MONTREAL – The strength of the musical Wicked lies in the two leads, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
For all the sumptuous costumes, fancy sets, dry ice, flying monkeys and production numbers, it all boils down to whether these two dames can belt it out.
Goodness knows, to borrow a line from the production, they certainly can.
To state the obvious, the two leads are wicked good.
Wicked, the touring version that just touched down at Place des Arts for almost the entire month of August, is blessed with the gifted pipes of Jeanna de Waal as the saintly sweet Glinda and the superb Christine Dwyer as the flawed but ultimately redeemed Elphaba, the witch of the title.
It’s the story that purports to tell the tale of what happened before Dorothy and her house landed on the Witch of the East in the classic children’s book and 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.
Based on a series of books by Gregory Maguire, the musical backstory of the friendship of these two divergent characters has been a juggernaut on Broadway, London’s West End and broken all sorts of attendance and box office records since its debut in 2003.
And it’s a great show, with outstanding songs culminating with the goosebump-raising vocals on Defying Gravity.
The story opens with widespread jubilation as the citizens of Oz celebrate the passing of the Wicked Witch of the West, a dastardly green creature who has been bedevilling the land.
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As fans of the story know, she was done in by a bucket of water tossed by Dorothy. Seems her soul was so unclean that pure water could melt her.
We go back to the birth of Elphaba (named by Maguire for the phonetic pronunciation of Oz author, L. Frank Baum) to see how she was an outcast and pariah not only in her family but at school as well.
Like another green monster, the Incredible Hulk, Elphaba has powers that come to light when she’s angry.
At university, she becomes the roommate of the callow and shallow Glinda, a campy blond role played to perfection by de Waal. The two despise each other on sight, with exquisite loathing, as voiced in the delightful What Is This Feeling.
Into the university mix comes a superficial and tight trousered prince, Fiyero, campily played as a combination James Dean and Fonzie by Billy Harrigan Tighe.
The pert and perfect Glinda latches onto Fiyero while Elphaba pines from afar.
Blondes get the boy, green-skinned freaks do not is the message.
Elphaba’s sister Nessarose is in a wheelchair and it’s while defending Nessa that Elphie’s magic is noticed by the sorcery professor, Madame Morrible.
Elphaba is destined for great things, Morrible says, and will be introduced to the great Wizard of Oz, her lifelong dream.
The vapid and superficial Glinda attempts a makeover of her homely roommate and the episode of her teaching Elphaba to toss her hair is hilarious.
Needless to say, they become friends, and head off to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard.
To reveal more of the plot would be wrong.
Suffice to say there will be heartbreak, some of those scary flying monkeys, a subplot with a Munchkin and some broomstick travel.
The costumes are quite brilliant, particularly the numerous hues of green in the Emerald City tableaus and the candy-coloured gowns sported by the good witch.
A more than passing familiarity with the movie comes in handy if you’re going to catch the numerous incidents of foreshadowing and play on words.
“What’s in the punch?” Nessarose asks a Munchkin at a dance. “Lemons and melons and pears,” he answers. (Lions and tigers and bears, Oh My! Get it?).
If you like a catchy tune, the Wizard of Oz, some comedy and great vocals, then Wicked is the ticket.
Wicked: Showings continue until Aug. 26 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier of PDA.
Tickets: $52.49 to $139.47. Call 514-842-2112 or go to the Place des Arts or Evenko websites.
Day-of-performance lottery: A limited number of orchestra seats will be held 2 1/2 hours prior to each performance. People who present themselves at the Place des Arts box office will have their names placed in a lottery drum; 30 minutes later, names will be drawn for a limited number of orchestra seats at $25 each, cash only. This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person. Lottery participants must have a valid photo ID when submitting their entry form, if chosen, when purchasing tickets.
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