Expat imnida: No One Mourns The WICKED (recap)

I told you I'd post about going to see Wicked in Seoul so here it is: I tell you, it was awesome!! I have now seen it three times and I really can't get enough. The music... the sets... the creativity... It was all I could do not to sing along with every. single. song! I sat there in my seat, mouthing along with lots of emotion, pretending that I was playing Elphaba. In my dreams!!! If you're in Korea and you get a chance to see it, do it. Or in another country and have a chance to see it, do it. Thank me later :)

***SPOILER ALERT***I GIVE AWAY DETAILS SO IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN WICKED, SKIP THIS POST!***

We saw the alternate for Elphaba, cause we went to the matinee, but she was fantastic! Her voice was incredible and she pulled off Elphaba's unique demeanor really well. Defying Gravity simply gave me goosebumps! It didn't bring me to tears like it did the first time I saw the show, but it was the third time I've seen it so I didn't expect that over-reaction this time.

Our Fiyero was incredibly talented. I just love when Fiyero finally gets his act together and grows a pair in the second act! I want to love him the whole show, but it always irks me that he's such a wimp for so much of the show. If you're not familiar with the plot, I'm about to ruin a little of the surprise, so seriously, go away. To recap, Fiyero dates Galinda for most of the show, but after he got to know Elphaba it's obvious that's he's only still with Galinda because it's what's expected of him by society (and Galinda, for that matter). They're an aesthetically compatible couple, a 10 dating a 10 ("You're perfect" -Galinda "You're perfect" -Fiyero "So we're perfect together!" from Dancing Through Life), but he clearly fell in love with Elphaba, who is "beautifully tragic." So, he stays with Galinda, who has changed her name to Glinda, but he's in love with Elphaba, who has to live as a fugitive cause the Wizard is psychotic and tricked her into casting a spell that made the monkeys grow wings. But what irks me the most is when Glinda surprises him with an engagement party and he just goes along with it?? SERIOUSLY Fiyero??? I mean, Glinda was an idiot for throwing the surprise party, but then he says, "If it'll make you happy, of course I'll marry you?" NO GIRL WANTS TO HEAR THAT KIND OF RESIGNATION! That's not romantic! Everyone in the audience (or just me?) cringes when he says that. Nobody wants to see an unenthusiastic fiance. Glinda should've let go as soon as she heard that. So when he FINALLY gets it together and runs off with Elphaba to sing As Long As You're Mine, the audience (or just me again?) sinks down into their seats and sighs, then watches mesmerized as the star-crossed lovers have their moment. And boy, it was a nice moment. The two actors' voices complemented each other so well. As Long As You're Mine is my 3rd favorite song in the show. (#1, of course, is Defying Gravity, and #2 is The Wizard and I, cause I love me a ballad; #4 is For Good)

Galinda/Glinda was the least impressive of the three leads, but she was still good, and perky, blonde, operatic, with a clear soprano voice, just as a good Galinda should be. I'm spoiled, of course, cause I adore the OBC soundtrack with Kristin Chenoweth as Galinda, and her voice is out of this world. No other Galinda will probably ever come close to that awesome.

Here are some pics of my short day in the Emerald City!