at 10:51pm

Great post!

But I like Wicked, as a straight male, for the two lovely leading ladies...that were there, and are there now (halfway).