Nov 24 2012
The definition of being “WILD” with happy
In the beginning of the show, just like I imagined, people went WILD. The church scene with people dancing and yelling, I couldn’t understand much but was somehow offended. I knew that it wasn’t the happiness the overall show was about, but being a Christian, I couldn’t quite figure out how to take it. I was pretty much befuddled and could not concentrate. Maybe it was the way the protagonist narrated the scene,with his strong vocal style, shouting out every word and then. To be honest, it took me a while to fully indulge into the play.
As it moved on to the scene in the casket shop, I finally found my pace and started enjoying the play. I believe everyone may have realized this but, I HAVE to reiterate that the use of caskets were immensely clever and truly amazing. It was not only efficient but they were so intricately designed to help the flow of the play: from the past to the future, state to state, indoors to outdoors, and inside a car to a closet! Speaking of closet, I cannot leave out a comment on the acting. Of course, all of the actors did such a wonderful job, but whom I remember the most was the only female of the play, splendidly switching over two significantly different personalities, the magnificent Sharon Washington. (now i just made her sound like a magician but oh well, she was pretty MAGICAL) I don’t know whether it was because of her fit body or just me sitting in the back with blurry vision, at first, she seemed just too young to play the mother. But I was wrong. Her motherly innocence portrayed in her voice when playing Adelaide, and the comical yet strikingly realistic portrayal of the aunt were good enough to put my unnecessary worries away in no time. I loved the way the aunt was able to put on everything in Adelaide’s closet, the glass cup, and her rant about the Internet. It was really interesting how she seemed to hate new technology yet was able to utilize the tracking system to follow Gil and his boyfriend all the way up to Orlando, Florida. It was fascinating to see the play incorporate some of the major issues nowadays into the dialogues and characters and still make it entertaining and not disruptive to the overall plot or message.
http://www.broadway.com/buzz/165288/colman-domingos-wild-with-happy-extends-for-one-week-at-the-public-theater/
But what’s best of all, for me, was the scene at the Cinderella Suite and the moment when all the characters each realized something special in their hearts. Personally, seeing Adelaide still maintaining the youthful innocence and believing in Disney made me think of myself and my mom. No matter how much I’ve grown up, no matter how much I’ve heard about the notoriousness of Disney it still is part of my childhood and just the thought of a day in disney world with my family makes me smile and dream. The scene also reminded me of my mom and her frustrated dream of continuing Piano in college due to unexpected finger joint injuries for it seemed to draw a resemblance to Adelaide dreaming of going to Disney World. By the time, my mom was about to have a big surgery so it saddened me as I saw Gil making his mother happy by fulfilling her dream while at the moment I could do anything for my mom but pray.
At the end of the show, my mind was boggling with ideas and realizations that I felt my heart grow warm, tear drop a little and SMILE without any restriction of my mind or my facial muscles. I was WILD with Happy.
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wild |wīld|
adjective
1 (of an animal or plant) living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated.
2 uncontrolled or unrestrained, esp. in pursuit of pleasure:
The beginning was hard to get into and the title was definitely misleading. When I first heard the title I too thought about the characters being filled with some kind of pure happiness which might make them go wild. I also have to agree, Sharon Washington put on an amazing performance playing two parts and dressing up as Cinderalla and dancing like the princess portrayed in the fairy tales would. I actually didn’t even realize it was her in all three parts until it was pointed out to me later on. Do you think the show would have been just as amazing with different actors and actresses?