Day 14: Wicked - warning: CONTAINS SPOILERS

Okay, can I just say that when Wicked came out, I at first had a tiny speckle of interest to see it that could have grown but instead, everyone ruined it with all the hype and that STUPID song "Popular" (sorry if you've ever performed it, but really, so did everyone else). Okay, so that kind of ruined it for me.

Then, I get here to London and everyone starts raving and wanting to see it and I was just like, "Meh, I could skip it and not care less". Then, our professor announced that instead of Oliver! we'd be going to see Wicked. Oh boy, the squeals that came at that moment... "well, cool. If it's on our agenda, then yeah, I'll see it and be okay with that"

So last night, everyone's getting all geared up, comparing how many times they've seen it, and singing all the songs. But for some weird reason, I just couldn't get excited. Weird, I know.

Then we step out of the Tube and I see the sign, and finally start to get a tad bit excited. Then we went in, had great seats, and the set was FABULOUS (no denying that). Then. It began. Now right before, I was telling everyone that I'd never seen it and that I knew nothing about it, which they said was for the best. Some girls were claiming it was their "FAVOURITE play of all time" and they'd seen it like 3 times and LOVED it, blah, blahblah, blah, blah... Still wasn't that excited.

So I sat there, and enjoyed and just soaked it all in. There were some catchy songs and the lead girl, Elphaba, was an OUTSTANDING singer. But the others were just Okay. Costumes, set, stuff like that was cool. Then came intermission. Now, I already have a problem with people asking my opinion right after watching something unless I really feel strongly that I need to share it. And, of course, they all bombarded me. So I just laughed and smiled politely and said, "Well....." 

OH MAN.. WRONG THING TO SAY IN THIS CROWD.

So I came back with, "Yeah, I like it, it's okay, but I don't LOVE it. And there's still a second half. i could learn to like it more (but not love)". So THEN, Intermission ended and oh man. I was just not feeling it. As soon as the lights went down and the music started, my first thought was, seriously, "I have to sit through another half of this?!". And that's when I realized:

I DO NOT LIKE WICKED.

Needless to say, I sat through the rest with gritting teeth and false composure as everyone else around me was enthralled with the story and music. Yeah, sure, I like how now you understand where the Scarecrow, The Lion, and The Tin Man came to be, but the whole thing with the Wizard of Oz being like an evil man and the whole underlying animal rights story line was just too much for me. My exact thoughts were, "Oh sad, they're trying WAY too hard to make this a story". I also felt like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a love story, a comedy, a drama about believing in yourself, an inspirational story, or just a friggin prequel. I just don't know..

But then, it ended and I was left satisfied (cause it was over) and slightly confused if Elphaba was alive or if her and Fiyero were like, in heaven or something.. Yeah, too much for me. PLUS, it kinda ruined The Wizard Of Oz for me.

Anyways, the more I sit here and think about it the more I've come to realize that not only do I not like Wicked, but I purely hate it. Like, can't-stand-it-will-never-see-it-again-or-buy-any-paraphernalia-from-it hate it. Sorry folks. But if you've never seen it, go and see it just to see it. There were a few on my trip that had never seen it and DID end up really loving it too, so maybe.. 

I think I'm just a theatre snob and have seen some that are way better, that it just doesn't even begin to compare:)