I think Wicked is a modern masterwork about censorship and perception of evil; and manipulation of publicity, for good and for evil.
I do think Schwartz is a master in the field - and doing what the great authors of musicals have done for generations: he uses popular musical forms to make dramatic statements on themes important to our society.
He is as gifted as a lyricist as the greatest of greats - able to make jokes but also shape the deepest and most authentic of feelings, some simple, some complex. The "dialysis"/"pal-a-sis(ter)" rhyme is a case in point showing his mastery.
He successfully moved pop music into Broadway settings while retaining precision of thought, rhyme and character.
Having said all this, I am glad the crowd interrupted Glinda in the opening number before she used the subjective personal pronoun ("I") instead of the correct objective
form "me":
"Isn't it nice to know
The good will conquer evil,
The truth we all believe'll
By and by
Outlive the lie
For you and -" (ME!) (Objective case governed by the preposition "For"!)
But, as I say, he stopped just in time! |
