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A lavish, spectacular treat that instantly deserves its place amongst the greatest musicals to come out of Hollywood.Summary
Rating
Unmissable!
I’m a rare visitor to the cinema – I’d much rather be in the theatre. But occasionally I am lured to the land of popcorn munching and big screens. It comes as no surprise that the latest movie to have me running to the silver screen is Wicked, seemingly the most hotly anticipated/most-marketed movie of all time.
For fans of the musical, buckle up. It’s a treat and I could wax lyrical for hours. There are Easter eggs throughout, some spectacular surprise appearances, and the pure Wicked-ness of the stage show remains intact. With a runtime of a heady 2 hours 41 minutes, many are questioning how Act 1 of the show can possibly be stretched out so long? I was ready to be cynical about this, but it absolutely whizzed by.
However, as much as a gushing 5,000 word review might be fun to write, it’s been pretty much covered by the pure avalanche of comments on social media across the opening weekend of the film. So, just what is it that makes this such a corker?
Director Jon M. Chu has created an all-encompassing world. It’s lush, it’s colourful, there are subtle, and in your face, nods to The Wizard of Oz throughout. The scale is truly epic. You’ll find yourself gasping at the first shot of Shiz University and as Glinda and Elphaba arrive at the Emerald city. Chu’s previous work includes In the Heights, and the skill with which he depicts a baking hot day in Manhattan’s Washington Heights is raised to new heights here.
From the array of Shiz uniforms, to the diamond encrusted tornado shoes that Nessa is presented with, the costumes are another contributor to the spectacle. Elphaba’s hat is perfect, Glinda’s dresses are exquisite, and the Emerald City residents are a feast for the eyes. Costume designer Paul Tazewell and his team have a triumph on their hands.
As with the movie version of Les Mis, the vocal performances were all done live on set, even ‘Defying Gravity’. Cynthia Erivo who plays Elphaba has been enjoying explaining on the press junket how she did this whilst simultaneously flying around (singing from high up in your lungs and back apparently!). Unlike with Les Mis, they are all flawless.
In terms of casting, the stars don’t disappoint. Ariana Grande brings humour and charm to her Glinda and it won’t be groundbreaking to say that Cynthia Erivo absolutely smashes it as Elphaba. As Jonathan Bailey launches into ‘Dancing Through Life’ I witnessed, for the first time in my life, an entire cinema swoon en masse. How are we expected to wait a year to see his version of ‘As Long as You’re Mine’?
Some of the smaller roles also stand out in simply wonderful ways, with Bronwyn James and Bowen Yang stealing the screen as Glinda’s sidekicks. It’s also brilliant to see Marissa Bode shine as Nessarose, the first actor who uses a wheelchair to be cast in the role.
There’s an ongoing joke at the Everything Theatre HQ about how many times I cry at the theatre and write about it. Well, brace yourself team. I cried about four times, with a lot more near misses throughout. In amongst the glitz, the glamour and the pure Oz-ness of the film, there is a moment during the Ozdust Ballroom scene that is so tender and beautiful, you’d have to be made of stone not to shed a tear.
It’s hard not to gush, but trust me, this really is a remarkable piece of film, slotting into the golden age of Hollywood musicals beautifully. It’s an instant classic. I just don’t know how I will wait 525,600 minutes for Part II.
Wicked is based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
Original musical Wicked with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman
Film directed by Jon M. Chu
Screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox
Wicked is currently in cinemas. The musical is playing at the Apollo Victoria and on tour around the UK. More information can be found here.
