The Wicked Date

A week has already passed, but I am still in a kind of high just remembering this broadway musical. 

Forgive the embellishment in my speech, but this is the aftereffect of  my “wicked” experience. You have to understand that I have to count years before watching an international theater production anew here in the Philippines. That’s why this rare chance of ending the long “abstinence” from this source of aesthetic enhancement has to be grabbed. 

And grabbed I did with my sister Cristy/Nano when the ticket sale for this show was extended (read post at https://wanderingjouster.com/2014/02/01/lets-get-wicked/). So, after nine years I again set foot in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on February 22. Nine years! The last time I was there was during the 40th Foundation Anniversary show of SJCS, the school where I first taught.

From the entrance, my eyes immediately took in the bustle and hustle at the lobby. my nose, quickly inhaled the familiar scent of the theater atmosphere. 

It cued my sister and me to blend in!

The 35 minutes of waiting was more than enough to capture our elation before fulfilling once more our dearly missed form of entertainment –  watching musical together. 

And for me, the jouster, the time has to be maximized.

So when we joined the queue for balcony 2, my anticipation was already superlatively heightened for this once-in-a-lifetime odyssey to fantasyland. 

This elaborately decorated stage met us. I became stage-struck! The magic spell has been cast. 

From the opening of Act 1, the eye-popping and jaw-dropping set design had me glued to it. With an incomplete knowledge (this was by choice) about the synopsis of this show, I had to rely solely on the lyrics and dialogues which were made easy to understand due to the amazing stage effects making each event realistically unfold before us.  

Holding me spellbound became more intense when Glinda and Elphaba appeared on stage. Frankly, I am not familiar with Suzie Mathers and Jemma Rix (who are both well-known broadway artists), so I could not tell whether they were the ones acting for the matinee show. Anyway, whoever was on stage (I was able to know their names though afterwards), be the regular actress or just the understudy, it did not matter. They made me ponder, wonder, chuckle, laugh, love, hope, hate, and be teary-eyed.  Their flawless rendition of Defying Gravity, which served as the theme of the musical and the only song which I am familiar with because of “Glee’s” Lea Michele’s version, made me hold my breath. Of course the rest of the principal cast, the ensemble, and the whole Australian production delivered a musical which left no room for doubt as regards excellence. It’s not surprising that I, without restraint, had to give them the standing ovation and shout several “bravo’s” during the curtain call. 

“Wickedly superb!” this is one remark that I overheard as we went out of the main theater. I couldn’t agree more.

But the technical production elements were not the only thing that would make me adore it. I have to point out the musical’s three dominant themes which had still an impact on me despite their universality. These obvious messages were the battle between good and evil, test of true friendship, and grappling between reality and fantasy. These made me introspect and pose questions to myself while I watched the characters resolve the conflicts between and among them. Top questions that popped out were:

1. Which has the bigger percentage in me – being good or evil? 😇👿

2. What circumstances would push me to be wicked? 👿

3. If I am wicked, would it mean I am evil?👿

4. How far will I go to prove that I am a true friend?😈

5. What is the reliable gauge of determining whether your fiend is true to you? 🤔

6. Just like Glinda, would it be easy for me to forgive a friend’s deception? 😡

7. Have I drawn a clear demarcation line between reality and fantasy? 🤩

8. Which world has given me genuine happiness? 🙂

(Are you expecting to read my responses here? Oooops… I am suspending them, but they will come in trickles in my future entries.🤗)

Joining the very pleased audience at the lobby after two hours and 49 minutes, the exchange of critiques began. And for sure, it would all be extended as we all leave CCP. Yes, my sister and I included.

Why stop ourselves from verbally expressing our euphoria after quenching our deep thirst for such experience? This is pure bewitchment! Ehehheh!!!! (Let the cackle be louder and louder.)