874 posts
|
Post by daisy24601 on Apr 12, 2019 10:37:22 GMT
I wish I had seen it back then but twas before my (theatre) time. First for me was 2011.
|
|
639 posts
|
Post by Oleanna on Apr 12, 2019 10:48:24 GMT
It’s just that the young’uns don’t seem to get exactly how massive the whole thing was on opening. Idina was everything she needed to be back then, and Kerry better still when she first took over and wasn’t bored stiff by it. Putting something that big and shiny and new in a location a tube ride away from Shaftesbury Avenue was a risk. A minimal one, but risky all the same. The wendies all moaned about Helen Dallimore not being a carbon copy Glinda, but she gave a quite heartbreaking performance that’s a lot similar to the better Glindas these days (Beck, Pilkington) than the vapid airhead of Cheno’s take on it. You saw her journey and self realisation. Margolyes brought some stagey gravitas (but no singing) and the renovation of the Apollo Vic added glamour. It was event theatre. Thanks for sharing this, danb. A lovely recollection.
|
|
316 posts
|
Post by martello736 on Apr 12, 2019 13:01:49 GMT
|
|
|
Post by isabel on Apr 12, 2019 13:04:31 GMT
Rachel Tucker is my top & favourite Elphaba by a mile. IMO nobody else has come close
|
|
559 posts
|
Post by danieljohnson14 on Apr 12, 2019 13:11:29 GMT
Rachel Tucker is my top & favourite Elphaba by a mile. IMO nobody else has come close I have to agree, I'd say the closest overall Elphaba to her for me is Jennifer DiNoia*. *based on actresses I've seen.
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 12, 2019 14:32:03 GMT
|
|
3,927 posts
|
Post by Dawnstar on Apr 12, 2019 17:34:32 GMT
Is everybody too young to have seen Idina and Kerry Ellis’ original (and superior) run? They just don’t seem to figure on peoples lists of potentially their most thrillifying nights in theatre? I saw both of them but wasn't very keen on either of them. Kerry Ellis's singing was good but I got little from her acting-wise. Idina Menzel I only saw the once & just didn't really take to. I also found her American accent offputting when everyone else was doing various British accents, including Helen Dallimore & Adam Garcia despite them both being Australian. The only original-London-cast Elphaba who I really liked was Cassidy Janson, who remains my favourite Elphaba.
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Apr 12, 2019 18:56:07 GMT
I first saw the show September 2008 on Broadway during a holiday and loved it. Kerry was in it but I didn't know who she was, let alone that she was English and didn't think much more of it.
A few months later I saw the show in London sometime in early 2009 and realised I was seeing the same Elphaba. Someone in the crowd told me it was going to be Kerry's last show in May. I rushed home and booked her last show. Before this moment I'd maybe watched one musical a year, never mind trailing all the way to London to see one.
Kerry's last show was like no other. I was in the back of the upper circle and even there the atmosphere was beyond words. I could not believe what I was experiencing. I'd never seen any atmosphere like that in a theatre before. I cried from beginning to end. Someone told me she was about to do some solo shows at the Shaw Theatre, I booked and my theatre obsession had well and truly started.
She will always be one of my favourite Elphaba's because of that. I'm not sure the 9th May 2009 show can ever be bettered and the audios from that show are the only ones I ever listen to to this day The opening "Fiiyeeerrroooooo" in No Good Deed has never been emulated in my mind. I remember coming out the theatre and the stage door was heaving. Well, beyond heaving, you could have closed the road off. I'd never seen anything like it. It was insane. I was hooked. I've seen lots of great, amazing and even in different Wicked shows since but nothing that has ever matched up to what I felt during that show. I suppose drug addicts would say nothing compares to their first proper hit. I'd say the same about Wicked.
Since those days, Rachel has moved up to the favourite Elphabi position but I will always have lots of love for the woman who started my love of theatre.
|
|
|
Post by rachpywell on Apr 12, 2019 21:05:32 GMT
I was also at Kerry's last show in 2009, and I have never experienced a show quite like it. She has always been one of my favorite Elphaba's. I also loved Willemijn Verkaik, and I think I sorely underestimated my first Elphaba (Cassidy Janson ) because she was the understudy at the time and I remember being disappointed she wasn't Kerry. I regret that now.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2019 16:13:08 GMT
Laura Pick would be great as the replacement imo.
|
|
1,909 posts
|
Post by LaLuPone on Apr 14, 2019 16:14:38 GMT
Oh yes I love Laura Pick, she’s more than earned it!
|
|
1,909 posts
|
Post by LaLuPone on Apr 14, 2019 16:18:53 GMT
If not Laura Pick then it has to be the amazing Amy Ross 😍
|
|
1,909 posts
|
Post by LaLuPone on Apr 14, 2019 16:21:08 GMT
Nope, never been. Which one is the green one again?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2019 16:29:35 GMT
I'd like to see an Elphaba who 1) isn't a boring obvious choice and 2) doesn't have a scary fanbase. Can you imagine being able to watch and enjoy Wicked just for itself, knowing that none of the usual offstage drama is going on for once?
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Apr 14, 2019 16:38:08 GMT
The only Elphaba that I remember not having a scary fan base was Lexi. Maybe cause the Kerry fans were still sulking about her appointment.
With social media the days of no off stage drama at ANY theatre show are long gone.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2019 17:20:38 GMT
I think if they recast Amy I will just stay out of the fanbase. I am reminded of all this “favourite fan” drama from the tour which really left a bad taste in my mouth. I wasn’t involved but it was horrible seeing people argue over who was the better fan.
|
|
559 posts
|
Post by danieljohnson14 on Apr 14, 2019 17:51:44 GMT
there's no such thing as a better or worse fan, in the same sense there is no such thing as a bigger fan. You can see the show once and be its biggest fan because you listen to the music, read about the behind the scenes, research etc. You can see the show a hundred times but most of those only be to keep up appearances and not really care about the show anymore. Numbers and acts outside of the show mean nothing, some of these fangirls need to get it out of their head.
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Apr 14, 2019 17:52:42 GMT
People seriously argue who is the number one fan of someone?!
How ridiculous!
I'm sure she has plenty of fans from her Kinky Boots days and earlier mystified at Wicked fans claiming such an "award".
I would worry if she got the London lead. Not due to talent. She has certainly proved that she makes an amazing Elphaba, but she is such a lovely and kind person that the fangirls there would lap her up! She'd have to taken Helen Woolf's lead and keep off social media a bit more or it could get all consuming 24/7 and that's no good for anyone.
|
|
214 posts
|
Post by Jane Parfitt on Apr 14, 2019 17:58:39 GMT
People seriously argue who is the number one fan of someone?! How ridiculous! I'm sure she has plenty of fans from her Kinky Boots days and earlier mystified at Wicked fans claiming such an "award". I would worry if she got the London lead. Not due to talent. She has certainly proved that she makes an amazing Elphaba, but she is such a lovely and kind person that the fangirls there would lap her up! She'd have to taken Helen Woolf's lead and keep off social media a bit more or it could get all consuming 24/7 and that's no good for anyone. Sorry if I'm being thick shady23 but who are you referring to?
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Apr 14, 2019 18:03:33 GMT
Sorry, was following on from aingidh's post about Amy Ross potentially being the next London lead.
|
|
559 posts
|
Post by danieljohnson14 on Apr 14, 2019 18:05:47 GMT
Sorry, was following on post about Amy Ross potentially being the next London lead. We've learned by now that any ex-Elphaba becomes a natural potential to take over, but I really don't think Any will do it again. Plus she got sick alot during the tour, that could potentially put casting off. And I get the whole "everyone gets sick" thing, but it's worth remembering.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2019 18:11:44 GMT
I personally don’t think it’ll be her this year. Whilst it would be lovely, I think she is currently doing more of the teaching side of the industry.
I feel like the reason she got so ill was due to touring the role. New cities, new pollen counts, having to allow your body to adapt etc.
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Apr 14, 2019 18:29:19 GMT
For what it's worth, I don't think she will be the next Elphaba either.
|
|
|
Post by sabrina90 on Apr 14, 2019 19:25:43 GMT
I personally don’t think it’ll be her this year. Whilst it would be lovely, I think she is currently doing more of the teaching side of the industry. I feel like the reason she got so ill was due to touring the role. New cities, new pollen counts, having to allow your body to adapt etc. you change your opinion quite often it seems? 6 days ago you said that you "think Elphaba will be Amy Ross/Webb [...]" what happened that you now think she's not doing it anymore? 🤔 that she's teaching every now and then isn't anything new
|
|
|
Post by welsh_tenor on Apr 14, 2019 19:37:47 GMT
I personally don’t think it’ll be her this year. Whilst it would be lovely, I think she is currently doing more of the teaching side of the industry. I feel like the reason she got so ill was due to touring the role. New cities, new pollen counts, having to allow your body to adapt etc. you change your opinion quite often it seems? 6 days ago you said that you "think Elphaba will be Amy Ross/Webb [...]" what happened that you now think she's not doing it anymore? 🤔 that she's teaching every now and then isn't anything new Wasn’t that me?! I think Dan has been quite consistent saying he doesn’t think Amy R will transfer to London.
|
|
|
Post by sabrina90 on Apr 14, 2019 19:48:58 GMT
I think Elphaba will be Amy Ross/Webb, and Glinda could be anyone really. @ welsh_tenor: I know a few people have their hopes up for amy coming in but in this case I was really just referring to aingidh's post
|
|
129 posts
|
Post by sb on Apr 14, 2019 21:04:50 GMT
Most of the time something would have leaked by now about who is rumoured to be joining ... the fact it hasn’t leads me to believe it’ll be tour cast moving into London, promotions of current cast or god forbid extensions of the current cast!
In 2017 Sophie was mentioned months before an announcement and nothing on the Elphaba front at all, then Alice was promoted.
I remember years back we would get official announcements months before the new cast started, and someone’s an announcement for just Elphaba & Glinda then the rest of the cast announced later ... I miss those days! 😫
|
|
316 posts
|
Post by martello736 on Apr 15, 2019 9:07:49 GMT
You lot are worse than Psychic Sally with your predictions, I swear. I'm tempted to go to one of her shows and ask her to contact the spirit of Judy Garland to see if she knows anything.
"I'm getting a... a G..."
*silence*
"No, sorry, it's a Q..."
*silence*
"Nope, definitely an A..."
"Oh my goodness, Amy Ross? Amy Webb? Aimee Fisher? Amy Goodwin? Alison Luff? Abby Mueller? Angelina Jolie? Ariana Grande?"
"Yes, I'm seeing that one of them has something green in their future... or past... the forces of nature may change in the next few weeks..."
I'm not really bothered who does or doesn't get it so watching everyone be certain Nikki Bentley is getting cast only for her to be announced for Priscilla and then be equally sure about Amy Ross and then change your mind 3 days later is very entertaining. I'm more in the know than the lot of you put together and I get my information from banging my face into my keyboard and then working out which name the result looks most like. For the record, the new Elphaba is *smashes face* grsvknh... Gru from Despicable Me. You're welcome.
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Apr 15, 2019 9:23:21 GMT
Most of the time something would have leaked by now about who is rumoured to be joining ... the fact it hasn’t leads me to believe it’ll be tour cast moving into London, promotions of current cast or god forbid extensions of the current cast! They have not cast Elphaba yet so there is nothing to announce.
|
|
|
Post by welsh_tenor on Apr 15, 2019 9:50:45 GMT
Most of the time something would have leaked by now about who is rumoured to be joining ... the fact it hasn’t leads me to believe it’ll be tour cast moving into London, promotions of current cast or god forbid extensions of the current cast! They have not cast Elphaba yet so there is nothing to announce. I too have heard this rumour and from a different source to my learned friend!
|
|