Wicked - Various Artists

...go on to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good in L. Frank Baum's novel, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In this take on the story, from the novel by Gregory Maguire, the premise is that Elphaba was not always evil, but because she is an outsider (she is green) her motives, which deep down are good, are misunderstood by the people of Oz and she is automatically presumed to be bad. The story covers Elphaba and Glinda's days at Shiz University ...
...of Oz celebrate that the Wicked Witch is dead and Oz is finally free from her evil-ness. Glinda the Good appears and assures them that the Wicked Witch is definitely dead.

2. Dear Old Shiz
But hold on a moment! One Ozian man claims that Glinda was the Wicked Witch's friend. Can this be true? Glinda admits that she knew the Wicked Witch and that they went to University together but, she reasons, are people wicked by birth or ... more

As you will know if you've read my review of Wicked, the new musical at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London, I've become a bit of an obsessed fan. Having seen the show for the second time and gearing up for my third before the end of the year, I thought it timely to write a review of the original cast recording, which was what got me hooked in the first place.

A quick re-cap of the plot of the show: Elphaba and Glinda are the teenaged girls who will go on to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good in L. Frank Baum's novel, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In this take on the story, from the novel by Gregory Maguire, the premise is that Elphaba was not always evil, but because she is an outsider (she is green) her motives, which deep down are good, are misunderstood by the people of Oz and she is automatically presumed to be bad. The story covers Elphaba and Glinda's days at Shiz University in Oz, before bringing us right up-to-date to the story of the Wizard of Oz that we all know so well.

The plot sounds a little confusing and is not straightforward to explain, but it is a lot easier to fathom when you listen to the CD or see the show - not least because they have 2 hours to explain it all!

The current cast in the UK includes the original Elphaba, Idina Menzel, who is featured on this CD and beat out her co-star Kristin Chenoweth to the 2004 Tony award. There are no plans for a UK cast recording of the show, so this recording is the original, 2003 Broadway premiere cast which is detailed at the end. The show was written by Stephen Schwartz, with a book by Winnie Holtzman

The CD - Tracks

Act One

1. No One Mourns The Wicked
This is the opening of the show, and it opens with a bang. With musical shades of West Side Story, the people of Oz celebrate that the Wicked Witch is dead and Oz is finally free from her evil-ness. Glinda the Good appears and assures them that the Wicked Witch is definitely dead.

2. Dear Old Shiz
But hold on a moment! One Ozian man claims that Glinda was the Wicked Witch's friend. Can this be true? Glinda admits that she knew the Wicked Witch and that they went to University together but, she reasons, are people wicked by birth or do they have wickedness thrust upon them? Flash back in time to Glinda and Elphaba's arrival at Shiz University with the chorus singing the Shiz University song, which is a close-harmony song sung with little musical accompaniment.

3. Wizard And I
After Elphaba's father has left her crippled sister, Nessarose, in Elphaba's care at Shiz, the University's principal, Madame Morrible singles Elphaba out as she has noticed certain powers in the girl. Madame Morrible promises to send word to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz about Elphaba and request an audience. Elphaba sings of her delight at meeting the Wizard and being favoured by him. She fantasises that he might change her skin colour and make her like regular people. This is quite an uplifiting and hopeful number and some of the lyrics are superbly written - for example can you rhyme something with 'verdigris'?

4. What Is This Feeling
Elphaba and Glinda are appalled to discover that they will be rooming together at Shiz - it is loathing at first sight for both of them, and they write letters home explaining the mix-up. Then, the rest of their cohort run to Glinda, pledging their support to her and insisting that they dislike Elphaba as much as Glinda does. This is an excellent duet for the two girls, it begins somewhat like a love song as they are overtaken by this new feeling, but it's not love they feel but loathe! This is one of my favourite somgs of the show as it is an example of how good chorus numbers can be when they are done well.

5. Something Bad
Elphaba feels an affinity for one of her teachers, an old goat called Doctor Dillamond. In one lesson the doctor finds anti-Animal graffiti on his blackboard and we realise that all is not wonderful in Oz. In this dark and haunted song the doctor tells Elphaba of his fears, but there is little the pair can do alone.

6. Dancing Through Life
Another pupil at the school is Fiyero, a rather fey, rich young man who has been kicked out of every school going. He and Elphaba instantly hate each other, but Glinda falls for this young man who only wants to party. In this number, Fiyero gets the rest of the cohort at Shiz dancing at the Ozdust Ballroom, and we see the first stirrings of friendship between Glinda and Elphaba.

7. Popular
Elphaba and Glinda really talk for the very first time and in the process Glinda decides that she will make Elphaba over and make her popular as the title suggests. This is Kristin Chenoweth's signature number and it's a really good comedy number as Glinda is played somewhat like Reese Witherspoon in 'Legally Blonde'. I really is a perky, 'little girl' number and is another of my favourites in the show.

8. I'm Not That Girl
As Glinda and Fiyero grow closer, Elphaba realises that she feels more for Fiyero than she lets on. She laments that fact that she doesn't look like Glinda, and knows that she could never be the girls for him. This is another number to showcase Elphaba and it's a soft, gentle number with very light musical backing.

9. Once Short Day
Elphaba hears from Madame Morrible that the wizard has called for her to go to the Emerald City, but Elphaba decides that she can't go there without her best friend, Glinda, so the two girls travel to the Emerald City. There is so much for them to see but they only have one short day to see it all! This is another wonderful, spectacular chorus number in the show. It is upbeat andfull of life as we picture the grandeur of the Emerald City.

10. Sentimental Man
The girls are called to the presence of the Wizard and we find him - to be an orgdinary man, blown to Oz from the USA, as in the original story. The Wizard tells the girls that he had wished to be a father, so thinks of the citizens of Oz as his children and tries to protect them.

11. Defying Gravity
What we find out in the stage show (but it's not clear on the CD) is that the Wizard is not as good as he seems and wants Elphaba to help him enslave the Animals of Oz. Elphaba defies him and the Wizard sends out word that she should be arrested. Glinda tries to get Elphaba to apologise but she refuses. This leads on to the signature number of the whole show - Defying Gravity. There is little I can say to explain what this song is like, but it is my favourite of the show. It's so powerful and emotional and really showcases Idina Menzel's vocal talents. There is an energy and urgency about it that makes it the ideal 'big finish' for act one. If you see the how, the staging accompanying this song is amazing and you really can believe the woman can fly!!

Act Two

12. Thank Goodness
Act two opens a little while after Elphaba has run off and Glinda has been reunited with Fiyero. They become engaged to add a little positive news to the land of Oz, but Fiyero is unhappy about the way Elphaba is being portrayed and we get the first indication that he may be falling for her. He rushes off to find Elphaba, and Glinda realises that not everything is as it should be.

13. Wonderful
Elphaba returns to the Emerald City to confront the Wizard. He tris to convince her to join with him and she is almost convinced by this ragtime-feel number. She begins to believe that the Wizard is not all bad until she comes to her senses and vows to destroy the Wizard.

14. I'm Not That Girl (reprise)
This time it's Glinda who sings this song as she realises that Elphaba is the girls that Fiyero wants, not her and that they have run off together.

15. As Long As You're Mine
This is the big love-duet of the show. Fiyero and Elphaba realise that they are meant for each other and know that no matter what happens, they can face it if they are together. I love this number, it's powerful and emotional and a real weepy!

16. No Good Deed
Elphaba is lured to Munchkinland when a house drops on her sister, and this brings us up-to-date with the original story. Fiyero tries to save her from the Wizard's men, but he is captured. Elphaba runs, but sees all of the good deeds that she has tried to do have backfired and she then vows to never do a good deed again in her life. This is another dark and powerful number and a real challenge to the performer.

17. March Of The Witch Hunters
The Witch Hunters set out to storm the castle in which the Wicked Witch is hiding and they are baying for blood. Another good chorus number here, but another dark one.

18. For Good
Glinda finds Elphaba in the castle where she is hiding and holding Dorothy. They initially argue, but their true friendship cannot be denied and Elphaba tells Glinda that she must carry on without her and do good for Oz. This is a real weepy as it's the last time the two friends see each other and it's uncertian what will happen to each of them. It's a wonderful duet for the two girls with some lovely close harmony in.

19. Finale
This brings us full circle to where we joined the show. The Ozians celebrate the death of the Witch, and Glinda must face her life without her friend. A reprise of several of the big numbers of the show, it's a really emotional and bittersweet ending to the show.

I love this CD - it's virtually a permanent fixture in my car since I saw the show first in October. Most of the cast are musical theatre legends, such as Idina Menzel and Joel Grey, so it's reasonable to expect that little bit extra. I'm happy to say that they all deliver and there's not really a bum number on the CD.

I'd whole-heartedly recommend the CD and it's availabel from most online and offline stockists from around £12.99.

Original Broadway Cast (on recording):

Principals (in order of appearance)
• Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda
• Sean McCourt as the Witch's Father and the Ozian Official
• Cristy Candler as the Witch's Mother
• Jan Neuberger as the Midwife
• Idina Menzel as Elphaba
• Michelle Federer as Nessarose
• Christopher Fitzgerald as Boq
• Carole Shelley as Madame Morrible
• William Youmans as Doctor Dillamond
• Joel Grey as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero
• Manuel Herrera as Chistery
• Melissa Fahn as Dorothy

Monkeys, Students, Denizens of the Emerald City, Palace Guards and Other Citizens of Oz:
Ioana Alfonso, Ben Cameron, Cristy Candler, Kristy Cates, Melissa Bell Chait, Marcus Choi, Kristoffer Cusick, Kathy Deitch, Melissa Fahn, Rhett G. George, Kristen Leigh Gorski, Manuel Herrera, Kisha Howard, Mark Myars, Walter Winston Oneil, Andrew Palermo, Andy Pellick, Michael Seelbach, Lorna Ventura, Derrick Williams 

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