The first 14 Wizard of Oz books were originally written by L. Frank Baum. The other 28 were written by other authors. But it is the book series by Gregory Maguire that inspired the political commentary that evolved into a Broadway musical and two films. Wicked: For Good states the obvious, “There’s No Place Like Home.”
Wicked: For Good
Life’s lessons are rarely set to music, but Wicked and Wicked: For Good are a lesson in friendship, honour, respect for others, and the dangers of the Con Man. Before I go into the review of this delightful sequel to Wicked starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Johathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum, let’s get to the spilling of the Emerald tea.
Baum’s books may have originally been written as children’s books, but the characters and events mirrored the economic struggles of the time. Everything from Dorothy’s silver slippers, the Yellow Brick Road, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Emerald City represented the struggles of farmers, industrial workers, and those who did not fit in. But it was the Wizard who intrigued me as a child and now frightens me as an adult. How can one man hold such control over multitudes, you ask? How can people be so gullible, you ask? Right now, in the States, we are asking this very question.
This tea is hot, so sip slowly as I speak about the excellent acting and music from Wicked: For Good. Director Jon M. Chu has granted us entertainment consisting of spectacular colours, grand scenery, amazing costumes, and a musical score that lifts the soul. But the heart of Wicked and Wicked: For Good is a love story. It was always a love story. It is about the emotional and spiritual growth between two friends, Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo). There are many differences between this film and the stage show. In Wicked: For Good, there are new songs, and we learn what Elphaba has been up to while exiled to the Ozian forest. Like every Resistance fighter that has ever stood up to a dictator, Elphaba protects those unable to protect themselves. Her character arc was well established in the beginning.
In Wicked: For Good, Glinda is given the chance to learn about her role in Oz and to shape her own destiny. In the song “I Couldn’t Be Happier”, the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) have convinced Glinda to portray the authoritarian policies of the Wizard in a more pleasant way. But, in “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble,” we not only learn about Glinda’s childhood but also watch the transformation of Glinda from a tool of anarchy to the type of friend that we should consider ourselves lucky to have.
Conclusion
I won’t spill all the Emerald Tea. You need to see Wicked: For Good for yourself. There are secrets revealed, and lost love found. There are epiphanies, as when the Wizard, Glinda, and Elphaba are singing “Wonderful” and the Wizard explains that even if the truth is told, people would rather have the lies.
Dorothy (Bethany Weaver) is there, but in the presence more than a main character. She is the catalyst for introducing the origin stories of the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow.
I loved all the songs in this film, but one made me smile. I have a favourite saying that drives my daughter crazy. “No good deed goes unpunished.” My daughter gets angry because she thinks I am saying all good deeds are useless. I am not. What I mean, and what Elphaba declares in “No Good Deed,” is that doing good is not a failure, even when a good deed backfires. Don’t expect a pat on the back for your good deed. Just do it. Do it because it is the right thing to do.
Watch Wicked: For Good in a theatre if possible. Some films were never meant to be seen on a small screen.
