Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Wicked

First I guess I should explain that dinner at Chateau de Suck* was sooooooo incredibly slow, that we got there at 6 and weren't done until 7:15. Apparently, a 2-course meal is SO hard to come by these days. Sheesh. By the time we got to the dessert, we had to gulp it down and then leave payment on the table because we were so afraid we were going to miss the beginning of the Best Show Ever. I was about ready to handcuff our waiter to the table leg and staple the bill to his forehead.

But I digress.

None of this marred the fact that we would be seeing Wicked, starring the person who won the 2004 Tony Award for playing the lead role.

We were beside ourselves with squee.

I snapped this photo as we half-jogged down the street:


As we entered the Apollo Victoria, which was done entirely in green inside, we could feel everyone rushing around in a frenzy trying to get their seats and talking excitedly. Apparently, this musical is just as popular in the UK as in the US. I didn't really expect that.

We didn't mind the fact that our seats were waaaaaay up near the top, above the Time Dragon Clock, it was OK... we just wanted to see this show from whatever distance. There was nothing that renting opera glasses couldn't fix.


Look! A dragon!

Idina Menzel was greeted like a rock star as soon as she made her entrance on stage. It was incredible. And so was she.

After seeing it with an all-American cast, it was weird seeing the show with a mostly-British cast. It was definitely a different feel to the musical overall. Some of the comedy might have been lost. But, the songs were the same, the story was the same, and we were floored by the production as we had been previously. "Defying Gravity" sung by the person you hear all the time on the CD is so much better in person.

As Charlie put it, "This? Was an amazing idea."

I just smiled and said, "Yes, yes it was."

And you couldn't get that smile off my face for the rest of the night.



See?


*Name changed to protect sucky restaurant that totally doesn't deserve it.