Wicked!

When I first went to see Wicked the Musical, I pulled out my notebook and wrote a review during intermission. I have no idea what I did with that notebook, but I know I enjoyed the experience.

I remain extremely glad that I experienced Wicked when the show first moved to Sydney and the original cast was intact. It's given me a great base to compare the subsequent changes and evolution since then. The production has been polished up considerably as of my last visit, presumably in preparation for the move to Brisbane. The dancers have new costumes, the set has been spruced up, and there is a renewed energy in the performances. From the moment the map starts to glisten and the dragon roars, the production springs into life and I was mesmerized.

This was without a doubt the best overall experience. The audience were fantastic - nobody arrived late, there was not a single noise or word out of place, and everybody clapped and laughed heartily at the appropriate points. We were all in this together and hanging off every moment.

Our reward came at the end of curtain call when Lucy Durack signaled for the orchestra to stop, and Bert Newton addressed the audience. He thanked us all and relayed that they had commented backstage that we were the best audience they have had so far. He also took the opportunity to speak about the Rob Guest foundation and ask for donations.

As I headed across the street amongst the crowd I heard a girl saying to her parents "But do they say that everytime?" I couldn't resist setting her straight. "I've been three times, and this is the first time they've ever said anything." “Oh! Do they always say that it’s the best audience?” “Nope, just this time.” She seemed pretty happy about that.

So, after my 3 trips to Wicked, here's the verdict:

Best Elphaba: Amanda Harrison. Jemma Rix does an admirable job but doesn’t quite nail the characterisation. Amanda got laughs out of some of the throwaway lines which Jemma missed, and she had a great rapport with Rob Mills.

Pippa Grandiose played a very different Elphaba, more of the loner geek than the prickly witch, but while interesting it just wasn’t as effective. I’m sure there’s a reason why her contract wasn’t renewed and she was just a “temp” after Amanda left.

Best Fiyero: Rob Mills. I know, I know, Australia Idol wannabe who hooked up with Paris Hilton, I'm as surprised as you are. While I believe Tim Campbell is the superior performer, he just wasn't right for this role. For one thing, he’s too tall and towers over all of his costars. He is also a little bit older and doesn’t pull off the transition from high-school student to adult. Having said that, both were great and got the cheekiness and charm down pat.

Highlights: The clever social commentary woven into a visually spectacular and humorous story based on the Wizard of Oz. What's not to love?

Lowlights: Bert Newton. Seriously, that guy sucks, and the Australians *adore* him. They cheer whenever they see him. Honestly, it's ridiculous. I found his role irritating, and not sure if it's just him or if it's the character itself. But I'm sure the Wizard can't be that annoying in every production of this show. I think it's the way he delivers his lines and his general inability to act.

This show: 10/10

This production: 9/10 (they lose a point for Bert Newton, but fortunately his scenes are limited).

See it if you can!!!

Sidenote:

A massive thank you to Ticketmaster NZ, Ticketmaster Australia, Capitol Theatre and the Wicked production team for being so accommodating. My ticket was for Wednesday 22nd, but I was unexpectedly in New Zealand for my grandmother's funeral. On the Tuesday I flicked a quick email to the NZ customer service address as I couldn't find any contact details for Australia. I honestly didn't think of it any further, being somewhat preoccuped. But they contacted customer service in Australia who contacted the theatre. When I got back to Australia I had an email saying that if I wanted to show up at the theatre that night there would be a ticket waiting for me. Not only was it a ticket, it was the best seat in the house, dead centre. I was impressed by the service and very happy that I was able to see the production one final time before they moved on.

http://www.wickedthemusical.com/

Swan Lake on Ice

Several years back, when we saw Swan Lake on Ice in Auckland, we were in the front row at the Civic and it was a truly magical experience. Skaters performed remarkable feats to the magnificent Tchaikovsky, we saw skates flying above our heads, ice landed in our laps. I've said many times that it was one of my favourite shows of all time. It's worth noting that I received free tickets to their production of Cinderella on Ice the following year, and although enjoyable and amazing it simply didn't compare.

So when I saw the show advertised in Sydney my heart leaped... they were back with my favourite all time performance!! At first I didn't consider going, because I'd already been. But it took just a couple of drinks one night after payday for me to relent and purchase tickets online. I also told DH he had to come again, just as he had in Auckland. After all, it was at the casino, and he'd get to have buffet dinner first. (He's a big fan).

In my previous encounters with the Imperial Ice Stars, Vadim Yarkov has always performed the role of tall dark & handsome prince. There's been a bit of a cast reshuffle with some performers retiring, and in Swan Lake he is now playing the dark, evil and sinister Count von Rothbart. He adjusts to this role well, and I would say comparing his performances that he has come into his own in this role. He was always strong, but the "bad guy" role brings out a great deal of expression that was previously repressed. This, of course, leaves the starring role vacant. Consequently the shorter, blonde and utterly adorable Andrei Penkine is now playing the prince.

Lest you think I disagree with this casting, let me assure you that Andrei deserves this role and performs it admirably. He is exceptionally talented. However, having seen him in his previous role in this story, it's hard not to miss him in that capacity. Andrei played the role of Benno (the Prince's best friend) so exquisitely. He had the cheekiness, the sweet naivety and slight cockiness with the ladies that made his attempts to charm the Prince out of his lethargy quite appealing. He owned the role. So although he's a very talented skater and certainly performs Prince Siegfreid impressively, both Shane and I missed him in his previous role. The new Benno is taller (which just looks weird - the sidekick should always be taller than the Prince!) and doesn't have that cuteness about him.

In summary: Good Guy (Prince) is now the Bad Guy (Sorcerer), Sidekick (Benno) is now the Good Guy (Prince). Got it?

But that wasn't the only difference that we noted. The cast is older, they've been touring for many years now. I did feel that in some ways the production was somewhat tired. The performers spun around to the pre-recorded soundtrack, and it gave me a sense of tragedy, that they had lost the glamour that they deserved and sold their souls to commercialism. The costumes and sets throughout the show are beautiful and stunning, but they are the same sets and costumes as 5 years ago. The female skaters are still in the same roles, and still utterly brilliant. Their athleticism is astounding. It seems sad that they're touring the world year after year in the same roles. They are extremely talented, but it feels wasted on us, as though there should be something more for them after all of this time.

One of the most notable differences between the Russian skaters and basically *any* Australian production I've been to is the encore. The best part of the show is actually after it finishes, where they bow again and again, and then perform jumps and tricks while the crowd grows increasingly excited. This was the same as ever. It's the moment that they come into their own, and looking at them you cannot doubt that this is their life, their passion. They thrive on applause, and connect with the audience on a unique level. Their enthusiasm is contagious as the energy increases and they show off every jump and acrobatic trick in their repertoire.


If you ever have the chance to see the Imperial Ice Stars I thoroughly recommend you take the opportunity. They are passionate, talented performers who clearly love what they do.


Highlights:
I still adore Andrei Penkine. :-) And he DOES always smile at me. Then again, Shane refers to him as "smiley guy" so his smiles certainly aren't exclusive.

Lowlights:
Shane was disappointed that the skater on 6ft stilts was no longer part of the cast. The "tall guy" was part of the Count's evil posse and added an extra bit of drama. They still had the ring of fire where they light the stage up and other awesome moments, but the stilt guy was pretty cool!


What: Swan Lake on Ice
When: 1st September, 2010
Where: Lyric Theatre, SkyCity

http://www.imperialicestars.com