Wicked is indisputably everything a musical should be; there’s the universally familiar story, the catchy refrains, and the heroes and villains. But the familiarity of the story is undercut by clever twists, contemporary themes, and unexpected heroes and villains. Wicked strikes the balance between a deeper message and surface humour, recognisable stories and surprise endings, escapism and reality.
Lucy Durack plays an outstanding Glinda, to the point that her voice is saccharine, tremulous, and at times, annoying. It’s hard to tell whether it’s a deliberate choice, but if we give her the benefit of the doubt, she nails the role as she skips, taps her heels and flicks her oh-so-blonde hair.
The real standout, though, and rightfully so, is Jemma Rix, who hits every note as Elphaba. She’s fierce and proud and so, well… green. To see how joyfully and completely Rix takes on the role of Elphaba – both physically and vocally – it could well have been written for her.
The rest of the casting is apt too. Fiyero (Steve Danielsen) makes an inauspicious entrance, but by the end he earns our love as much as Elphaba’s. Glen Hogstrom charms as Doctor Dillamond, and Reg Livermore as The Wizard neatly, if not passionately, conveys his trajectory from all-powerful ruler to banished sham. Maggie Kirkpatrick gives Madame Morrible subtle sinister overtones from the beginning, and Edward Grey plays Boc as the lovesick schoolboy and the bitter captive convincingly, while Emily Cascarino is tragically beautiful as Nessarose.
The set is a performance in itself as it fluidly evolves from school dormitory to a castle to the Emerald City, with steam-punk-inspired sliding walls, fairy lights aplenty, and of course, Glinda’s bubble. The costumes, too, are delightful; from Elpheba’s plain black robes, which transition from drab to intimidating, to Glinda’s sparkly gowns, which are what little girls’ dreams are made of.
Everyone deserves a chance to fly, and Wicked does, brilliantly.
4.5/5 stars
Wicked is currently playing at the Capitol Theatre.
