![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
As I Write This...
Dec. 31st, 2006 04:37 pm...Emma lies asleep on my bed, in my bedroom, back in my family home, taking a nap after not being able to sleep on the train back from Reigate to Worcestershire. She looks utterly peaceful, and utterly beautiful. Right at this precise moment, God is in his heaven and all truly is right with the world.
So, last night I finally got to go and watch Wicked, in what the four of us who went thought was Idina Menzel's last performance but one in the role that won her just about every theatrical award under the sun and has gained her enough tweenage fans to open a small factory. We got the wrong night.
It was her last performance.
In future years, I will be able to say that I was there when Idina Menzel closed down the Apollo Vicoria Theatre. If she has half the career she is expected to after her portayal of Elphaba, it'll actually mean something.
The odd deviations from the script were there, along with overemotional and voice-destroying renditions of songs that only made them better for the sheer effort put in, as well as enough screaming fanbois and fangirlz that every joke, entry - hell, every line was met with a squeal of appreciation. It'll be interesting to see what they do now she's gone - the new performer will be entering the role with a metephorical gun to their head of the likes not seen since Colm Wilkinson finished as Jean Valjean on broadway some twenty-odd years ago. Any mistakes, failures or lack of living up to the reputation and they'll be fan-toast. Very best of luck to whoever it is, and here's a candle - try to hold it nice and close, now.
It cannot be denied, in any way at all, that the show, the production or the perfomances are anything short of excellent. It really is a fun show, with excellent songs, wonderful characterisation, and enough in jokes to keep fans of the original nodding sagely in the background. It is not the messianic experience that many people who know no better claim it to be, but if only a small proportion of those new fans who claim it to be the best show ever made are able to maintain enough enthusiam to just go and see one more, it'll have done an unexpected job very nicely. It's created a whole new generation of theatre fans, and that really can't be a bad thing.
A great deal has happened this year, but I won't go in to all of it save to say I can categorically call it the best year of my life so far, for what should be overtly obvious reasons to everyone. How about that - the reason's just appeared at my shoulder.
Now back in Droitwich to celebrate the turning of the year and to leech a free firework display off the not-much-money-but-more-of-it-than-sense denizens of the rest of my block. If they want to drop a hundred quid each on fireworks, who are we to stop them, or indeed, enjoy the show?
So, last night I finally got to go and watch Wicked, in what the four of us who went thought was Idina Menzel's last performance but one in the role that won her just about every theatrical award under the sun and has gained her enough tweenage fans to open a small factory. We got the wrong night.
It was her last performance.
In future years, I will be able to say that I was there when Idina Menzel closed down the Apollo Vicoria Theatre. If she has half the career she is expected to after her portayal of Elphaba, it'll actually mean something.
The odd deviations from the script were there, along with overemotional and voice-destroying renditions of songs that only made them better for the sheer effort put in, as well as enough screaming fanbois and fangirlz that every joke, entry - hell, every line was met with a squeal of appreciation. It'll be interesting to see what they do now she's gone - the new performer will be entering the role with a metephorical gun to their head of the likes not seen since Colm Wilkinson finished as Jean Valjean on broadway some twenty-odd years ago. Any mistakes, failures or lack of living up to the reputation and they'll be fan-toast. Very best of luck to whoever it is, and here's a candle - try to hold it nice and close, now.
It cannot be denied, in any way at all, that the show, the production or the perfomances are anything short of excellent. It really is a fun show, with excellent songs, wonderful characterisation, and enough in jokes to keep fans of the original nodding sagely in the background. It is not the messianic experience that many people who know no better claim it to be, but if only a small proportion of those new fans who claim it to be the best show ever made are able to maintain enough enthusiam to just go and see one more, it'll have done an unexpected job very nicely. It's created a whole new generation of theatre fans, and that really can't be a bad thing.
A great deal has happened this year, but I won't go in to all of it save to say I can categorically call it the best year of my life so far, for what should be overtly obvious reasons to everyone. How about that - the reason's just appeared at my shoulder.
Now back in Droitwich to celebrate the turning of the year and to leech a free firework display off the not-much-money-but-more-of-it-than-sense denizens of the rest of my block. If they want to drop a hundred quid each on fireworks, who are we to stop them, or indeed, enjoy the show?
