Before my eldest daughter went home on Monday---always a sad day---we took her to the local theater to see "Wicked". As I explained in an earlier blog, her two daughters, particularly the elder, loved "The Wizard of Oz". I ended up buying two of the show poster, showing the black witch and the white witch, signed by all the cast members and will give these to the two girls.
"Wicked" is entertaining and spectacular. The sets, dancing and music are flash and fury. The two leads were superb as the two witches. As I said, it is spectacular---but I would not rate it as one of the great musicals such as "Oklahoma", "South Pacific", "My Fair Lady" or "Kiss Me Kate", to name a few.
It may be my age showing, but I like a bit more meat on the bones in the form of plot and structure. The music and lyrics are machine-gun-like in speed, and it takes a few minutes for my old ears to adjust to this quickened cadence and rhythm. The plot had some surprising twists and turns. Still, I came away, not quite totally satisfied.
I think what is nagging at me is so much of today's activities, whether theater, concerts, films and even some churches, depend on the form and not the content. Load us with sensory images of lights, action, special effects, ear-splitting sounds and total hype and assume we will be overwhelmed. Maybe we are, but not always in the right way. Sensory overload is the frequent result, as far as I am concerned.
I don't mean I have to go see a show or movie and not enjoy just the light entertainment value. All of the "Toy Story" movies were classics in this way. But I often get the feeling that sensationalism in special effects becomes more important than the story too often.
I also enjoy a drama that, in the famous phrase from Aristotle, purges the emotions through pity and terror, such as Shakespeare's tragedies. One of the most searing and memorable dramatic experiences of my old life---and I note it is being revived on Broadway right now---was seeing in 1949 the original production of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman", to my mind the best American play of the twentieth century. I went to see it with two fraternity brothers while seniors in college. The three of us staggered out of the theater and gravitated by instinct to a nearby bar where our first words uttered were to order drinks. After slugging down the first round, we were able to begin to talk about the overwhelming experience of seeing that play.
Once again, my age is showing...
It's always been hard for me to rate a Musical. My reason for going was to accompany my wife. She loved musicals, I'd rather see something else. Someone would ask, "How did you like that Musical?" I'd say, "Not too bad, or it's Okay. Death of a Salesman had an effect on me. I was left somewhat depressed and maybe thinking, after all is said and done, 'is that all there is?'
ReplyDeleteThe musical I enjoyed most, no doubt, was the Sound of Music. I saw it several times. I've enjoyed others but none stand out in memory today.