The following contains spoilers for Wicked: Part 1, now playing in theaters
The best changeWicked: Part 1made to the original musical makes one of the original’s more forgettable songs much more important. In many ways, the cinematicWickedis a very faithful adaptation of the original musical. Jon M. Chu’s reimagining of the Broadway smash doesn’t change much aboutWicked’s cast of charactersor their story, instead presenting it on the biggest stage possible. However, the film still had to make some tweaks to adjust the original for the big screen.
Thebiggest changes inWickedfrom book to stage to screen largely improved the film, but that’s especially true for one song in the film’s latter half. The song has been lengthened beyond its original form in the Broadway musical and now is a much more active expansion of the original story. It even takes on newfound storytelling importance, as it sets up an important aspect of the plot that was left somewhat ambiguous in the original musical.
Wicked Uses The New “One Short Day” To Better Explain The Wizard & The Grimmerie
“One Short Day” Is The Perfect Song To Expand InWicked
Wicked: Part Onemakes some specific changes to “One Short Day” that expand the song in a clever way and use it to expand the lore of the story. In both the original Broadway musical and the cinematic remake, “One Short Day” occurs late into the story. As Elphaba and Glinda arrive in the Emerald City, they are greeted with the various sights and sounds of a joyous setting. It’s an ideal contrast to the darker turn the story takes afterwards, butthe film expands the songby introducing the Emerald City Players, who sing about the history of Oz.
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Played by originalWickedperformers Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the Emerald City Players use the additional sections of the song to delve into the origins of the Grimmerie. This establishes how powerful and important the book is to Oz society, highlights how the Wizard took over the kingdom after fooling everyone into believing he could read it, and why it’s such a big deal that Elphaba can decipher it. It’s a clever addition to the musical,without forcing a new song into an already extensive run-time. In fact, this change improves the original song.
“One Short Day” Becomes A More Important Song In Wicked Through Its Changes
“One Short Day” Is A Lore Dump That Doesn’t Distract From The Film
“One Short Day” is a relatively minor song in the original musical, used more to establish a change in setting than anything else. The bright elements of the song play into the unnerving aspects of Oz under the control of the Wizard, presenting a happy exterior while barely concealing darker intentions. However, by introducing the Emerald City Players to the song, the cinematicWickeduses the song to expand the lore of the world.This makes “One Short Day” a more fundamentally important songin the musical, as it sets up the third act.
“One Short Day” was never one of the more memorable songs in the original musical, butthe new version gains a lot through this additional verse. It makes room for some big cameos, without distracting from the main cast of the film. The Emerald City Players are a fun addition to the story that also serve a larger narrative purpose, establishing more about the world without being intrusive. It’s the perfect way to expand a song inWickedwithout messing with the overall pacing and story, and is one of the film’s single best changes to the source material.
Wicked
Cast
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
