Wicked - North Shore Musical Theatre, SkyCity Theatre
Reviewed by Katie Pidgeon
The Barfoot and Thompson season of Wicked - The musical presented by North Shore Music Theatre is full of magical moments and leaves the audience spellbound. This was plain to see on the faces of children and adults, many of whom had dressed up for the occasion in suitable costumes in solidarity with their fandom.
I saw Wicked with fresh eyes, unfamiliar with the storyline and songs. The storyline was easy to follow and provided a new perspective on The Wizard of Oz in the telling of the relationship between Glenda, the Good Witch of the North, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West before they'd heard of Dorothy. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, which premiered on Broadway in 2003, it is relevant and timely in its message of fake news and propaganda. This was especially focused on the Wizard and his method of control of the citizens of Oz.
A story with strong female lead characters played by well-chosen actors. The voices of Heather Lee Wilcock (Elphaba) and Teresa Wojtowics (Glinda) were strong and complementary to one another. The frisson - yes, there is a name for the goosebumps we get from listening to music - from 'Defying Gravity' was on account of their chemistry together and the power of their voices. The other songs were highly memorable and executed with passion. The supporting cast was a mixture of new and experienced North Shore Musical Theatre troupe. Tina Cross as Madame Morrible gave a stellar performance and it was great to see newcomers, Catie Houghton and Skyler Jed, as Nessarose and Fyero.
The choreography was energetic and precise and the ensemble performed well together. Particularly, in the ballroom scenes and at Emerald City, the costumes were exquisitely brocaded. They helped bring life and glamour to the production.
Huge accolades to the Production team who have put together mesmerizing theatre, particularly Director Alex McKellar faced additional challenges of holding the magic together through a period of the covid years of cancelations. All honour to her and her team because the magic most definitely happened and it was performed with the freshness of 'new energy'. This is not easy to achieve.
The orchestra was totally excellent and many patrons mistook the live performance as professionally recorded backing tracks because it was simply sublime.
SkyCity Theatre is an intimate venue that allows the whole audience to feel up close to the action and appreciate the stage design which was imaginative and magical with efficient changes based on well-thought-out sets. The aesthetic of the film Wizard of Oz was followed to successfully transport the audience through time and space to the setting of Oz.
Wicked was worth the wait as it was delayed three years due to Covid. I am very thankful it was not a casualty of the pandemic and survived to be staged.
I am officially a big fan of Wicked and North Shore Musical Theatre's production of it. I would encourage young and old to put on their green tights and witch's hats and get along to the vibrant, enchanting musical for a great night out to see the local talent of a very high quality. Unfortunately, this show is SOLD OUT and that is a testament to its quality.
Watch out for any tickets available via cancelations.
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