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Wicked

I recently went to see Wicked. I enjoyed it. I don’t go to musicals that much. I seem to forget how much dancing there is. All the performers are skilled and it is impressive seeing them move, sing, dance and act their way through at full pelt with seldom a dull moment.

A friend of mine was playing one of the leads and he is normally in the ensemble but is understudy and it was great to him see have his chance to shine.

From a structural point of view, I found it interesting to note it used a type fo “circular” structure. Like the Titanic film.

This seems to be used particularly well when the audience are likely to know the story well.

We all know the Titantic sinks, so you can not easily build suspense up to that conclusion. Instead, you start with the conclusion, explain how you arrive at the conclusion and then add a little twist slightly beyond the conclusion to give the story a different and satisfactory ending.

A “circular with a tail” dramaturgical structure.

In Wicked, we all know the Wicked Witch dies in the Wizard of Oz, so 98% of Wicked tells you the story of how the Wicked Witch gets to the point we all know and the play starts just after the Witch’s death and then goes back in time but ends up finishing a little time after her death with new revelations (if you want to know what, go and see the play – different to the book ending).

comments

4 Responses to “Wicked”

  1. Natalie on November 22nd, 2007

    Have you read the book? The book deals MUCH more with the animal rights issue aspect of the tale – it’s the animal rights issue that is the driving force behind the whole OZ saga essentially. (very much a pro-vegetarian book1) Is meant to parallel the race division in contemporary society.

    It’s much more than just a circular tale with a twist though – it completely undermines the previous perception of the Witch and re-writes the whole of the Oz myth – i.e. the ‘witch’ is a revolutionary freedom fighter, Dorothy should be perceived as no more than a minor character who is completely ignorant and is thrown into a world where she swallows the Wizards propaganda hook line and sinker and the Wizard is an ignorant and dangerous bigot. The ‘goods’ guys are turned on their head and revealed to be the weak and foolish (i.e lion who doesn’t realise he owes his life and freedom to the Witch)

  2. Andrew - a West End Whinger on November 23rd, 2007

    Enjoyed it?

    We are VERY disappointed in you Ben. But I suppose you have to enjoy it if a friend is in it. Or say so, anyway.

  3. Ben Yeoh on November 23rd, 2007

    Shhh. We always enjoy our friends in plays. Don’t you?

  4. franceschina on January 19th, 2008

    hey everyone……i know is not much to do with this discussion……but have you ever heard of COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE???and the masks??
    i found this great international theater company called ” TEATRO PUNTO” check the blog and pass this information:
    http://www.myspace.com/teatropunto
    they do great workshops!!!!
    check it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • About me

    I'm a playwright and investment analyst. I have a broad range of interests: food, gardening, innovation & intellectual property, sustainability, architecture & design, writing and the arts. I sit on the board of Talawa Theatre Company and advise a CIS investment trust on socially responsible investments.

  • Recent Work

    Recent plays include, for theatre: Nakamitsu, Yellow Gentlemen, Lost in Peru, Lemon Love. For radio: Places in Between (R4), Patent Breaking Life Saving (WS).

  • Nakamitsu

  • Yellow Gentlemen