It's finally here! Having read and anticipated quite a bit from friends of mine who have seen the show, I had the fine opportunity to catch Wicked the multi-award winning Broadway musical on its opening gala night - here in Singapore at the MasterCard Theaters in Marina Bay Sands.

When I first told my friends that I was about to watch Wicked, I had some polarizing feedback on it. Some had seen it a few years back when it first arrived in Singapore and others in the original Broadway setting in NY but the answers were as such: they either loved it or they absolutely disliked it. I shrugged at the feedback. It wouldn't be very wicked if people didn't have opinions about it...



Opening night was abuzz with celebrities and social influencers alike. It was a tremendously packed event and I found myself dodging camera flashes and people posing at the entrance.



Here's what worked in the story of good and evil:

LOVE
1. The chemistry between the two leads - Ga-Glinda the Good and Elphaba the Wicked were stunners when it came to vocal prowess and their ability to interact with each other seamlessly. There's witty banter, coy humour, and some very dramatic moments that help anchor and tell the story of two young women who grew up together in a wordl of prejudice and discrimination.

2. The story. Do not expect some fairy tale beginning or ending as this is not your average fantasy show. Wicked is likened to an origins story of the classic tale The Wizard of Oz as you might have known from your childhood. This version is much darker and shows off the uglier side of its characters with little censoring. Often at times, you start questioning why Elphaba does the things she feels she must do. For the greater good? Or for something else?

NOT TOO GREAT
1. The songs. I'm sad to say that I can barely remember or recall any of the songs that were sung so well by the cast. Perhaps it could be a lack of familiarity on my part for not knowing them beforehand but none of the tunes or rhymes actually stood out on their own.

2. Might be too complex or dark for the uninitiated musical audience. Wicked is not a performance for the new joiner to musicals. If you have not seen a musical before, it should probably be best to start off with something less dark. Although this may probably defer from person to person. For me, I wouldn't mind a twisted tale of a conventional story but it may come across as rather unapproachable to some.


THE VERDICT
Watch it. Catch it if you can because it really is something you want to tick off your musical check list.

For more details, head over to Marina Bay Sands' website to book yourself a ticket now. 



Season: From 29 September – 16 October 2016

Venue: The MasterCard Theatres, Marina Bay Sands

Cast: International Cast

Performance Times: 8pm (Tues – Fri), 2pm & 8pm (Sat) and 1pm & 6pm (Sun)

Ticket Price: From $55 (Excludes the booking fee of SGD$4 per ticket)

Booking:

Web: www.MarinaBaySands.com/Ticketing or www.sistic.com.sg