(image courtesy IMP Awards)
SNAPSHOT
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy, Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and those around her, will have unexpected & shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good… and the Wicked Witch of the West.Wicked is directed by American filmmaker Jon M. Chu, director of the films Step Up 2: The Streets, The LXD, Step Up 3D, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jem and the Holograms, Now You See Me 2, Crazy Rich Asians, and In the Heights previously. The screenplay is written by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz. It’s adapted from Holzman and Schwartz’s stage musical Wicked, which is based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Produced by Marc Platt and David Stone (of the Broadway musical). (courtesy First Showing)
Somewhat atypically for a gay man – “atypically” if you subscribe to popular conceptions of what gay men are into which, like all sweeping generalisations, are not nearly specific or accurate enough – I was neve really into musicals growing up.
Sure I loved The Sound of Music, which was broadcast every year on good old free-to-air TV when I was growing up, but beyond that, I found the interruption of the storytelling by songs (that was before, of course, I realised they are intrinsically a part of the narrative) and the fact that everyone seemed to inexplicably know the words to be tiresome at best and annoying at worst.
Then I discovered Wicked, and my world and attitude to musicals was transformed.
It wasn’t just the robustness and affecting emotionality of the music and a chance to add to the story of The Wizard of Oz which I also loved, but the strong bond of friendship between Glinda and Elphaba who end up on opposite sides of the good and evil divide simply because of prejudice, bigotry and the unwillingness of people to truly get to know others.
It’s a remarkable, transformative and immersively beautiful musical and It’s so exciting to see it coming to cinemas this November – 24th in UK, 27th in U.S. and 28th in Australia!
Magic is indeed in the air!
And here’s the trailer-for-the-trailer, Passion Project, released a day or so ahead of the trailer proper …