Is Wicked really spellbinding, or is it all just smoke and mirrors? If you’ve heard of The Wizard of Oz, you’d probably have read the book and watched all the movies, including Oz the Great and Powerful. While Wicked is one a fan should tick off the list, it’s also a great musical with familiar songs, amazing portrayal of characters, beautiful stage set, and most of all, the unheard story of the one who’s been so misunderstood.
When you’re my age, you’ll start to realise that villains tend to have pretty sad backstories – like Senor Pink in One Piece, Loki from Marvels, Disney’s Maleficent, and more. And it seems like Wicked is no different. It’s all about what happened pre-Dorothy; from Elphaba’s conception to her friendship with Glinda, right till the day the Wicked Witch of the West was put to an end.
I haven’t watched the movie (don’t @ me), but that’s only because I’m not a fan of “adaptations”. That, along with the fact that I just don’t have the time for movies these days. Besides, Part 1 of the Wicked movie already has a runtime of 160 minutes. The musical itself, along with the intermission, is just as long!
But anyway, the story starts with No One Mourns The Wicked. You’ll see Glinda “floating” in looking like a life-sized doll in a glittery ball gown and tiara, on a structure that’s adorned with bubble blowers. And you’ll follow Elphaba in her journey as she’s teased and even shunned for being different, her green skin. She’ll explain that she was born that way, and it’s not a result of eating too many vegetables. But Elphaba winds up at Shiz Academy to help look after her younger sister, Nessa Rose. That’s where her life turns upside-down. Elphaba meets her best friend in the popular Glinda, her soulmate in the carefree-like Fiyero and has her wishes come true when she’s granted the opportunity to meet the Wizard in The Emerald City. You’d think it would go well, but all goes awry when Elphaba discovers the mastermind behind an evil scheme she’s been trying to solve. (Highlight for spoiler: Turns out, it was the Wizard all along, and with him in power, Elphaba is painted as the big bad villain and framed for his misdeeds. He and Madam Morrible were the ones behind her reputation as the Wicked Witch of the West. ) I won’t reveal too much, but you should know that the musical does end on a lovely, yet bittersweet note – phew! No cliffhangers!
The insane vocals, dazzling numbers, costumes and choreography, and my love for the OG Elphaba and Glinda, they all explain why, despite watching it once in 2016, I had to catch Wicked again. I’ve been raving about this musical to my husband, even looking out for tour schedules just in case our travel schedules match. But finally, they’re back in Singapore, and we ultimately managed to score Stall Centre seats after an initial fumble. At Row Q, we were in the 13th row.
The acoustics, the atmosphere, the view; everything was perfect. For a show about witches, Wicked sure knows how to cast a spell on its audience – and I’m not just talking about the plot. It was great being able to watch their expressions and marvel at the stage sets and their costumes up close. The set design is a masterpiece: a grand steampunk-inspired concoction of whirring clockwork gears and gadgets, complete with a looming dragon with glowing red eyes (yes, the famous Time Dragon Clock made the trip), and even the Wizard’s giant mechanical head popping up to bellow his proclamations (talk about a big-headed ruler!)
I loved being able to watch Glinda and her quirkiness. Courtney Mosman was the perfect Glinda, better than the one I watched before. She injected her own flair and you could see that displayed during Popular. The way she marvelled at her own reflection in the mirror, going lar, lar, larrrr larrr.
And the way I got to hear Defying Gravity, how Zoe Coppinger belted those powerful notes, made me melt from the inside. The lighting is pure wizardry, too – especially during the iconic “Defying Gravity” scene. In that moment, Elphaba rises amid swirling fog and is bathed in prismatic lights radiating from her, making it truly look like she’s hovering magically mid-air – a goosebump-inducing spectacle that had the Singapore audience roaring with praise.
The performers really delivered, especially the two leading ladies. On vocal fireworks and comedic timing, their chemistry was downright enchanting. From powerhouse solos to playful banter, the performers radiated with charisma and stage presence.
That said, the ensemble’s wardrobe is absolutely eye-popping – from monochrome chic at the Ozdust Ballroom to outrageous emerald-green outfits in the Emerald City, each outfit meticulously crafted to bring Oz to life. It was the most sparkling, yes sparkling, performance. The entire stage was green, outfits were bright emerald, so much that even the performers were wearing green sunnies too. You can cop these sunnies at the merch stand as well, to which I sorely regret not getting them before heading in. I was nearly blinded… just joking. But it was a number that was marked by costumes that are a technicolour dream. Those big group numbers like turned the stage into a joyous whirl of synchronised dancing (with even a few acrobatic tricks), sending the show’s energy through the roof.
True to the Sands Theatre’s fashion and with it being a musical, there were tons of photo spots. But the crowd was insane, what with it being the last matinee show. There were a total of about 4 – 6 photo spots.
One at the entrance, right before your tickets get scanned. But the ushers still had to check my tickets before granting entry, so I doubt non-musicalgoers can enter.
The walkway with a beautiful arch, where we had to queue up to scan our tickets and have our bags checked.
Another photo spot was located right before the stairs up to the balcony floor.
This photo spot was probably the hottest. I mean, it’s a mashup of Glinda and Elphaba – the pink and green, who wouldn’t want a pic there?
We managed to find another photo spot, which you can go to if you’re like me – not a fan of queues. It’s located further down from the Cloak Room, and no one really goes by this area unless you’re entering the theatre through the doors (7 and 8) situated there. There were other similar walls as well, but this area was the most untouched and had no queues too!
If I recall correctly, there was another photo spot located on the upper floor. It’s located near the lift, right outside the washrooms, and barely anyone was there. But I was in a rush to get back in before intermission ends, so I couldn’t grab a photo!
Nevertheless, you can always wait till the end of the musical to grab those pictures again.
I obviously couldn’t resist grabbing some merch. My old Wicked musical t-shirt was already showing signs of ruin. But be warned that they are pricey, although my husband did remark that it’s typical pricing for such merchandise.
Situated next to the food and beverage queues, the merch stand was hard to miss.
We copped two of the t-shirts. Yes, the ones the people manning the stand are wearing in the photo above. And each t-shirt costed us SGD60 (sorry, I can’t remember the other prices…)
The queue went fast. So you can afford to get these during intermission. But if you’d like to take your time perusing what’s available, do head into the area earlier.
If the tour were to land in Singapore again, I’d definitely go. While the gap was a tad too long, I felt it was well worth the wait. The only downside, though, we were pretty close to one of the speakers. Facing the stage, our left ears rang whenever the performers belted their high notes. But that’s something I was more than willing to sit through, albeit with my left ear plugged by my pinky.
Other than that, my only lesson from this time is that I’ll only get musical tickets from Marina Bay Sands themselves in future. I purchased my initial tickets from Klook and was unaware that we couldn’t select the specific seats. It was only after the transaction had been done that I realised they were right at the back of the theatre. Thankfully, my friend managed to get those tickets off me, allowing me to get another pair of tickets with better seats!
So if you’re ready to see the other side of the broom, stay tuned for the musical’s return. Otherwise, head abroad to catch them at Broadway live, or maybe even at the West End!
Every Singaporean’s favourite pastime.
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