Wicked: "Eh" or "Ick?"- Page 8

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 3:56pm

The problem with distorting the book so much is that Wicked is a brilliant book. Readers of the book hear about a musical- how would they feel when they see it, and see that it is dumbed down, changed, to the point where it's like "We're just using the title, and names of the characters."

Wicked had SO MUCH potential...I think that's what upsets everyone, that it didn't even come close to attaining the brilliance of the original book.

And then we know that Wicked had to make it more accessible for a younger crowd, they're extremely money-hungry and didn't even want to try something new and daring- whatever age it appealed to. That's an extreme turn-off.

And as for the music, I have the cast recording, but when I listen to it, it's only about 5 songs at a time, and then I turn it off. The chorus is horrible, some of the lines leave me thinking "What happened to intelligent lyrics?", and there are too many weak numbers to make this a strong musical.

[formanatrix]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 3:56pm

i know. Thats why i said if you read the book it will make you understand that the musical itself celebrates friendship, i mean come on "For Good".

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:06pm

*******Book spoiler warning*********


"It's interesting that people read anything negative about Wicked as "bashing." I have actually a very carefully considered critique of that show based on the utter disappointment with what I saw onstage. Not only do I feel it blew an absolutely perfect opportunity to make a great musical out of some very clever source material, I feel it isn't even successful at what people claim it's good at, these people including but not limited to Idina's comment at the Tony's that it celebrates the friendship of women. No, I don't think it even manages to do that half-succesfully."

that's nice that you have refrained from being offensive when talking about wicked, but you aren't the only person who posts about it.

As for the book...the book is kinky and political, is that what you wanted? Yes it's very interesting and I loved it but imagine putting that onstage. I'd like to see you try to write songs about half of the things they talk about in that book, most of which are just allegories to world history. It can't be done. You think children, teens or even adults want to see the death of Fiyero portrayed onstage? How about the philosophy club, or the kid in the well? OR they could have a fantastic scene about how all of the children and the sisters were slaughtered by the soldiers. I'm sure that would've been much more successful than the show they made.

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:07pm

Hey honey, explain why Dr. Dillamond doesn't die. I guess that death shouldn't exist either?!

Come on, the story is ridiculous.

[formanatrix]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:09pm

The Musical was taking the books story about Animals and animals one step further... I liked the difference in stories, it gave Elphaba more reason to care about Animals and animals.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:11pm

***show spoiler***


















are you saying that in the show, you think that when she pulls the sheet back there should be a DEAD goat? come on, children would have nightmares.

Let's face it, the wizard of oz is a popular movie (or book) mostly loved by KIDS! So kids will want to see it!

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:13pm

this show isn't based on the wizard of oz... it's based on the much darker book (and much MUCH better) Wicked... Updated On: 8/25/04 at 04:13 PM

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:13pm

See, I don't THINK that this musical should have been made for the kiddies. Send 'em to the Lion King, Beauty and the Beast... The book had such wonderful material- it didn't need to 'cater' to children.

But really, children get nightmares? Deaths have occured in *Disney movies*. I'm not scarred yet.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:14pm

isn't there a death in The Lion King?

and btw, is The Wizard of OZ really loved by MOSTLY kids? or are there many MANY adults who love this as well? Updated On: 8/25/04 at 04:14 PM

[formanatrix]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:15pm

but since the movie was made for kids, i think it was sucessful in the aspect of being a show for a good range of people, instead of being overly sophisticated, (half of the people who owuld have seen it would not have understood all of the politics), sexual, and violent... it went for somethign everyone would understand and could take in terms of gore and sexuality.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:17pm

has anyone explaind the Dragon that hangs over the stage?

[Derek2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:17pm

The musical is based on the book though. Its not gonna be exactly like it. Many shows arent even anywhere near exactly like the book or movie they are based on. I think if this musical came out in about 4 years (after the hype of the book and people had forgot about it and it wasnt read as often) it might have been recieved better (although it is still recieved as very well by many, including me). People who just see the name "Wicked: The untold story of the witches of Oz" are going to automatically think its a kids show....OZ. Many tourists dont look that deeply into a show before buying tickets. They see what people think. Many people would recommend Wicked. they dont know that it would have sexual or political things in it, like the book. Thats y the had to change many things. Also, it was hard enough bringing a musical of this size, with all its special effects to Broadway. It would have been even harder to bring it all. It would also be about 4 hours long.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:17pm

no, Wicked the musical is about the wicked witch of the west and glinda the good, characters both adapted from the wizard of oz. the show is losely based on the book, and the book depends on the story from the wizard of oz.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:17pm

i know when i was a toddler i was obsessed with the wizard of oz.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:18pm

OK...I saw the show and was confused by the ending. I don't know, I may have zoned out somewhere during the second half or something....but can someone PM me and tell me just how that happened!!!


*****spoiler"******







I was like...."What worked"? What the heck did they do for her to return?

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:19pm

VERY loosely based on the book...

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:20pm

Emutional - what you say may be true of the general tourism infected public - but I, myself, always prefer the darker shows - blood and gore included. Dark stories are SO much more interesting than that trite crap that they are trying to pass off as "theatre" in the Gershwin. Wicked bored me to tears and was just too sugarcoated for my tastes. The book made into a musical (meaning the original book upon which the show SHOULD be based) would have been much more exiting to watch and get involved in.

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:21pm

^ I agree with that. Take Caroline or Change, or any show with a deeper story- I would have rather had that than a sugar-coated 'let's appeal to tourists and children' story.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:24pm

again...no good deed...lots of spoilers that are dark...it's a lot of the first act thats sugar coated. and i mean, come on, if you've read the book, you know it would be hard to make it into a musical like that. and again, it says NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN 10 AND UNDER. that doesn't look like a familly show to me.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:25pm

and in my opinion, the musical diudn't take the whole Animal-animal one step further at all, actually just sort of glossed it over...

uh, i believe that most books are hard to make into a musical, hence the many many flops over the years... it takes TALENT to create a good musical from a book, even more to create one from scratch...

again, can anyone explain what the dragon was about? Updated On: 8/25/04 at 04:25 PM

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:25pm

redhot- maybe as a movie, it would, but think about watching that onstage. Try imagining songs and such.

I also stand by the point that people want to have fun on vacation which is why they go see "trite" musicals like Wicked, which consistenly sells out week after week with 100% attendance, than musicals like Caroline, or Change which, most recently, had 68% attendance and made less than a third of what Wicked did. Wicked is the kind of show that people plan on seeing so that they can be impressed and entertained, and have fun at the same time.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:27pm

the time dragon clock is what let the people know that the witch was dead (in the musical).

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:27pm

LadyGuenevere - thank you. BTW - I have had the song "Where are the Simple Joys of Maidenhood" in my head for the past 24 hours - and I can't figure out why!!!...Camelot is a fav of mine - and even IT has its dark moments (if directed well)...have you played that part?
joeyjoe - you're testing them, aren't you???LOL...you and I BOTH know what the Dragon was about (at least from the book's perspective)

[Derek2]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:28pm

Man, audiences are getting harder and harder to please. 10 years ago people would have thought this show (the songs, the sets and special effects) was the greatest thing since slice bread. You all say the show was soooo boring, and yet it must have been too complicated to understand cuz most of u dont know what happened in the end lol. im not being mean i just think its interesting :)

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 4:28pm

really? seems to me it just hung over the stage... it seemed to me that the creator tried to cram as much of the books details into the show without every explaining them...

and i DO know what happens in the end... a HAPPY ending, so that children won't have nightmares...

and Derek2, why not see Avenue Q and make your own objective judgement on it instead of basing your opinion on the fact that it won the Best Musical Tony... Updated On: 8/25/04 at 04:28 PM