WICKED
Where Harry Potter meets Mean Girls
I was invited to the green carpet for the European film premiere of Wicked, and despite the rain, it was a truly magical evening with themed cocktails, costumes on mannequins and props to appreciate. The setup made me feel as though I were back on-set. Let me break all writing etiquette rules here, and go right into the set design right now. The fact that film director Jon M. Chu has used very little CGI, ticks many boxes for me, and these sets were mahoosive. Working and studying film, I admire films that hire real-life people, and are not heavy on special effects or AI. This film created opportunities for talented individuals to sink their teeth into, and this excites me.
Filming took place in England (whoop whoop) at a few locations; the new Sky Studios Elstree in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, the nearby Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, and at a huge purpose-built set at Ivinghoe in the Buckinghamshire countryside. Do you see those tulips on the poster/trailer? I can see 9 million of them. They planted these for the film, and you can visit the tulip fields in Norfolk next year (click me).
The storyline
Wicked fans will know this is the origins story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who scared the cr*p out of poor old Dorothy and Toto in the 1939 landmark film classic, The Wizard of Oz, before she was doused to death with a bucket of water. She was allergic apparently. This is about her life before she melted but with lots of singing and funny bits.
Wicked is an emotional journey, and Jon M. Chu had some big (ruby) shoes to fill with this one. He proves to be gifted in his direction, capturing the essence of this story with such sensitivity and talent that only great wizards possess. Every shot, every detail, every song and every scene is a testimony to his deep understanding of this work.
Cynthia Erivo playing Elphaba (the green one), sings live and does her own stunts, it's truly impressive. With every look and every gesture. Cynthia transmits all the complexity and vulnerability of this powerful character. It's simply spectacular. As for the pink one, Ariana Grande like Glinda (or Galinda) is such a cutie in this, she has a lot of charisma, and she is witty, she made me laugh, a lot. Both actresses have an indescribable chemistry, even after cameras stopped rolling a year ago, this chemistry is still seen and memed about in their press interviews. The pair will need new shelves fitted for award season. Wicked is a life lesson, it teaches us something that we all need to remember, we must love and accept each other no matter what, and we must never let go of our truth. Cause, when you stay true to yourself, when you embrace who you are, nothing has the power to bring you down. I think there’s a song about that…
Wicked is a masterpiece that not only works perfectly as entertainment but also transforms hearts. If you are looking for an experience that makes you feel deeply, this film is for you.
Do you have to be a musical fan to enjoy this one?
I chuckled recently with someone at work when I asked her if she had plans to go see Wicked, and she replied, “I’m not really a musical fan” but what I find amusing, is that I’m not overly keen on them either, yet I enjoyed it. The “do you like musicals” question has been such a conversation starter with people, and I’ve seen with my own eyes that Wicked has put a spell on viewers, even non-musical ones left the premiere feeling something. Just a friendly reminder though, this is part one of a two-part adaptation and it clocks in at 2 hours and 40 minutes. We’ve got a long way to go on the Yellow Brick Road, but Wicked already casts quite a spell. Go fly, see, laugh and cry!
Special thanks to Universal and UPI Media. Same again next year, please!
