Just back from first London "Wicked" preview..........- Page 2

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 8:29pm

Moromir- that part between Morrible and the Wizard just about killed me.
Updated On: 9/7/06 at 08:29 PM

[Jwaa]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 8:43pm

I just got back from tonights first preview....

and Idina shocked me....i seriously did not want her to do it, because i wanted a new person to be given a chance....but she was better than expected and id much rather see her be amazing than see a newb try!but yeah i was very impressed...no good deeed had me very very excited...it must be all those idnia obsessants making me think less of her.

Glinda i think will get better and better throughout these previews and hopefully press night she will be ready for the part! she is all there, she is perfect i love how her voice is different from the usual twang...and i ;love the englishness....i am so happy that was chosen.

Adam Garcia...im sorry...but he shouldnt be on that stage....he was pretty awful...it was actually embarrasing at points...his acting has NEVER been as wooden as it was...and i could tell when he first started he would choose a lower route in As Long As Your Mine....it was a shame...the posh mummys boy prince part was a bad choice i thought...maybe a little bit more heroic?...he was really a bit of a shame all over especially his last line, ..'we can never return...come' it was like he was talking to a dog!

but other than that it was EVERYTHING it should have been i felt....
and i think it will be the saviour of londons commercial and modern musical theatre....i cannot wait for it to bring londons glossy west end back to life and light! ITS ABOUT TIME really.

The tehatre was transformed....ive never seen it look so themed...it really was Wicked's theatre!

XXXXXXXXx
im going on its press night too....so hopefully adam might have stepped up his game a bit!...lol it was also wonderful to see a rival of mine from the all england dance competitions featuring in the ensemble at the age of 18...i was so shocked and impressed...joeseph connor is a dream to watch.
XXxx

[NJRae]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 9:31pm

Thanks everyone for all the reviews. I imagine the show and the actors can only get better as everyone settles in. Sounds like they handled the technical problems well . . . I can just see them all sitting on the floor in class lol

JeaniusIsMe: Thanks so much for the bit on Martin . . . I was dying to know if he got that silly old line right! But no one mentioned anything about his actual performance! How was his bleating, now that he is finally doing it in an appropriate place? And did he manage to find the stage on time?

[alterego]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 10:05pm

Thanks for the reviews. All sounds pretty good for a first preview and will only get better.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 10:18pm

Hmm sounds okay!

[missy2]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 11:24pm

Hi. I have seen the show 14 times so far (in Chicago, Toronto, NYC) (no, I'm not a groupie, I'm actually a middle aged woman who adores the show and is lucky enough to travel often for biz)...I've seen Idina several times, Soshana (on the day it was suppose to be Idina's last), Eden, Anna, Kristy...and in November I'll be going to London on biz so I'll get to see Idina.
I can't wait to see her again - she's still my favorite although I must admit..she does have some trouble w/the breathing thing!
I will report back in full as a true Wicked-connoisseur!!!

[snl89]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 11:36pm

OMG... I'd totally forgotten previews were tonight!! THANK YOU for the review!! eeeee, omg... wicked...london...idina.. and the rest of the cast.. I am fangirling so much right now lol

(and no, I'm not even going to anything, but you know.. .there's always.. those things we do not like to speak of)

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 11:44pm

All of you went and not a single picture of the marquee? C'mon! I can't wait to see/hear more of this production. Did Idina do her usual riffs at the end of Defying Gravity - like on the cast recording?

[mrkringas]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 12:06am

Found this using "Apollo Vic Marquee" on google

https://losangeles.broadwayworld.com/viewphoto.cfm?id=15097
Updated On: 9/8/06 at 12:06 AM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 12:19am

London always has the best marquees. Well, did anyone get a wider shot picture? further away?

Posted: 9/8/06 at 2:26am

Brilliant to read....thanks!

I'm going in a couple of weeks for the first time - does anyone recommend I get the broadway recording first or just go and be prepared to be blown away?
Updated On: 9/8/06 at 02:26 AM

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 4:50am

NJRae- I knew I forgot something. Martin was wonderful. The bleating was wonderful, as was his singing and dancing. And he made all his entrances at the right time, so I guess he managed to avoid ending up in Victoria Station.

missy2- This was my 7th time seeing the show and I would be very interested to hear your review when you get to see it. I have a feeling it might have been the weird energy of the night, but this time the show didn't really do it for me. Can't wait for your review in Nov.

[BroadwayRandy0711]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 5:15am

Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. It seems that the casting for Fiyero has been tough. Granted I have only seen the show twice, but after reading reviews that people have said it's only clear to state that. I do not know how Norbert Leo Butz did, but when I saw David Ayers, i thought that he was just ok, not awful, not great, just ok. Then I saw Derrick Williams and I thought that he suited the role for better, IMO. Hopefully Adam Garcia will improve with time.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 6:26am

westendwendy- id say dont get the recording before the show. i got it like a year before i saw the show, and ruined it for myself :P

nice marquee!

[Wink1966]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 7:01am

OH SO MUCH TO COMMENT ON ! (I was there last night too)

westendwendy - agree with bwayondabrain - DONT get the cast recording until you have seen the show (unless you are seeing a USA version) Why? . .

Accents - As far as I am concerned, this story is based around a very popular US film, starring a US cast. Wicked the Musical is written by a US team, composed by a US composer and doesn't gain anything from the "english" or "scottish" accents, in fact it loses something as it kind of takes you away from the "Oz" that we all grew up with. Now I know that people will argue different points - like "well then "Les Miz" should have been done with a French accent . ." (oooohh noooo - how bad would THAT have been) Or that RENT in the West End was all USA accents and it didn't help the shows run. But this is different - because the film is something which we all saw as kids, and the story of Wicked puts a twist on the original storey, I expect it to be based around this. I haven't seen Dirty Dancing or Footloose - but I bet there is no English accent in there. I just worry that this fantastci show will lose it's appeal too quickly if it isn't done right.

As far as the cast are concerned, there was nothing wrong with Hele Dallimores performance - but sung with a slightly southern USA accent, "Popular" is fantastic . . with a "forced-posh" English accent it loses something for me. Change is good - if it works, and this doesn't. I was dissapointed - but not as much as my wife who LOVES that part and song.

Idina was fantastic - especially singing No Good Deeds - she did lose some of the notes in Defying Gravity - but with other things that had gone wrong you never know whether she was secured on the raising platform correctly or whatever. Or maybe she is just suffering a little voice strain . . But overall she was superb - and incredibly loveable!

Nigel Planer was a great Wiz - delivered well and singing was better than I have seen before. Miriam was good as Morrible - but would have been nice to have heard it sung rather than "Rex Harrison"ed . and I think she will grow into the part "wonderfulifically".

Adam Garcia was just aweful. A totally forgettable performance in my mind. I saw Derrick Williams play it on broadway - and his presence was felt onstage all the time. Mr Garcia holding up the guards so Elphaba can escape didn't hold water for me.

Generally though - a great show. Missing something from the Broadway version though - and I think most of it is the "english-ness" and the "invisible" Fiyero . . change these and I reckon I will run for quite a while.

[snl89]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 3:25pm

the um... not good reviews about adam are making me a bit sad only because.... I really had faith that norbert may just have a contender for best fiyero, I mean adams incredibly hot, and an AMAZING dancer (judging by the videos I found on.. that site we're not supposed to talk about),and he seems to have a rather good voice, and I was really hoping he'd be an amazing actor too. But.. thats alright I guess... if anything it just makes me appreciate norbert that much more, so thats good :P But I do still want to judge for myself hehe.. (*cough*). And yay for the awesome idina reviews! oh god, No Good Deed (which amazingly I think EVERYONE'S commented, no?). I've heard people say thats Sho's song. Um, NO. That is IDINA'S song- she has always kicked major, MAJOR ass in that song, and always will. hehe.

anyway, thanks again guys for the amazing reviews! as I have absolutely no way of getting to london in the next three months, I'm living vicariously through all of you, so thanks sooo much for filling me in :P

[strawintogold]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 4:34pm

Moromir, I have to ask how Idina reacted to that (I imagine there was no picture taking. Damn, there goes my hope of finally getting a picture with her! Haha). Or, better yet, how everyone else reacted, because I'm sure Helen and probably even Adam aren't used to that kind of thing.

I've been to Wicked stage door in New York when Idina was here and it was pure insanity. But all the same, I'm still looking forward to seeing her in November.
Updated On: 9/8/06 at 04:34 PM

[swerve]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 4:58pm

straw, I read on another forum that she was a little freaked but very sweet and stayed and signed for every person there. I don't know about pictures, though (if it's a zoo, probably not...)

snl, I've always thought No Good Deed was Idina's best song as well, especially later in the Broadway run (obviously haven't heard this one yet).

I don't think Fiyero as a role does much for anyone. I haven't seen one yet who was particularly memorable, even Norbert. Adam Garcia is so hot, though, so at least he's eye candy.

[pippin2]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 5:02pm

I'll never understand why they don't lower the key of Defying Gravity a half step or two for Idina. Its obvious that she is unable to hit/sustain those money notes eight times a week.

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 5:34pm

I don't know if they'd lower Defying Gravity since it was Idina's idea in the first place to raise the last bit. She could at least decline to take the optional F which has always seem to have been an issue for her.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 6:28pm

LesMis has alternate keys for Marius if they cant hit the low A in Empty Chairs. No reason why you cant change things by just a half tone or whatever to suit individual performers. I dont think anyone is going to mind if Idina sings an E natural instead...the average audience member is still going to be impressed at the whole scene. This sort of thing was done all the time for stars of yesterday.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 9:28pm

From the looks of it, the West End production may be having many rewrites...

It is an American show, and, if the creators listen to their preview audiences well enough, they'll be able to readjust jokes and lines for British audiences, and I think that is what will help change it for the better.

Thanks for the excellent reviews...

Side comment...
I find it rather ridiculous that Elphaba has an American accent while nessa has an English one...I'm sorry, but that's a potential destraction right from the get-go.

[snl89]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 9:37pm

yeah, I was really kind of surprised about the whole accents thing. I mean, in SOME cases it works- like, for g(a)linda... alright. It's maybe not THE most fitting thing, but if you think about it its plausible. I mean, they're supposed to come from different places in their country... so.. and for Fiyero too. i mean, he's supposed to be ethnic in the book at least, so for him to have a different accent is kind of all right. But like, for nessa? to have a different accent than elphie? they grew up together!! lol. So yeah, THAT one's really distracting. I'm really surprised, with as good as theater people generally seem to be with accents, that they wouldn't just do different accents. I mean, even if idina just did a british accent, that would make it much more alright. And that way they ALL wouldn't even have to change accents

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/9/06 at 2:18am

In regards to the accent thing, I think we're looking at too much from an American angle. In Europe, if you go to a couple miles, you'll be in another country, and I think most English people are well-rounded and know many languages and are accustomed to that sort of thing. I don't think the accents thing is a big deal for them. It's theater, we're dealing with Oz, certain things like that don't need to make "sense." My college does color-blind casting for most shows, so sometimes there will be African-American parents, and a white son, and nobody really thinks anything of it just because that's the way it is. I think here, we're so use to everyone on Broadway speaking standard American english because that's all we have. Every state speaks basically the same language with a minor accent here and there. Just my two-cents.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 9/9/06 at 2:31am

I hope the show closes.... :)