Why does Elphie melt???- Page 3

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 11:36am

stephaniethestar-- i know they are different. omg r u kidding?! hahah

I jsut mean it's obvious that is why it is written like that in the book...it sorta goes with the idea from the movie..thats all i meant.

I'm well aware that they are different. puhleaaseee

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 12:12pm

i hope this whole thread is a big joke.

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:24pm

I think it's clear that in the musical (which doesn't always correspond perfectly with the film & the 2 books) the whole melting thing is just a rumour which Elphaba turns to her advantage when she escapes with Fiyero. It actually does fit in a bit with the Wizard of Oz because Fiyero says "no-one must ever know", and so to all intents & purposes she remains 'dead'.
All the other references to melting (in the musical) I think are meant as in-jokes (although maybe Madame Morrible doesn't make this clear enough). The biggest tongue-in-cheek melting gag actually comes from Elphaba herself in the Wizard and I:

And I'll stand there with the Wizard
Feeling things I've never felt
And though I'd never show it
I'll be so happy, I could melt!


This is the best explanation I can find, but every musical does have its flaws & maybe this is one of them. The one I've never understood is the green elixir - what is it? Why is it that wizard seems to have an endless supply of it? And is it just that that makes Elphaba green, or two people from different worlds, or a combination of both?

[Justice]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:28pm

Green Elixir is actually Apple Pucker's. But, because the Apple Pucker's has been taken to a different world, it has a different effect on the peopl ethat inhabit thsi world. Instead of getting someone drunk, it brings out a green baby. Remember, Oz is a world that does not believe Oceans exist.

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:30pm

its been a while since i saw the show but my question would be, does Glinda realize she isnt dead? Elphie says something like 'i wish i could tell her' at the end of the show and glinda tells the ozians that a girl threw water on her but doesnt glinda know the water thing was just a rumor-- especially since fiyero states the absurdity of the rumor earlier?

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:37pm

Thanks Justice for the apple puckers explanation! Is that in Maguire's book?

Re. Glinda - she doesn't really see Elphie 'die' (her back is turned), so perhaps she wouldn't know that it was just water, and let's face it, Glinda is pretty brainless so she probably wouldn't be able to figure it out for herself...(-:

[Justice]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:37pm

Glinda does not know that she isn't dead.
At the same time, if she doesn't know, and she is telling the story - well, there's a loop hole right there.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:41pm

no, there is no loop hole. it starts out with glinda in present day, then reverts back to her telling the story... when glinda gets back in her bubble at the end, we revert back to the present, where glinda is no longer telling the story.... and we see what is happening at that time as glinda is in her bubble mourning her friend..

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:46pm

I agree with broadwayguy2. Glinda isn't some kind of all-knowing narrator. She's just relating the story (in flashback mode) as she saw it - which, as we know, doesn't show the whole picture.

[Justice]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:52pm

I believe I'm threadjacking here - which I'm not sure yet what that statement means when saying,

I was just in Florida last week, and bought the 1920's sequel to Wizard of Oz, titled "His Majesty Scarecrow of Oz". Bought it for 3 bucks at some bin in an outlet store. It's an old b&W silent film, and I still haven't watched it. I'm wondering if Toto is a cow in this one, like in the original Wizard of Oz film, and on Broadway. (Yes, folks, there is a history to the Oz saga)

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:54pm

i haven't seen that one yet.

i saw the 1925 larry semen version... but I haven't seen the "Oz Film Manufacturing company" films as of yet. I very much want to though.

[Justice]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 2:55pm

Is the original available on DVD?

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 10:39pm

Justice--yes the Wizard of Oz is now on dvd..but I don't think there are any special things on it..but it's only like $10 so...

Cathy--please lose the bitchy tone. You said something like "this is a dumb question haven't you seen the movie?" which was a dumb statement since the topic is asking about the MUSICAL not the MOVIE. I'm sorry that you sounded dumb. I was mistaken :)

Posted: 4/30/05 at 2:20am

what im saying is, glinda should know that the melting in water thing is a rumor because she supposedly know her so well, no?

[sallyfan101]

Posted: 5/2/05 at 11:57am

I know alot of people have wrote this.

I Heard her soul is so unclean pure water could melt her.

it's a flippen rumor.