Review: Wicked
Wicked offers magic from a full stage
The Helsinki City Theatre started its season with a musical again, as it has done in so many years before. This autumn, the stage will be taken over by the citizens of the Land of Oz, who weave their Wicked story into the plot of The Wizard of Oz.
The background group is well-known and award-winning, and the result is accordingly. The stage will be filled with skilled and enthusiastic young people with the right stage radiance.
But what else does the musical offer other than technical expertise, and what age is it aimed at?
Despite its fairytale nature, the plot is not the easiest – at least not if you are not familiar with The Wizard of Oz. The manual helps with this problem, as it offers a very detailed synopsis.
The language is so difficult that it does not open up to the youngest. Of course, the axis of scariness also drops the little ones.
The genre of music may not appeal to those who are purely rock-oriented, and even the classical singing style may drop some off.
However, in its spectacle, the musical offers experiences from the stage full and the themes of the story have a lot to pick up in today’s world.
The evil witch of the West is juxtaposed with the good, but the nature of good and evil is opened up more deeply and the unambiguity of the words is broken. So there are many things to do.
The society behind the fairy tale
The main roles are played by the rich and spoiled beauty Galinda and Elphaba, who was born green skin. Chance makes them roommates at the university. Through twists and turns, they become friends and accept each other’s differences.
Anna-Maija Tuokko plays the honeyed Galinda and makes her a deliciously light-hearted blonde caricature. The comedy of the musical is created specifically around Galinda’s character.
Elphaba, played by Maria Ylipää, has to walk a rocky road because of her differences, but it is also a path to growth and understanding.
Both of them perform their singing job really handsomely and make their characters an interesting friend image in terms of dynamics.
The university the girls attend, among other things, prepares them for magic, which Elphaba seems to have natural inclinations for. The Wizard of Oz is the main influence of the kingdom and Elphaba is offered the opportunity to meet him.
Not everything is as it seems, as the Wizard is revealed to be a tavis, hiding behind a large mask. He has the symbols of power, but his skill is pure deception.
The Wizard wants Elphaba’s skills as his instrument of power, with the help of a teacher/press secretary excellently portrayed by Ursula Salo .
The musical is a peculiar mix of fairy tales and real-world problems.
Greed and ambition try to surface wherever there is a place for them. The rights of animals and humans, understanding differences, envy and love – all are present.
The diversity of themes sometimes even encourages over-interpretation through the richness offered by the stage.
Directed by Hans Berndtsson , the performance is moving and adaptable in many ways. It offers well-performed music and dance. The set design is inventive and the costumes are imaginative.
The story is complex and does not fall into the obvious. Still, I missed something – touchiness?