Evening folks!
Well, I did go and see
Wicked today. My very honest opinion of it was that it was ok but lacked something.
Part of my problem was that I was blowing hot and cold on the performance of Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda. I’d start to warm up to her and then I would have a problem with something else she did.
At first, I thought she was having mike problems because she sang so softly. Then (IMHO) she kept missing music clues and rushed to put all of the words in at once. Perhaps it was a different arrangement or interpretation of the music but I found it most annoying.
My overall impression (and I have no idea as to the age of the lady) was that she was too old for the role of Glinda.
Stephanie J. Block played Elphaba. While she did a good job of it, I also noticed a lack of “punch” to key words in some of the songs.
I felt sorry for David Garrison. When he made his first appearance as the Wizard, one or two people clapped then stopped. Then a few more clapped. A few others joined in with a rather uncertain “should we or shouldn’t we at this point” air. By that time, he had been on stage for way past the normal time it would take to acknowledge someone with thunderous applause. It would have been kinder, I think, to not clap at all. I didn’t clap because I didn’t know him.
Still it was a pretty good show. I don’t know if I would have enjoyed it more by not seeing the Broadway version first.
I’ve always held the opinion that the road shows we get here in Tampa are just as good if not better then the ones on Broadway. Now I’m not as sure.
Wicked was the first Broadway show that I’ve seen in both places and I would have to honestly say that the Tampa show would rank second to the one I saw in NYC.
That’s one of the reasons I so wanted to see POTO in NY. It would have been nice to compare the ones I’ve seen. Although I don’t think anyone could be as bad as the first Phantom I saw. I still get a chuckle out of that every time I think about it.
I had my usual shock at what some people wore to the theater. Ratty jeans and t-shirts abounded.
As soon as the curtain dropped the ones next to me tried to make a bee line for the door. I was at the end of row and stood quite solidly in their way. They had to stay for the final bows. When they passed me I made sure I said in voice loud enough to be heard, “This isn’t a movie. You don’t run out during the credits.” I got a nasty look and gave one in return.
My only other problem was that I wished I had someone with me to watch the show. I had a nice chat with one of the theater volunteers but it would have been good to have someone I knew to talk to.
Part of what made
Patience all the more enjoyable was having you, DR Elmore, there to share it with me.
Ahh, well.
That was my day at the theater.
