A Wickedly Good Show

[silverscreenselect]

I went to see Wicked yesterday, and it was very good. This movie only covers the first act of the musical (Wicked, Part II will be out next Thanksgiving), and it's 2 3/4 hours by itself. The musical numbers are terrific, and they take full advantage of the larger space available in a movie to stage scenes. Every musical number from the first act of the play is in the movie. Plus, the movie's CGI effects add to the finale when Elphaba flies out of the Wizard's castle. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are both excellent, with each having some good musical numbers, and the film version allows the chemistry between the characters to develop even better than on stage.

One oddity. Wicked is playing on three screens at the 10-screen theater I went to, and I went to a 3:00 show (I usually go to afternoon shows). Since I can't take Mrs. SSS to the movies with me anymore (and I felt sad because I knew she would have enjoyed this one), I have a Regal Unlimited membership that gets me into any Regal theater in town. I was the only person in the theater. I expect small crowds at many of the offbeat films I go to, but I thought there would be somebody else in the theater for opening day for Wicked besides me.

[Beebs52]

Way back I read the book it's based on. Remember enjoying it, but didn't realize it was part of a series.