#elizabeth futter

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Elizabeth Futter may be heading to Germany to help cover the UK/International Tour.

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Joanna Ampil as Grizabella, in 'Memory'; plus, Ellie Young as Victoria, Nicholas Pound as Deuteronomy, Luke Fraser Yates as Munkustrap, Elizabeth Futter as Jellylorum, and Andrew Keelan as Gus.

International tour 2019, at the Manila press event in November (X).

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Ceili O'Connor (left) and Elizabeth Futter (right) - usually Jenny and Jelly - being double Grizabella covers instead! 2018 international tour.

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‘Griz and Alz’ episode 11: The One With The Other Diva.

Robin Lake and Joanna Ampil, 2018 International Tour. With Elizabeth Futter as Jellylorum and Mathieu Serradell (musical director) on piano. Nico Kirschstein Smith, their resident physio, is also tagged in the video, and I assume he’s the one massaging her leg. I’m not sure who’s fanning her and feeding her grapes though!

(‘Griz and Alz’ masterpost.)

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Mukeni Nel as Bill Bailey during Tugger’s number: just having a great time; seizing his opportunity to claim the Best Spot in the Junkyard; and being restrained by Munkustrap and Jellylorum.

Harry Francis as Mistoffelees, George Hinson as Tugger, Danielle Cato as Cassandra, Elizabeth Futter as Jellylorum, and Luke Fraser Yates as Munkustrap.

2016 UK/International tour, 2019 cast in Manila press reel.

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Everyone needs more Naoimh Morgan in their life.

This time with some other beautiful people (the queens) from the Cats 2018 International Tour.

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Review - Wicked the Musical

Here’s a recap/review of Wicked the Musical that was staged in Marina Bay Sands (MBS), Singapore (SG) on 8th October 2016.  Please note that there is some detailing and comparison (between my last show in Perth).  I am not nitpicking.  I am totally in love with this show despite its flaws and loopholes and ship fiyeraba like there’s no tomorrow.  I’m at that state where I like to spot the differences between different shows, and the way the different actors interpret their characters.  Live theater is just so amazing.

Anyway, back to my review/recap.

Cast :

Elphaba - Jacqueline Hughes Galinda/Glinda - Elizabeth Futter Fiyero - Bradley Jaden Doctor Dillamond/Wizard - Steven Pinder Nessarose - Emily Shaw Boq - Iddon Jones Morrible - Kim Ismay Chistery - Joel Cooper

First of all, the atmosphere at MBS.  I’m really not sure what is the arrangement between MBS and production companies, but there seems to be a lack of publicity and posters.  Of course they have the usual photoshoot corner inside the Mastercard Theatre, but I took a walk around the building before the show started and only managed to spot one small standing poster outside the theater.  The Esplanade, another nearby venue for live performances, did a much better job recently with Les Miserables - there was a corner for costumes, a huge banner outside (facing the main road) and stickers of Cosette pasted all over their glass walls.  Crowne Theatre, Perth (another casino) also had lots of posters that greeted me the moment I reached there - it was as if I have stepped in an Emerald City of another kind.  MBS seems to treat live performances as just another insignificant short-term tenant.  The atmosphere is definitely not there.  I am also not impressed with their sound system (though others have raved about it.  I put it down to the fact that I am more fussy as I spent my growing up years doing live performances and have developed quite a good ear).

Enough ranting about MBS.

First of all, the orchestra.  While I’m not pleased with the way the sound system sounded (haha) for the singing, the orchestra’s performance is divine.  It was very clear, and you could hear the different instruments (including this rainstick kind of instrument which came on at odd moments).  There were a few times, when the orchestra started on a new piece and I could feel the goosebumps on me.  I love love love the instrumentals of Wicked so much.

The role of Galinda was covered by Elizabeth Futter (ensemble/first cover) on that afternoon’s performance.  She is likable as Galinda.  Unlike some Galindas with over-the-top acting, she managed to make her character likable and believable at the same time.  She missed her first high note, but managed to hit the rest for the remaining of the show.  I’m not sure how tall she is, but the pink dress in Popular did make her legs look pretty short (I know I am being superficial, but this is Galinda, and I am sure Galinda will never choose a dress that makes her look short).  She did not do much squealing (only once when she was facing the racks of shoes, which I didn’t understand what for) which I was thankful for - I cannot stand dramatic, hysterical, loud Galindas.

I love Jacqueline Hughes’ voice the moment she spoke her first sentence.  Her voice is slightly low and melodic, which is what I imagined Elphaba’s to be. Unfortunately, many of Elphaba’s songs are of a slightly higher tone, and therefore do not showcase her voice as much as I would like to.  Her duets (ALAYM, For Good) are good though because her voices harmonizes with the other parties (it’s a duet after all, not a competition of who-sing-louder). I have always imagine Elphaba to be tall and thin, and so Jacqueline’s well-toned shoulders were a bit off for me, especially when she was wearing that shapeless green-skinned long sleeve top in the Ozdust’s Ballroom and Popular scenes which emphasized her build (it did add a ‘clumsy’ touch to her dancing in Ozdust’s Ballroom though) .  Every Elphaba interprets her character differently, and Jacqueline’s Elphaba gave me the impression of a green girl who is vulnerable, who longs to be a normal girl who has friends (maybe it was the way she sang the part about degreenifying her in The Wizard and I or her body language and willingness to let Galinda into her confidence so easily in Popular).  There was hardly any of that hard-edginess which other Elphabas have, which makes her convincing as a teenage outcast.

In the Lion Cub scene, when Fiyero ran off the stage (in the ‘wrong’ direction), Elphaba just stood there with a barely concealed smile (amused by Fiyero’s dorkiness no doubt) on her face and her hand pointing to the right direction, waiting for Fiyero to realise that he had made a mistake, and that smile really sealed the deal for me for this vulnerable girl who longs for things that other people take for granted.

In the Kiamo Ko scene, after Jacqueline’s Elphaba has read the message from Fiyero, she made the decision to give up everything just to be with him, and you could see it in her strides as she carried the bucket of the water across the stage, the determination as she prepared the things to stage her death.  Jacqueline may not be the perfect fit (physically) for the role, nor may she be the best Elphaba voice that I have heard, but I really love her interpretation of the character.

Fiyero was acted by Bradley Jaden, a new Fiyero.  The last Fiyero that I’ve watched was blah, so thank goodness Bradley is better! :D He had shoulder-length hair, so there was a couple of times where he moved to tuck his hair behind his ear, which was kind of funny because it was as if his Fiyero was such a vain pot that he touched his hair as much as Galinda touched hers. :D  Bradley’s dancing was not bad (not stiff), but I supposed his newness to the role showed through sometimes.  For example, in the Lion Cub scene, when he was walking away from Elphaba, it was quite obvious that he was walking a bit slower so that she could catch up and grab his hand (the image of passing baton in a relay came to mind).  But I do like their ALAYM.  It was not sizzling hot like some fiyeraba couples’, but the simpleness was what made it convincing, more of a I-have-finally-found-you-and-it-s-like-a-dream rather than a I-want-to-release-my-x-years-of-pent-up-desires. Or maybe it’s just the fiyeraba fan in me that gave me the feels. ;P  His scarecrow walking (buckling his leg at times) was adorable too.

Nessa’s singing was OK.  One of the songs that I have looked forward to hearing was The Wicked Witch of the East, which was not in the OST.  Unfortunately, during the show, Nessa’s part in the final part of the song was pretty much drowned out by Elphaba’s chanting, so the angst/misery/regret was simply not heard. :(

I remembered seeing a redhead in the Perth show, and the first thing that came into my mind then was that she was Milla (a character in book Wicked who married Boq in the book), especially when she wanted to dance with Boq in the Ozdust’s scene and was rejected.  I think there was a redhead too this round, but I could not keep track of her as my seat was not that good this time round.

One interesting thing to note - both Doctor Dillamond and the Wizard are acted by Steven Pinder!  Both of them do not have any common scenes except for one (when the Wizard releases the Monkeys after singing Wonderful), and in that scene, Doctor Dillamond did not have any lines, so I have to assume that an ensemble took over the character then.

There are also some differences in the props and choreography between the SG show and the last performance that I’ve watched in Perth.  For example, in Perth, the show started with a Monkey sliding down a rope on the left side (my left) of the stage, joined by other Monkeys on stage.  There was no such fireman slide for the SG show.

In Perth, in the scene for Not That Girl, there was a bridge hanging overhead.  When Elphaba was singing, Galinda and Fiyero crossed that bridge, and Fiyero looked down from where he was at Elphaba (who was below the bridge) (cue fiyeraba feels).  It started to rain, and Galinda opened her umbrella while Fiyero ran after her into the shelter (and I wondered why she did not share her umbrella with her boyfriend).  In the SG show, the bridge was there, but Galinda and Fiyero ran across the back of the stage, and I did not notice any umbrella.  Safety concerns, I guess.

While there was no fireman slide at the beginning of the show, the SG did have two ‘flying’ scenes.  The first one was when Elphaba 'froze’ the whole class when Doctor Nik presented the Lion Cub.  Two of the classmates were 'flung’ into the air by her superpowers.  In the scene at the Throne Room, the same happened to a few Monkeys when they were let out of the cage.  

Youtube videos have shown recordings of NGD where Elphaba came up from under the stage with the Grimmerie.  Like the show at Perth, there was no ascent from below, and Jacqueline’s Elphaba had to run onto the stage.  Chistery held the Grimmerie while she read and sang though, which amused my pre-teen daughter.

Last but not least, the trap door.  It was a prop looking like a barrel with a slightly raised 'trap door’ at the door.  As the 'trap door’ was pretty flat, I suspected that Jacqueline had hidden behind or inside the 'barrel’.  I guess I’ll never find out.  Someone please tell me the secret behind the trap door if you know. :D

Before the show started, I told my daughter that this would be the last time that I will watch this show live (it was my 3rd time).  Now, as I do this recap, I doubt it will. :)