Wicked Recap: Back in the Emerald City

On Wednesday night, September 24, I saw Wicked.

Now, this isn't so much a review, because this was my 18th time seeing the show and I'm admittedly biased, but I did want to write about this.

Wicked has just returned to the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, and even though I saw the show 8 times in the return Melbourne season this year; Wednesday saw a level of Wicked-high I haven't experienced in a while.

This is namely for 2 reasons.

1. I first saw the show in Sydney, June 2nd 2010 at the Capitol Theatre. And even though I've seen the show 15 times in other theatres, there's something about seeing the show in the same theatre, the same stage where it all started for me.
2. Every show I've got booked for the Sydney season thus far, I'm seeing the show with a Wicked virgin- someone who hasn't seen the show before. There is nothing I love more than seeing the show with someone who is seeing it for the first time.

My favourite view

Seeing my favourite musical at my favourite theatre in my favourite city... it doesn't really get better than that, does it?

I'm not going to lie- I got teary when we saw the Capitol Theatre and the lights were green again (they change colour for whatever show is playing there at the time). It'd been a long 4 years since I'd seen green lights on the Capitol.

I was lucky enough to win tickets for this show, thanks to a competition through the Liverpool Leader. A friend who lives in Liverpool had seen it and sent me the link. I entered on a whim and didn't think anything of it, and then... won. I don't really win anything (ever), so it was a major surprise.

I saw the show on Wednesday night, the last preview before opening night, with a colleague (she's kind of my boss... she's the Head of the English faculty, and I live in the English staffroom, even though I'm more technically a part of the HSIE faculty. It's complicated, haha). She knew nothing of the show, but she is a musical theatre fan.

View of the stage.

We were in the stalls, row U (centre), which is pretty good seats for winning free tickets! (View of the stage is closer than appears in the photo to your left). 

Anyway, she loved it. She cried in Defying Gravity and in For Good and she was raving about how talented the cast are. We blasted the Wicked soundtrack all the way home (we drove up from Queanbeyan to Sydney for the show).

For my part, the show was as perfect as ever. Lucy sounded amazing considering she'd just come back from having the flu (it takes me weeks after being sick before I can talk properly, let alone sing!); and Jemma was as perfect as ever. Her I'm not that girl was especially heart-wrenching tonight.

I was also extremely happy to see Glen Hogstrom is back as Dr Dillamond, because he's so good at it, and I missed him during the Melbourne season!

The experience was dampened a little by a super annoying person sitting nearby, who I'm honestly not sure if they were drunk or not. (She cheered when Dr Dillamond was taken away. Like... who does that? Does she have something against Goats?) She also cheered when Boq ran off on Nessa at the train station and pretty much any time the Wizard spoke.

We did stage door after the show, which was cool, because my boss hadn't ever done that before! So, we had a quick chat to Steve Danielsen (Fiyero), who is lovely as ever; and I got a quick hug from Ed (Boq) before he had to run for a train. Lucy got swarmed, and accidentally drew on my arm with her marker; and Jemma got swarmed too, but we still got to have a quick chat.

 2 weeks until my next trip to Oz. Can't wait!

Carrie Underwood- Blown Away

So, last night I went and saw Carrie Underwood at the Opera House!!

I love Carrie's music, and have ever since she was American Idol. So, when I found out she was coming to tour Australia and that the date fell in school holidays (I teach in the country and don't drive so it's hard to do stuff during the school term), I had to go!

And I was, quite literally, blown away.

Carrie is incredible live! She's also absolutely adorable, haha.

The stage was beautiful, and simple. And Carrie looked gorgeous- as she always does. And the Concert Hall at the Opera House is a gorgeous room. I don't think there was a bad seat in the whole room, which is always good.

Every interview I've seen with her, she just seems like such a nice person and she totally proved that on stage last night. It really felt like she was having a conversation with the audience and like we were all friends.

I loved every minute of the show, but I'd have to say my favourite moment was her mash up of Jesus, Take the Wheel and How Great Thou Art. I got goosebumps, it was just phenomenal! I was a little disappointed she didn't sing All-American Girl because that's one of my ultimate Carrie favourites, but she did so many of my other favourites, I can't really complain!

One of my favourite things about Carrie is that how powerful her voice is, and man, can she belt! Of course, all I could think after was "I'd be really interested to hear her sing Defying Gravity" Haha.

She also covered the INXS song "Never Tear Us Apart" (as its Australian and all).

Good Girl was such a great way to start the show, and I was really impressed she did no intermission or costume changes! The night felt like we were all a large group of friends just hanging out that had convinced Carrie to get up and sing for almost 2 hours, haha.

She just really proves that you don't need a flashy stage or dancers or anything to deliver an amazing night- just awesome music.

I wish I could have met her, but my mum was with me and wouldn't wait around for me to try and go to the Stage Door :(

But it was such an amazing night- she has to come back to Australia so I can see her again!

Harry Potter Exhibition

So, today was the greatest day of my life (Ok, one of them); the day I've been dreaming about since I was ten years old- I got to go to Hogwarts!

Actually, I went to the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, but it so felt like I was going to Hogwarts.

It was absolutely amazing. I've been waiting for this since I first heard there was going to be a HP Exhibition and hoped against hope it would come to Australia, and it did!

I can't believe it took me so long when it opened in November, but that's another story.

I went with my best friend Kristel, which was fitting as we bonded over our love of the Potter world during uni orientation day.

So, here are my thoughts:

1. I spent a lot of the time inwardly squealing that I was actually seeing everything I've seen on screen.
2. Those Mandrakes in CoS? They actually really do hurt your ears. Not enough to knock you out/kill you, but they seriously give you a headache.
3.  Emma Watson (Hermione) has some adorable shoes (DH part 1- the wedding scene) and I want them. Her dress in that scene and her Yule Ball dress are also absolutely gorgeous- even more so than on screen.
4. Kristel and I scored multiple goals each with the Quaffle!! We're not at all athletic- this is big news. Anyone looking for some new Chasers?
5. A few things in particular are even more beautiful and delicately designed that appear on screen- specifically Ravenclaw's lost diadem, and the Golden Snitch. So beautiful. 
6. I'm loathe to admit it because I hate her character, but there was a dress there that Helena Bonham-Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) wore in OotP, and it's actually really beautiful. As in, I would wear that and my mum would roll her eyes because it's all black. 
7. James Potter's wand has spider webs etched onto it! It was pretty awesome. And also, Sirius' wand is pretty cool. All of the wands are designed uniquely for the character and they are amazing. 
8. There's a few things I'm dying to go back and watch in the movies because I never noticed them before. E.g. the Quidditch board game "Snitch Snatcher" apparently played in the PoA film. 
9. Kristel and I may have spent every time we saw a costume trying to judge how tall we are against the actor. We gave up when we saw Robbie Coltrane's Hagrid costume. That thing is huge! (Also the chair in Hagrid's hut is super comfy). 
10. I still wouldn't go near the giant spider, even knowing it's fake. It was scarily life-like and very big.  
11. There was a funny moment (to me) when we were looking at the Divination props and there was a crystal ball on a table, along with the tea cup Harry looks into in PoA and sees the Grim in the tea leaves (the Grim shape is there). I said "Oh look, the Grim!" Kristel said "Where?" and looked into the crystal ball. LOL. 

You need to be a millionaire so you can get all the awesome stuff there. I bought a Sirius Black wanted poster, a chocolate frog (with Famous Witch and Wizarding Card), a "Muggle" mug (I thought that was cool),

and a Ravenclaw pen (worth the $30). They have all the houses there obviously. I was torn because the Gryffindor has a lion (my fav animal), the Slytherin pen is green (my fav colour), but Pottermore and every sorting quiz I've ever done placed me in Ravenclaw. So, I went Ravenclaw.

We got to touch the doors to the Great Hall and the Educational Decrees passed by Umbridge during her reign of terror in OotP, you can see the portraits up close (yes some of them move), and generally just explore the world I've been reading and dreaming about since I was 10 years old (11 years, FYI).

It's there until March 18, if you get a chance, I recommend seeing it. I won't get a chance, but I wish I could. 

You'll see things you'd forgotten about, and even things that actually never made it onto camera (like the letter Lily wrote to Sirius in DH! It's there, we saw it! It was made, just never made it into the movie... which sucks, because I love that part). 

The Philosopher's Stone, Hermione's time turner, Buckbeak, a baby thestral, Dementor's, giant chess pieces... so many amazing things.

I never realised until today how small Harry's bed in the Gryffindor dorm room actually is; or that the notice board in the common room is full of so many awesome, funny notices. 

It's really a truly magical experience (lame, I know- but it's true). 

Go see it!