Okay, I need help from those who have seen the musical Having finished the book, and continually listening to the soundtrack, I'd like to know what the main differences are between the book and the musical?
Thanks

Ok, well, before I tell you the biggest difference I need to know. Are spoilers ok? Also, if you would like, I've got a libretto (kinda like script) that my sister found online that I'm going through and editing if you would like to read it. By the end of the day I'll be completely finished with Act 1. Hooray! I'm trying to get it all done before The Grimmerie comes out so I can compare the two and see how close I got.

Ooooh to spoil or not to spoil?

Well, that's a difficult choice. Unless I win the lottery, which is a probablity of 1/14,000,000 normally, but for me 0/14,000,000 cos I never play that often (only a roll-over) I can't seriously see myself being able to go to America to see it. So that leaves the only chance of seeing it, being IF it comes to the West End, which at the moment is hotly debated. And even if it did, it wouldn't open for another year roughly!

So, unless there's a seriously surprising ending which is nothing like the book, then don't tell me that so there's at least some surprise. Otherwise, fire away!

yeah, I don't think you want a spoiler. Just read the book, it'll take you like a week or so, if you do that instead of watching tv and stuff....

I already have! I finished the book last week!

if only I knew how to read


anyways, after being stupid I actually READ your post, so you haven't seen the musical yet eh?

Correct. Read the book, but not seen the musical and WONT get to unless it comes to the West End

just hop in a bathtub and row your way to new york... you'll be glad you did.

yeah, poor guys over seas, they better get that thing over there, you're missing out!

well I don't have a bathroom - my ensuite has a shower cubical, which i'm pretty sure would melt... I mean sink plus, even if I made it as far as NY I couldn't afford the tickets! But fingers, toes, arms, legs, insides, outsides crossed that it will open here. If they have any sense it will!

with the success of it, how can they not, it'd be like if the US couldn't see Les Miserables, I mean doesn't matter where it was made, everyone should get the chance to enjoy this show. It's great!

God knows - I work in a weird business! lol I know there are rumours about Wicked, and rumours that could very well be proved or disproved shortly, at least that's what I'm hoping!

Of course, there's always a fight in the West End for home-grown shows, like Poppins and American imports. Rumours of new musicals to open include Wicked, Avenue Q, read somewhere that Caroline, or Change might be coming, plus there's a couple of shows touring right now that are "supposed" to be coming to West End. Then we've got Evita opening soon.

So, there's a lack of theatre space! lol Plus a lack of people even going to the theatre since the bombing on the tubes.

Anyway, back to the main question at hand, what's different in the musical from the book?

all I know so far is:






SPOILLLLLLLERRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSS



the ending is different, happier in the musical, and other little things, no sex in the musical, frex is the leader of munchkinland, not a priest, the clock of the timedragon really isnt IN the musical, although it's there, and mentioned... I dunno, I'm not done with the book.

Adam you left out the most obvious one! Nessa has arms! Instead of not having arms, Nessa is in a wheelchair. Ok, now Adam, you should stop reading.









Major book spoilers ahead!








Glinda doesn't enchant the shoes, Elphie does. Avaric is Fiyero's servant instead of one of the fellow students. Crope and Tibbett are completely left out. So is Ama Clutch. Dr. Dillamond doesn't exactly die. Yackle is completely left out (can you believe it?!) as are Nanny (that's her name, right?) and Liir. Morrible does not die (sorry). Should I stop now? I left out that biggest change, which is the ending, but I think that should remain a surprise for you for when you get to finally see the show.

A little optimistic, but thanks anyway! Shame they had to leave out some of the quite important chapters. During the March, the Tin Man is on about getting revenge on Elphie; am I right in thinking that Elphie cursed his axe and not Nessarose?

Ok, how much do you really want to know about the show? I'm going to try not to give too much away... There is no ax. The spell which turns him into the tin man was done to save his life. And his blaming it on Elphie was all a misunderstanding. Ack! I want to explain so bad but I don't want to give away the big stuff!

It's okay. I know exactly what you are saying. I got the soundtrack before I read the book, and when I first heard it, I did initially believe what you are (not) saying to be true. Then I read the book and thought, okay maybe not, but now you have confirmed my initial reactions. What is it they always say - go with your first answer cos it's usually right?! lol

Ok, tell me. What is this big assumption you are making. And Adam probably doesn't want to know since he doesn't know what happens in the book yet.

I PMed to avoid too much of a spoiler

Woo hoo! I finally finished Act 1 of the libretto!!!! Time to party! Ha, I wish... no I have to move on to Act 2 so I can get it done before the Grimmerie comes out. But at least I'm halfway done!

I like your attitude. And Wicked, really, is universal - everyone can enjoy it!

The thing is, in overseas venues - securing the rights takes a while. Gah. And then we're not as big as NY either - there needs to be adequate theatre space...

Uh, that was me. Great, my maiden post, and I'm not even logged in :roll:

Oh my goodness, welcome! And no worries about the logging in bit. It seems to happe a lot around here. As you visit other pages you'll see that a lot of people post and then realize they weren't logged in. I find it kinda entertaining.

Welcome! :agree: It is entertainging when people forget to log in and then don't even realize it.

Ok, I'm going to be really norty and post the major plot twist ... but with huge signposts and you don't have to read it if you don't want. I was personally glad I was told about the ending before I saw any of the show because I would have been so disgusted if I hadn't known the ending before.

PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOOK AND MUSICAL PLEASE STOP READING.










SPOILER



SPOILER





















Spoiler


















Ok, Elphaba turns Fiyero into the Scarecrow and so his journey with Dorothy is all just a ruse to get back to Elphaba and then it's all happy endings. Bah. I know...
Interestingly enough, Wicked seems very likely to be staged here in Australia with the rights being secured at the moment and official word is that the show will be staged here in the near future. Probably the first international production of the show. I will be curious to see if this ending is kept as I'm not sure it will go over that well with Australian audiences. We like more tragedy and drama. Maybe the ending will be slightly modified?

Other differences are:

Elphaba has a natural magical ability in the show whereas she's not really that aware of it in the novel

Fiyero ends up in a relationship with Glinda but doesn't really love her and pines for Elphaba until their paths cross and he runs away with her leaving Glinda to resent Elphaba and suggest Nessarose be used as a target to bring Elphaba out in the open.

Madam Morrible causes the tornado that brings Dorothy to OZ in order to kill Nessarose and bring Elphaba into the open.

Fiyero becomes captain of the guard whose main role is to hunt Elphaba down. Obviously he's not tattooed with the blue diamonds but that could have been very interesting. Never really understood the captain of the guard thing but I guess Fiyero in the show is just a weak individual with a lack of morals. He blames Glinda for being a hypocrite but honestly boy, take some responsibility for yourself!

The Winged monkeys were a test by the Wizard to see the extent of Elphaba's magical ability rather than her stitching them together as a scientific experiment in the book. She unknowingly creates the monkeys as spies for the Wizard but eventually demands their freedom

Madam Morrible doesn't get her head bashed in by Elphaba and it's her oppositional role that rubs the Wizard up the wrong way and therefore he sends Dorothy to kill her.

Nessarose has arms

Elphaba enchants the silver slippers herself rather than just being a symbol of political power.

Boq becomes the Tin Woodsman when Nessarose puts a spell on him to shrink his heart, Elphie turns him into tin to save his life though he doesn't see it like that.

They are probably the main points. Of course the musical is very tame with no sex, Liir, Nanny, Amas or killer tick tocks. But that's essentially it.
Very different from the book and really only able to be judged as a seperate story that only loosely bases itself on the novel.

And Avaric is Fiyero's servant. Can't forget that one. I don't know why, but that really bothered me. Also, because there were no Amas, the whole reason behind why Elphie and Galinda were in the same room together was different. And Nessa shows up at Shiz at the same time Elphaba does. And the whole Time Clock Dragon thing... I really missed that. And yeah, there are a bunch of other little differences. Oh! And the whole Defying Gravity part! She doesn't even enchant the broom until much later and she spends a lot more time in the Emerald City before disappearing.

I always thought it was kind of cool that it looked as if the Time Dragon Clock was actually showing the audience the play, like it does in the book

He becomes Captain of the Guards so that he can find Elphie. He's not really being a hypocrite, he's just trying to find the girl he loves.

Ok, that reminds me of something tht's been bothering me lately. In Defying Gravity, Elphie says, "so if you care to find me look to the western sky". She tells Glinda where to look! But that's another thing I didn't understand. Why'd Elphie decide on the western sky? She could have picked anywhere. I know, I know, it has to fit with the rest of the story and I know I'm overanalyzing... But it's really been bugging me that she knew she was going to the west and that nobody looked for her there when she specifically said "look to the western sky".

Could "look to the western sky" be a reference to Kiamo Ko from the book? I don't have it handy so I am not sure where Kiamo Ko is located in reference to the Emerald City. Just a thought.

She said "Look to the western sky" Because she is the Wicked Witch of the West! And do you know how much western sky they would have to or did have to find her?

But she isn't the Wicked Witch of the West! And I just meant, why was he still searching in the Emerald City? And she doesn't go to Kiamo Ko until after ALAYM, when he tells her about his castle there. I guess it makes sense why they couldn't find her, but still...

In the book, Fiyero & Elphaba don't go to Kiamo Ko. She goes there after she leaves the mauntery, which is several years after she leaves the Emerald City. Remember that the full title of the book is "Wicked, the Life & TImes of the Wicked Witch of the West." Elphaba is the Wicked Witch of the West & Kiamo Ko becomes her home. I looked at the map on the inside covers of the book & it shows Kiamo Ko is west of the Emerald City.

BT meant she hasn't become The Wicked Witch of the West at this point in time. When she sings Defying Gravity, she is still in her Shiz years.

Hahahah, this topic is reminding me of all the inconsistancies in the musical. I never could understand why she sang "look to the western sky" when she had no point in singing that. Only towards the end of the musical does she even go west with Fiyero.

As for Fiyero, I'm not convinced he's searching for Elphaba because he loves her but rather playing a social role. Otherwise he wouldn't still be with Glinda. Wouldn't he actually be off looking for her by himself rather than leading an army to hunt her down in the Emerald City? He is reaping the benefits as much as Glinda but has the nerve to accuse her.

haha when i read the part aobut why the western sky..i immediatly though..UM B/C SHES THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST lol. thats like my favorrite line in DG.