Yesterday 11/15/07 opening night of "WICKED - Die Hexen von Oz" has been celebrated. 2000 German prominents of TV, Sports, Film, Entertainment and politics were present to enjoy the gala premiere. And this morning a lot of German newspapers have printed their reviews of the show. I tried to translate one of them and I hope you are able to understand anything. If you want, I will translate some other reviews.

Bitch Alarm In Wonderland

Stuttgart – Sure, it's that, which the hard-boiled, fastidious musical visitor requires nowadays – and he gets value for monye: streamers, which fall from the ceiling before the show really has begun. Many glitz, many sequins, many glamour, many frills and many tulle. A dragon, which hangs forbiddenly with blood-red eyes above the stage, the dragon fumes out of his nose and waves about with his wings. For the first time the elaborate and one superimposed on the other décor proterudes in to the auditorium. Even the apes, with ugly visages, flutter above the most high-priced seats. The fog machine and the blower behind the bubble of Glinda do their great job.

Many moments of theatre. But it's unfair to decrease „WICKED – The Witches of Oz“ thereon, whitch is on stage since yesterday evening. 'Cause for the first time absolutly the storyline is to the fore. So musical becomes more theatre than ever. Also this is cognizable therefore that dialogues take up room just as many as brilliantly sung ballades („Tanz durch die Welt“/„Dancing through life“), lively pop songs („Ardently loved“/„Popular“) and cabaret-like songs („Nur ein Tag“/“One short day“).

The form of light muse will be hidden meaning. A difficult task to undertake but it works, even if not all the time. It's always the same old story, which is up-to-day again and again. It is about the two witches Elphaba and Glinda, wich can't be more different. First, a bald an in this case green-skinned striver, which is regarded with dislike and fleer by all. Actress Willemijn Verkaik shines in this roll by her voice. No note is ill-timed for her. Second the beautyful girl, which is popular and which seems inaccessibly. Lucy Schere nearly becomes one with Glinda. She's a incredible mix of the platinum blond Paris Hilton and a pink Barbie doll ® . She's so funny flippant like charakters from soap-operas and she trips through her life of luxery. By the way she has a voice, which squeaks funny but nevertheless it wins over. Scherer enchants the audience, provides for snap laughers and applause after may scenes. She is the star in secret.

By the time their ways cross at Witch-Academy there are fireworks. There's bitch alarm going on in the land of Oz. But this antagonism – what a coincidence – becomes a extraordinary friendship. By the time Elphaba and Glinda get mixed up in intrigues of The Wizard of Oz, which wants to exploit Elphaba's magic power for his purposes, the fellowship of the friends is putted to a hard proof. By the way there is a fling with sweetie Fiyero (Mark Seibert).

Sure many is piled on, but exactly by this story line the play is transfered to the here and now. To the circa 2000 viewers a mirror is holded up. The fictive and real world has to do with discrimination, striving for power, exclusion, cliches, love, friendship and solidarity. That isn't heartache but also reflectiveness in its purest form – and it entchants.

Thank you for taking the time to translate! I really appreciate all the time and effort you are putting into sharing the photos and reviews. I'd LOVE to see more reviews. If you can link to any news stories with photos that would be wonderful. I can't read German, but I like the pictures of course and seeing everything in a language different from mine is really cool! Do you know of the Wicked German programme has been printed up yet? *sigh wants one, sigh again* And *dancing with joy because another Wicked production has opened*

I couldnt tell...but is that a thumbs up for WICKED?

Yes, I think so. I didn't read one review with negative conclusion. Many critics were even enthused.

WICKED is in Germany and it will be great.

YEA!!! Finally critics are actually SMART and OPEN lol
<hehe Jim Carrey lol

It's odd how the reviews have gotten better and better as more productions have opened up and time has passed. Thanks for translating that for us.