Twenty-one years after its Broadway debut and eight years after the film adaptation was first announced, Wicked has finally hit the big screen — and it was magical.
Initial cast announcements were met with uncertainty; I’ll admit, I was also sceptical about such a star-studded cast, especially for a movie musical (see: Les Misérables from 2012). But one must remember, theatrically trained people can be famous too, guys.
Ariana Grande wows as Galinda — I apologise to all the Arianators for professing doubt. Dare I say, it was the role she was born to play. Her performance is tasteful, and pays homage whilst adding her own flare to the stage production. If she has Kristin Chenoweth’s approval, then she has mine too.
Cynthia Erivo’s emotive performance of Elphaba certainly struck a chord, and it seems both her and Grande carried these emotions into their press junket. Erivo’s “Defying Gravity”, perhaps the most well-known musical song outside of theatre, remains as pivotal and grand on screen as on stage — when watching, hold some space for it.
The theatrics don’t stop there: Jonathan Bailey joins the ranks of theatre greats to play Fiyero, and he does a remarkable job. Whereas Aaron Tveit and Norbert Leo Butz brought the bird-brained Prince to life on stage, Bailey does so just as successfully on screen. Performances by Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter Dinklage continue to elevate the ensemble, each adding their own unique energy and depth to the plot, making the film an even richer experience.
In the wonderful land of Oz, the sets are entirely hand-crafted, and that’s what makes the film so great — its immersion. Jon M. Chu continues to give us reasons to move away from the over-reliance on green screens (but not the green witch, of course). Erivo and Grande’s decision to sing live, paired with their choices for authentic, non-CGI hair and makeup, capture the passion and dedication that went into the making of this film, which is felt through the screen.
For a childhood theatre kid, Wicked is everything you could ever want. My only criticism? It would’ve looked better in technicolour.
“Jonathan Bailey, Cynthia Erivo, and Ariana Grande at the Wicked Special Screening in New York City” by Our Movie Guide is licensed under CC BY 3.0.