Zooey in Oz ♥

So carrying on with all things Oz, after seeing Wicked you could say I have been slightly addicted to watching other Wizard of Oz-style films. I'm the type of person who goes through certain phases of what I want to watch, and once I'm into a particular genre that becomes the priority when I come to put something on. I first came across Tin Man about 2 years ago when I was at Uni, and although it looked like a very typical 'Sci Fi' programme, I was still drawn to it as it starred the one and only Zooey Deschanel, and it looked pretty! I finally found it in a WHSmiths for £10, and then took it home that weekend to watch with my sister, and I was not disappointed by it at all! Tin Man has a really good take on the original story and the actors are really good. The sets and costumes are great, and overall the style is beautiful, like a run down, edgier version of the original. The only thing about it that I found a shame was you can tell that with a bigger budget the effects could have been better, but don't let that put you off because they did an amazing job with what they had ♥

Totally Wicked ♥

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I had plans to go down to London for my birthday to see Wicked, go shopping on Oxford street and to see my lovely best friend and fellow blogger, Natasha. I don't want to go on too much about it all but it was just a perfect weekend; I have always loved going down to see shows on the West End whether it be something fun like Fame, or something more serious and non-musical like Equus. Anyway, as I mentioned previously, Wicked has been a show I have wanted to see for a long, long time. I can tell you that it did not disappoint. If anything it went past my high expectations of it, and left me wanting desperately to go back and see it again. I actually went to see it with my boyfriend Ben, who was not a musical theatre fan at all and did not particularly like the idea of going (when we first got tickets I had to promise to balance out the trip with going to the Natural History Museum and the Oxford street Topman). However, during the interval he turned round to me and told me how amazed he was and that when he got home he was going to learn to play Defying Gravity on his guitar. After the show he agreed that he would be more than happy to see it again. I also bought most of the merchandise; the soundtrack which I love singing along to (when no one is around to listen), the Grimmerie book all about the show, the programme, the Grimmerie silver charm, and I am currently waiting for Amazon to deliver the novel to me. Total. Wicked. Mania.

I mentioned before that I was particularly excited to see Lee Mead, who in the show plays Fiyero. But as amazing as Lee was, the show was totally owned by Rachel Tucker and Louise Dearman who play Elphaba and Galinda (later known as Glinda the Good). The chemistry between the two, who start as rivals and become good friends, was just amazing. Their performances were outstanding! Louise especially was hilarious and played her role brilliantly, and Rachel's voice was just beautiful, she sings so passionately and defiantly! Overall, it is a beautiful show, the cast, the costumes and sets, the music, everything about it is just wonderful, I really cant praise it enough. And as for the story of it, well, that is something I really can't give away. Let me just say that if you are a fan of the Wizard of Oz, then you will love Wicked as it is sort of a prequel to Dorothy's adventure. Please don't ruin it for yourselves by reading into it, just go along and let yourself be amazed ♥

Rachel Tucker as Elphaba

Louise Dearman as Galinda

Lee Mead as Fiyero

Rachel Tucker and Lee Mead performing 'As Long As You're Mine'

Something Wicked Comes this way...

The Wizard of Oz has been a favourite film of mine for a long, long time, ever since I was little. So you can imagine my excitement when the lovely musical Wicked (the untold story of the Witches of Oz) came to the West End, and then my disappointment when nearly everyone I knew went to see it without me... That being said I do believe that everything happens for a reason - but if I'm really honest then I do admit that I only started thinking that about this particular situation when I found out that the lovely Lee Mead had been cast in it! Lee won the starring role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat on Andrew Lloyd Webber's tv show Any Dream Will Do, and he was my favourite to win right from the get go. Sadly I did not get the chance to see him in that show, but next Saturday I WILL be getting to see him in Wicked when I go down to London for my birthday, Yippeeeee ♥

Also starring in Wicked in the lead role of Elphaba is the lovely Rachel Tucker, who also appeared in a Lloyd Webber series, I'd Do Anything, the winner getting to star as Nancy in a West End production of Oliver. I think she got to the semi-finals, and I remember the judges constantly questioning her about being on the show, competing against amateurs when she already had a professional career in theatre. Although she did not win she was still amazing, and obviously has gone onto bigger things. I cannot wait to see both Rachel and Lee in Wicked ♥

Even though my Wicked weekend is only a few days away, I cannot contain my excitement because not only am I going to be seeing this lovely musical, I am also going to be meeting up with my bestest best and Midnight Picture Show other-half, Natasha, who happens to be in London the same weekend! We have lots planned and I have been trying to convince her to get Wicked tickets too! Anyway, to keep me distracted until then, I have been enjoying the film that inspired the musical ♥