Wicked 1-6

[Justice]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 8:56am

Well, since everyone is giving a daily review on the show, I thought I'd give mine. So, here tis...

At about 1:30, i dragged myself down to the cancelation line, thinking that it was going to be packed. I was wrong, because I was the first one there. I got my three tickets by 6:00, and was ready to attend this show for the third time.

Idina's Gasping: Yes, she gasps. So does Michelle Federer. But, i think the only reason I noticed it was because so many people have posted about it on this board. There is a perfect explanation as to why she gasps. Every performance, Idina is ingesting "actor friendly" smog. The truth is, it's not actor friendly, and the more you ingest it, the more it can effect your voice.
Idina's best number last night was "No Good Deed". She really did a great job with that one. So great, that I thought she might get a standing ovation, but instead she got a long and loud applause, which is just as good.

Jennifer Laura Thompson: Personally, I think that she is the best one in this show. She has the character perfect, takes her qualities and runs with them. Not only is she the funniest thing, but she has such an amazing vocal range. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Kristin Chenowith. (I really do, I'm seeing her at Carnegie this month) But, I prefer Jennifer in this role, because she makes you laugh from beginning to end. Everything about her performance last night was on the ball. As a matter of fact, she has become, to me, one of those actresses that I would see in anything now.

Joey: I like him. I like his voice. I like his acting. No complaints. I think he's a great Fiyero. Same goes with...

George Hearn: He's a GREAT wizard. He's very genuine and pleasant as the wizard. He almost makes you not want to hate him.

Carole Shelly: Awesome, as always. She is a true Diva in the performance sense.

Rob Sapp : Or whatever his name is. He was alright. I prefer Fitzgerald, but Rob did a good job for an u/s

Ensemble: Everytime I see this show the chorus has many new people. I don't know why, but I felt they were weak last night. It seemed like a lot of them were new, because the energy level for them was low. (I miss the fat girl)

The audience: Towards the end, when Elphie gets slapped, some dick in the audience clapped, making the audience laugh. I found it to be quite obnoxious, although when Glinda got smacked, the audience cheered, i assume in retaliation to the lone clapper.

The curtain call: Earlier on these posts someone wanted us to talk about Curtain Calls. Well, this was one I really enjoyed. When the girls came out for their bow, screams of joy from the audience erupted, and the applause went on for a good five minutes. They tried to quiet us down, as they were to make an announcement about Tsunami fund raising, but we kept on applauding them. Finally, as the applause got lower, Jennifer, in a tiny, pip-squeaky voice, said :"This is my real speaking voice", which had us, as well as Idina, cracking up. It was a genuinly hysterical moment.

All in all, I had a good time. My partner and I had taken a friend along with us. The friend was not crazy about this show, and I sensed it throughout. But, it made me realize, this show is not for everyone. True the majority of people like it, but there's always one or two in the bunch.

I really have to say, I'm gonna miss Idina, not as Elphie, but as a performer, because when B'way stars leave, we never really know what show they will be in next. Sure, we'll be seeing her in the Rent movie next year, but there's something different about seeing things live, besides the fact that Idina probably may never have an opportunity to create a role and be as much of a success as she has with this one. (My belief is that she will return to Wicked in a few years)

That being said, if you haven't seen it with Idina, I hope the ones you do see it with are just as good.

Updated On: 1/7/05 at 08:56 AM

[broadwayalto01]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:18am

That is a great review !! I am glad you had a great time !

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:20am

Please STOP creating daily threads for this. If they are centrally organized, it will be easier to find them and it will be WAY less annoying.

[Justice]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:21am

?

Updated On: 1/7/05 at 09:21 AM

[wickedfan2]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:25am

Thank you for such a detailed review! I love reading all reviews.... EVEN DAILY ones...

and those of you who get annoyed when you say daily reviews, why are you clicking here?

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:26am

Excellent review, Justice.

And I'm another vote for "different performance, different threads"!

[NStar21]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:33am

ckeaton, Justice has every right to make this thread. It's clearly marked Wicked. If you don't want to read it, skip over it. But you sound like an a$$ making a protest like this. great review.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:36am

Oh sure! Why not clutter up a board that deals with ALL of broadway, in fact ALL of theatre with 20 different threads about the same show. I like Wicked. I really do. I just don't like the fact that you people insist on clogging the board with redundant threads. Seriously... if it is a review of the same production they should go together. What if I wanted to see how Carole Shelley was doing over the course of a week? I couldn't look up 6 threads.

You people really don't make sense, and WORSE you're stubborn about it. THAT is why people here don't like you.

[NStar21]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:51am

If Justice or anyone else, wants to make a Wicked thread, you have no right to stop them. It wasn't a meaningless thread like "I Love Idina!" Or "Wicked Rocks" and etc, it was a freaking review. Yes, there are a lot of Wicked threads that pop up at times, but there are a lot of other meaningless threads that pop up as well, but if they bother me so much, I don't have to click on them. I don't click on them. You don't have to click on the Wicked thread, if you can't ignore it, that's your problem. Bashing Wicked is just old already. Get over it. And what did you expect, this woman is leaving in a couple of days. Since you're so big on common sense, it should have told you that of course lots of threads are going to be popping up now. Get over it. Get over yourself. And deal with it.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:53am

::can't WAIT to count the threads on Sunday::

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 9:56am

Hey NStar! Get over it. Get over yourself. And deal with it.
90% of this board doesn't want to sort through 20 threads on the same topic.

I'm not bashing the show. Read more carefully. I'm bashing the fools who don't understand the etiquette of this site.

[NStar21]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:04am

ckeaton, I understood perfectly fine who you were bashing. Clearly, you need things spelled out for you so fine, how's this: stop bashing the people who like to talk about Wicked and make a meaningful thread about a review. Is that better for you? If the webmaster wants to make some type of board law that the same show reviews have to go into one thread, fine. But until then, stop dictating what needs to be done.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:04am

ckeaton, no one else seems to be complaining...

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:06am

I think I'd prefer different threads for different dates/performances too. It's a different story if six people are starting different threads about the same performance.

Great review, Justice. I'm glad you mentioned how much Michelle is 'gasping' as well. She sounds like a sea lion from time to time

And yes, Sunday will be crazy... I'll say at least 20 threads.

QM

Updated On: 1/7/05 at 10:06 AM

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:08am

I'll continue to dictate what needs to be done, as long as I see people acting foolishly. Believe it or not, that, and your affront to my opinion is foolish.

Please consult the guidelines for the site in re: personal attacks.
(I don't generally need to have things spelled out for me, thank you... nor am I an ass) If you continue on this path of insulting people, you will be reported and may face account suspension or termination at the discretion of the board administrators. It's very possible that your insults will get this thread deleted. That's a shame, because it is a good review.

[NStar21]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:13am

ckeaton, now i'm just laughing. you made a pointless post, you're wrong, no one agreed with you and if this is how you have to back yourself, go ahead. it's just laughable. but i believe it was you who said, "I'm bashing the fools who don't understand the etiquette of this site." sounds like an attack to me.

[Justice]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:16am

I have to defend ckeaton on this. This whole thing has been blown out of proportion. I understand ckeaton's comments. I, personally, don't agree, because I want my review to stand out from the other performances. At first, I too thought ckeaton was a wicked basher until I opened the thread c had started. But, I don't think anyone else opened it, because I came back to this and saw bash/bash/bash going on, and threats, etc. which is why I have decided to intervene.
Let's drop this poop and be civilised thread posters. I would hate to qoute crackhead Rodney King and say "Can't we all just get along?" because that message has now turned into a tired cliche, but come on people's, let us post our opinions without name calling and threats.
But, I thank you all for defending me in the matter.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:16am

Back to the topic at hand --

Justice, what were your friend's comments after the show?

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:16am

Most of the members of this site who are already sick of this becoming a 'Wicked' message board have already fought the fight, and have no energy left for arguing with rabid teens, FYI. So they choose to ignore it and all other threads relating.

My protest has nothing to do with the thread content. As I've said 100 times, I enjoy 'Wicked' a great deal. It's all about the organization. It's obscene and obnoxious to think that one production deserves 20 independent review threads.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:19am

Hey NStar, you lovely literate person...
Referring to a large group of unnamed/unidentified people as 'fools' is a far cry from calling one person directly an "ass".

You are obviously a very smart individual so you should have no problem grasping that concept.

[Justice]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:23am

Well SilentGa,

When asked why my friend didn't like the show, he said there was too much "story". He had read the book and wasn't crazy about the book, either. But, he really like Idina. He also said that he was glad he had seen it, because he had heard so much. He's semi-new to the theatre so he'll see anything he can. I'm not disappointed or anything (I mean, he paid for his own ticket.) Because this show definately is not for everyone.
My other friend, on the other hand, saw it last week after I had bought her a ticket, and she LOVED it. She had never seen a B'way show before, and it was a great experience for her. I wish I would have been there, but she was the last one to get an individual ticket in the cancelation line. I gave her the money and told her to go without me. She was reluctant, but, everyone else in the line told her to "Go!" because the show was starting. She called me as soon as it was over to tell me that she cried. That was gratifying for me. That was my Christmas present to her, and when she told me how much she loved it, that was her Christmas present to me.

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:27am

CK, the board is going to be like this for the next two weeks (for Idina's departure and Shoshana's first night). I totally understand where you're coming from and agree with you to some extent (although I really don't mind different threads when they are good reviews like Justice's but it's the constant seating questions, cast questions and does Idina sign threads that get to me).

As you said in your post, no matter what you, me or anyone else say they will continue, and especially the next 10 days will be like this.

So I guess we all have to grin and bear it. It's just another 10 days

QM

[NStar21]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:27am

ckeaton, it's over. you have your opinion, i have mine. they just asked for it to go back to the review. and you're still carrying on.

Justice, with the Tsunami fund raising, are they doing something special? Or just raising money with the buckets, signed posters, walk ons, & etc.? Once again, great review, sorry, it got out of hand.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:30am

I didn't see this thread until after I responded to the thread about posting all of our Wicked reviews in the same place.

Because this is Idina's closing weekend it will be fun to have one account of all of the shows. I'm curious to read all the different reactions and appreciate having one place to find them. I hate to miss anything...

[Justice]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 10:31am

N,
Raising money with buckets. With a house that size, they definately will be raising a lot of money. (hell, with the overpricing of merchandise, they should be donating some of that money as well). But they were collecting for Americares. Maybe it will show the rest of the world that America is not so bad after all.