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If I was undecided about my affinity to theatre, Wicked the musical helped me smile into a resounding ‘yes’ last Thursday.
Telling the tale of Emerald City long before one fateful tornado (oh, you won’t believe that backstory) brought Dorothy there, it has regaled 70 million people in 16 countries since its 2003 debut. In that time, Wicked has won a Grammy, the Olivier Award, 6 Helpmann Awards and 3 Tonys, among many others.
It’s plain to see why now but I wasn’t nearly as optimistic before the show. Given the recent trend of disastrous retcons of established characters (think 2025’s Snow White, TV’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and 2021’s Cruella), Wicked’s synopsis of a ‘misunderstood’ Wicked Witch made me groan.
Fortunately, this character rethink was conceived by Gregory Maguire in his 1995 novel, a time when writing standards were just better.
Wicked, the musical reveals that the antagonist in The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West was a good friend of Glinda, the novel’s Good Witch. It explores themes of prejudice, power and manipulation but in an intelligent way that moves the plot along without grandstanding. Love and friendship are also threaded neatly into the storyline for a well-rounded yarn.
Performance
Elphaba, the Wicked-Witch-to-be is played by Zoe Coppinger (above, centre) who was the understudy for the recent Australian performances, while Courtney Monsma (above, right) fills the role of Glinda. Their common love interest Fiyero is played by Liam Head (above, left).
Jennifer Vuletic (above, left) as Madame Morrible, Chelsea Dean (above, centre) as Nessarose and Simon Burke (above, right) as The Wizard round up the principal characters.
The story may revolve around Elphaba but Glinda clinches it for me. Going by the responses to her performance as the show progressed, I am not alone. It may be a slightly unfair comparison – Elphaba’s character arc is dominated by challenges and misery while Glinda’s is largely fun and perky, lending itself more readily to levity.
Monsma’s rendition undoubtedly leans into this; she adds little ‘extras’ to both her acting and speaking that had the audience rolling with laughter time after time. Watch out for the tweak when she is talking about the title of her essay on wands.
While no Miss Saigon, the set was nonetheless impressive. The intricate details, from the clockwork dragon perched above the stage to the vivid landscapes of Oz, create an immersive world. The lighting and special effects enhance key moments, particularly during “Defying Gravity”.
There is an inordinate amount of aerial work involved, from Elphaba on her broomstick to Glinda in her ‘bubble’ and the flying monkeys.
The performances are solid across the board. Coppinger delivers a powerful vocal performance, particularly in her solo numbers, “The Wizard and I” and “Defying Gravity”.
Glinda, on the other hand, provides a contrast with her bubbly energy and comedic timing. Her rendition of “Popular” earns genuine laughs, while “For Good” highlights her character’s emotional depth.
Fiyero is played with charisma, though his sudden transition from carefree nobleman to altruistic rebel lacks credibility. Madame Morrible and the Wizard are suitably imposing, but I would have liked for the show to have delved deeper into their dastardly machinations.
Musically, Wicked remains a crowd-pleaser. Stephen Schwartz’s score is performed well, with the orchestra delivering a polished sound.
Final thoughts
Wicked, the musical is one of the funniest things I have ever watched. My initial scepticism was rooted in how underwhelming I found the 2024 film Wicked, but this musical is another beast altogether.
There are some plot holes that I wish were explained, most notably, how Elphaba’s sister developed almost as good an ability to read the language of spells as her green-hued sibling in that one scene.
What I did like was how the character origins of protagonists in The Wizard of Oz were woven into this storyline. Why couldn’t Marvel do something intelligent like this with Nick Fury’s missing eye in place of the laughably dull explanation they came up with?
Of course, the star of the show for me was Monsma as Glinda. The role suits her to a T, and her infusion of little flourishes into her speech and acting made even me laugh out loud.
Catch Wicked at Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands till 27 Apr 2025.
Get your tickets from S$68 on Klook SISTIC
