The new Australian production of ‘Wicked’ is simply extraordinary.
I was lucky enough to witness opening night for the same show, same cast in Sydney. . . It was the first Australian opening night of this new tour. While it was a thrillifying theatrical experience, like a fine green elixir, it has only gotten better with time.
While I said practically everything I needed to say about this show’s production elements and iconic music in my Sydney review, both of which were as bright as the Emerald City from day one, I’ve got the opportunity this time around to speak to the noticeable growth of the cast and the impact that has on the show as a whole.
Let’s start here: the opening night of ‘Wicked’ in Melbourne made for the most incredible few hours this reviewer of nine years has ever spent in a theatre. This is a slick, well-oiled machine, operated by a fantastic lighting and sound department, a talented band, and a world-class cast. Transitions are smooth as butter, conversations between cast members are snappy and exciting, and musical numbers are performed with pin-point precision.
Image © Jeff Busby
Kurtis Papadinis’ Boq shimmers with adoration for Glinda, but then so believably shifts into a person who has become a lost soul; Adam Murphy’s Doctor Dillamond even in full goat regalia is able to portray deep sadness and hurt; Shewit Belay captivates each time she’s on stage, bringing a perfect balance of pride and resentment to Nessarose.
It’s so much fun to watch Liam Head take Fiyero on the journey he makes throughout this show. Existing on a plane of sheer delusion at first, before slowly trailing down to earth. Similarly, Robyn Nevin’s Madame Morrible has real bite and a fascinating character arc.
Simon Burke steps into the shoes of The Wizard, after Todd McKenney’s run in Sydney. He does a fantastic job, capturing the corruption and slipperiness of this figure.
When it comes to growth and a sense of full familiarity with their characters, however, none were more fantastic to watch than Courtney Monsma and Sheridan Adams as Glinda and Elphaba respectively. It’s nothing short of astounding to see how far they’ve come in their roles after just one season – I truly couldn’t believe my eyes.
Image © Jeff Busby
Sheridan in particular – as I mentioned in my Sydney review, I could feel her nerves early in the piece which gradually melted away. Here, however, Sheridan IS Elphaba from beginning to end. In every way a person can embody a character. Totally impressing in each song with a control in her voice that you need to see to believe. In a moment where she stands downstage, staring into the audience, I look into her eyes and can feel the sheer commitment.
Similarly with Courtney, I was convinced after Sydney’s opening that she could not get any better, but there’s now a new kind of swiftness and a certainty in her step that completes her transformation. The giddy joy and blissful ignorance she exudes gives ‘Wicked’ moments of actual laugh-out-loud – sometimes even howl-out-loud – comedy. But then there’s a moment like ‘Dancing Through Life’ or ‘For Good’, where the pair come together to pull at the heartstrings, and it’s pure magic.
If you haven’t yet seen the new Australian production of ‘Wicked’, now is your chance. This is a phenomenal night at the theatre – the best I’ve ever experienced, thanks mostly to a cast of actors who are truly, fully embodying their roles. It's a positively luminous example of Australian talents destined for things beyond their wildest dreams.
WOW.
★★★★★
