Theater review: Five things you’re going to love about ‘Wicked’

You probably have tickets. If you haven’t bought tickets, you’re probably thinking about buying tickets (or crying inside if you can't spare money for them). Either way, you’d have to be living under a rock to not know that Manila has turned “Wicked.”

But if you aren't planning to buy tickets yet, let me convince you why you'll be missing out.

Fans of the musical have been celebrating since the Manila production was announced months ago. Many were relieved they didn’t have to chase the production around Australia. While some flew to Singapore in 2011 and 2012 to watch the show at Marina Bay Sands, many Filipinos are audibly—at least on social media—thankful they can see it right here in our very own CCP Main Theater.

The show opened in Manila on January 22 to glowing reviews, numerous raving posts on Facebook and Twitter, and just possibly, many theater-goers singing the entire musical's song list to their household’s discontent.

The gala night was held on January 24, packed with personalities from all walks of society—philanthropic foundations, showbiz personalities, socialites, theater performers, even college basketball stars Jeric and Jeron Teng. Theater-goers came to the show in their best emerald outfits. A special shop was set up in the lobby for all the “Wicked” merchandise you can think of—t-shirts, CDs of the original Broadway cast recording, programs, caps. Several photo walls were set up. And at the end of the show, ushers gave out curiously strong mints packaged in “Wicked”-green translucent pouches with deep black ribbons.

But you don’t care about the gala night. You care about the show. You know there’s more to it than the Glee cover of “Defying Gravity.” So here are five reasons you should watch “Wicked.”The word play is hilarious. If you like “Wicked,” then you may also like at least a few other musicals too, and maybe more than a few works of literature. The quirky word play, courtesy of the witty lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, is sure to amuse. Look out for the big “Congratulotions” banner hanging above the stage in one scene, and watch out lest you be disgusticified or swankified by a personality dialysis. Rejoicify!

The set design will make your jaw drop. In some stage plays, sets are like another character. They tell you when and where in the story you are, suggest the next turn of events, and sometimes they speak volumes more than the actors do. Oh, and the Time Dragon… may be a little more in-your-face than Smaug. If your companions have heart conditions, you might want to warn them!

The cast will knock your socks off. Suzie Mathers and Jemma Rix played Glinda and Elphaba respectively during the Singapore run, and are now reprising their roles here in Manila. We pride ourselves on amazing singers here in the Philippines, and our Lea Salonga-loving audiences will definitely cheer for Mathers and Rix. These witches cast spells with their singing, be it the high notes of “Defying Gravity” or the mournful tones of “I’m Not That Girl.”

Joining the cast for the first time as the dashing Fiyero is tall and limber (okay, he’s really cute) screen actor Steve Danielsen, who wows and woos the audience while he’s “Dancing Through Life”. And if you’re a Star Wars fan, here’s a treat: Episode 2 and 3’s Captain Typho (Jay Laga’aia) plays the light-footed Wizard!

It’s ‘Mean Girls’ in Shiz University. If a companion of yours knows nothing about the movie, then this could help get them interested. Hollywood favors prequels and origin stories these days—remember the TV series Smallville? 2011’s “X-Men: First Class”? People always want to know why so-and-so became loony in the first place, or how Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan became such a good scare team.

Nothing says prequel more than “The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz” and “So much happened before Dorothy dropped in.” And this prequel is very much the story of adolescent girls, cliques, popularity, fashion, and how all of these shape our life choices. After all, was Elphaba born wicked? Or was it thrust upon her? Was Regina George really a Mean Girl, or was she merely a victim of raging hormones and social pressure? Important questions to ponder while you watch the show.

New takes on old phenomenon are fun. Let’s face it. This story isn’t new. “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” written by L. Frank Baum, was published in 1900. Before Judy Garland started singing “Over the Rainbow,” there were at least five film adaptations of varying lengths and formats, some by Baum himself. There was even a Turkish film adaptation in 1971, and 1978 saw Michael Jackson and Diana Ross in “The Wiz.” Some of you might even remember the creepy Wheelers in the 1985 fantasy adventure “Return to Oz,” starring a young Fairuza Balk. And as recently as 2013 was Sam Raimi’s “Oz the Great and Powerful,” starring James Franco.

But most of these adaptations focus on Dorothy and Toto, or the Wizard and his accidental foray into Oz. Few bother to look at the witches themselves. Then along comes Gregory Maguire with his 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” This story has seen so many permutations, and it has endured so many references in various facets of popular media. And so, it’s endless fun to see it coming to life onstage, acknowledging—and even referring to!—all the versions that came before.

So, have you bought your tickets yet? — VC, GMA News