Expectations are high for a big musical like Wicked, returning to Marina Bay Sands MasterCard Theatre after a few years. A re-imagined of the prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the musical achieved popular culture status as it was name-checked and the song “Defying Gravity” was performed in the popular TV series “Glee”.
It was a strong cast on the Sunday 9 October 6 pm performance. Jodie Steele and Elizabeth Futter were convincing in the key roles of Elphaba and Glinda respectively, and they were supported by a strong ensemble of actors. Fans for the musical should not be disappointed by the singing from this cast.
The performance moved on a brisk pace, and leaned toward the light-hearted side. In this respect, some of the more somber moments/ themes were not brought out enough, such as the persecution of other races and species. Some scenes were executed rather hurriedly, such as the scenes where “Defying Gravity” was sung, and the ending sequence, making them less impactful.
All said, this is a strong production with a good cast, satisfying staging and good production standards. A welcome return to the Singapore stage.
