‘Wicked’ is full of binary oppositions through the use of costume, lighting, set displays and performance, particularly the singing. These opposites show the difference between Elphaba and Glinda, as good and evil.
The most obvious element displaying the binary opposites of the main characters as the costuming used. Elphaba is dressed in dark, loose fitting clothes, fully covered almost, compared to Glinda who is bright, but very constricted. This symbolizes their roles in Oz, where Glinda is confined to being the Wizard’s puppet, whereas Elphaba is free to move, to be her own person. The other interesting part it the colouring. Elphaba is obviously green, symbolizing evil, but then so is the city of Oz. lighting is used to convey this. This means that Oz is a place of evil, although it is considered to be a place of goodness.
The lighting was used to convey the emotions of characters. When Elphaba loses her temper the first time her green spotlight makes it hard to see her face, so lighting and stage movement was used to show her anger. This is consistent throughout the show. The lighting is one of the main ways you identify the ‘good’ and ‘evil’ characters, again looking at why both Elphaba and the city of Oz are illuminated green. Elphaba’s anger being illuminated by flashing lights, her shock and confusion is shown through red when the monkeys are transformed.
All Elphaba’s emotions are shown through lighting, the most impressive being her power, demonstrated at the end of act I. Elphaba rises, all spotlights on her, both green and purple, and her voice is all that can be heard, the purple illuminating her showing her new found power, but also her persecution.
The set of ‘Wicked’ shows the ever present menace of time through the giant clock and the over hanging dragon. The dragon’s eyes would glow red; showing that it was not welcome, even evil, and combined with the clock suggests that the dragon symbolizes the “menace of time”. Each time the set changed, or the story progressed, the clocks moved, showing the story was moving on. Most parts of the set that symbolized power were mechanical, the dragon, the clock and the Wizard’s head. The Wizard’s head shows his want for power and his compensation for his lack of ability, as if him hiding his face will hide his incompetence. Most characters are hiding behind some kind of mask.
‘Wicked’s beginning, middle and end are shown by the appearance of green vial. At the start Elphaba’s mother has it, then when Glinda and Elphaba are sharing secrets it appears again, and then at the Wizard’s discovery that Elphaba was his daughter. The green vial appears at the turning points in the story.
