Having spent most of my childhood
pretending to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, it’s only fitting that as I
embark upon adult hood, I satisfy my curiosity for the romance, politics and
truths about the land of Oz. My fantasy life as child continues into adult
hood, as I feel I have gotten to know my oldest friends, the Tin Man, the Scare
Crow and the Wonderful Wizard of Oz on a deep and personal level after seeing
this play.
Wicked is a theater performance
that will leave you feeling as if you’re defying gravity as the performers lift
you out of your seat and drop you into the life of the witch of the west. It’s
surreal how virtually every character from the simple story of The Wizard of Oz
is tied into the intricate plot that is amazingly Wicked. From the ruby
slippers, to the twister that brought Dorothy to Oz, no yellow brick is left
unturned.
The plot is partially political.
The issues the plague Oz mirror the world issues of today. From racism, to
repression in the work place, to war and love triangles, there is something for
everyone in this magical performance. Men, women, children, optimists,
pessimists and realists, everyone will enjoy this deep inspirational play.
"A
man's called a traitor - or liberator. A rich
man's a thief - or philanthropist. Is one a
crusader - or ruthless invader? It's all in
which label is able to persist," are words from the mouth of the Wonder Wizard of Oz himself. This
is one of my favourite quotes from the play. There is more to this play than a fairy tale. The show will
leave you inspired and questioning your views on this wonderful world of ours.
Although, I was impacted strongly
by the political theme of the play, don’t think I wasn’t swept away on a broomstick
by the deeply human aspects of the Wicked Witch of the West. The story, which
explains Eplhelba’s (the witch of the west), decent to
wickedness, is that of heartbreak, betrayal, friendship and love. Each character
is neither good, nor wicked. There are so many layers to virtually every character;
it’s impossible to pinpoint a specific “evil” villain. Just as in life,
everyone makes mistakes, and every choice has a consequence. It’s magical to
watch the choices of the characters come to life to form Oz as we know it. The
play allows us to understand the motives behind Wizard of Oz and the Witch of
the West.
As
one would expect of a Broadway performance, the acting was breathtaking. I couldn’t
take my eyes off Glinda, the good witch, (played by Jeanna De Wall). Although the point of her character was
to play the beautiful popular girl who has it all, I can’t decide if it was her
character, or her acting ability that ruptured my attention so immensely. All
eyes were on her whenever she took the stage. Elphelba, (Played by Christine
Dwyer) reminds me of many people I know- Incredibly intelligent and utterly
misunderstood. To Boq, (played by Micheal Wartella) a sweet little munchkin who
is incredibly smitten by Glinda. The actors portray such realistic
personalities there is someone for everyone to relate to.
Frederick street in Kitchener has
temporarily been transformed to the yellow brick road. I highly recommend you
follow it to the Center of the Square to see Wicked.
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