Yes, yes, I've been a bad boy (not that way, you pervs). Its just that I've slowly become the kind of person who I thought I never would (no, no, don't worry - I'm still ruggedly handsome, ladies). I'm letting work affect my blogging. There, I've said it. No excuses, no futile explanations - I have become one of those people.
And I want to change back.
But this post is no forced effort to come back and start writing again. I experienced something, and while I was doing that I had that urge to write about it. And now three days and 12 hours in a plane, I have finally got down to writing about it.
Background:
I was in London last week on some work. AS kindly deigned to show me around the city and led to the most exhilarating experience I've had in a long long time - I went to watch a musical in the Apollo Victoria Theatre (I think it can officially be called one of the West End theatres)
Here's the link to the show:
http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk
And what an experience!!
Now I'm not the kind who denigrates things we get in India (In fact, I think I may have convinced an intern in our London office to consider working in India to really grow and develop his career!), but this musical performance was at a whole different level all together.
Picture this, an old, ornate theatre dating back to the last century, rows upon rows of seats (5-6 times the size of Rangashankara, for those who're from Bangalore), amazing musical score, the most amazing sets I've ever seen and the magical choreography of, hold your breath, the props!
Fascinating.
The story of the play/musicals takes off on the famous tale of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. It is the story of the so-called 'Wicked Witch of the West'. Great spin to the story of how a different, yet magical, girl is transformed through deceit into an epitome of evil-ness by the Wizard of Oz and his PR machinery. The story of Glinda, the 'Good Witch', who came across as a typical dumb blonde, but was driven enough by ambition to cause the downfall of her true friend Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The story of the star crossed love of the Winkie prince and the quietly adoring Elphaba. And the story of the poor Wicked Witch of the East, Ness, and her reluctant lover Boq.
OK, ok I'll stop before I get too sappy. But trust me, you get a chance to watch this musical, - you GO watch it! It's absolutely brilliant.
And I shall now leave you with the song from the soundtrack that lends itself for the title of this post. (This is not from the current cast of Wicked. I mean these are not the performers I saw - this is probably the Broadway cast)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XwmA0jyWMk&feature=related
Added: You just have to watch this rendition of the song to listen to the powerful song. And watch it till the end - it is absolutely awesome!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxkXbfdPp80
(But, I must mention that the use of the lighting and the props in this entire show was brilliant. This song though, has the simplest props. But when Elphaba finally flies off (defying gravity), the stage with a single light on her as she is suspended at the dead centre of the stage with a huge black sheet obscuring everything else on the stage - raises goosebumps, I kid you not.
Couple of captured videos, keep a look out for how she rises in the air. Of course this is nothing like being there, but will give you a clue:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-HkZoVWdREPc/defying_gravity_rachel_tucker_video/
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-a7STMZPL9jI/defying_gravity_rachel_tucker_nov_23_2010/ )
