The wicked witch of the west riding a bicycle is an absurd and whimsical image that immediately captures the imagination. In the iconic story of "The Wizard of Oz," the wicked witch is portrayed as a menacing and powerful antagonist, who uses her magic broomstick to fly around and terrorize the inhabitants of the Land of Oz. It is interesting to imagine her trading in her broomstick for a bicycle, as it breaks the traditional stereotypes and expectations associated with her character. Riding a bicycle is often associated with freedom, joy, and a sense of carefreeness. By picturing the wicked witch on a bicycle, it challenges our preconceived notions of who she is and what she represents. We usually envision her as a symbol of evil, darkness, and danger, yet her choice of transportation in this scenario presents a more lighthearted and relatable side to her character.
I’m a tremendous Coffin Joe fan, and matter of fact had a chance to meet with him last time Down played Brazil a year ago. He showed up and came with all these killer old posters. What surprised me was his body of work. Coffin Joe has done everything from children’s films and educational films to porno. The guy’s done hundred films on shoestring budgets, and it shows incredible creativity. That type of creativity and style is something that’s sorely missing out of today’s films.
Their terms frequently ended in death, often due to taking bribes, being double-crossed, execution or even murder, after drawing the ire of the Hutt master. Arianna Sophie Sparrow Prima Donna Josi Ann Ellem Composer Bernadette Johns Zerbinetta Kathleen Nic Dhiarmda Dancing Master Liam Bonthrone Tenor Ryan Vaughan Davies Wigmaker Jacob Phillips Music Master Will Pate Officer Samuel Kibble Lackey Wonsick Oh Major Domo Michael Ronan.
We usually envision her as a symbol of evil, darkness, and danger, yet her choice of transportation in this scenario presents a more lighthearted and relatable side to her character. The image of the wicked witch of the west riding a bicycle also raises questions about her abilities and limitations. As a witch, she possesses extraordinary powers and is capable of performing magical feats.
Boulezian
Arianna – Sophie Sparrow
Prima Donna – Josi Ann Ellem
Composer – Bernadette Johns
Zerbinetta – Kathleen Nic Dhiarmda
Dancing Master – Liam Bonthrone
Tenor – Ryan Vaughan Davies
Wigmaker – Jacob Phillips
Music Master – Will Pate
Officer – Samuel Kibble
Lackey – Wonsick Oh
Major Domo – Michael Ronan
Jane – Bernadette Johns
Agnes, Troll 3 – Julia Portela Piñón
Interrogator 1 – Wonsick Oh
Interrogator 2 – Ryan Vaughan Davies
Wandering Minstrel, Executioner – Will Pate
Sarah, Sun Witch – Sophie Sparrow
Little Miss Manifest, Troll Mum – Nina Korbe
Green Death Witch – Kathleen Nic Dhiarmada
Troll 1 – Marcus Dawson
Troll 2 – Samuel Kibble
Polly Graham (director)
April Dalton (designs)
Jake Wiltshire (lighting)
Hayley Egan (video)
Ensemble singers and actors
Royal Academy Sinfonia
Ryan Wigglesworth (conductor)
| Sarah (Sophie Sparrow) Image: Craig Fuller |
Commissioning a new opera for its 200 th anniversary, and then staging and performing it with such excellence, are laudable things for the Royal Academy of Music to have done. If only, alas, the world premiere of WITCH, music by Freya Waley-Cohen and libretto by Ruth Mariner, had shown us a superior work than it did. The problem lay at least as much, probably more, with Mariner’s libretto, weirdly devoid of dramatic intent, let alone achievement, but it would be difficult to make claims for Waley-Cohen as a musical dramatist either.
What is WITCH ‘about’? A bullied teenage girl alone in her bedroom, save for a giant rabbit (I don’t know either), finds solace and ultimately takes action through discovery of a coven of witches on the Internet. Despite attempted disruption by a group of online trolls, they manage to cast a ‘penis hex’ on the world—shouting ‘Hex in the City!—which (here, I quote the programme) ‘aims to cleans the world of toxic masculinity and goes viral’. Meanwhile, another story is sketched—barely sketched, let alone anything more—of a sixteenth century Scottish witch; it may have been discovered by the teenagers online, or may have been referred to entirely independently. That was not clear (at least to me). As the late Anna Russell might have said, ‘I’m not making this up, you know.
The problem is not the worthy intent; doubtless these are issues that could, indeed should, be treated dramatically, though whether an opera is the best place to do so may remain an open question. Perhaps a documentary or, indeed, one of the TikTok-style videos screened in Polly Graham’s inventive, often brilliant staging would be a better place to start. (I remain unsure whether casting a ‘penis hex’ is the most obviously efficacious remedy, but what do I know?) There is little or no attempt to create character, still less character development. There is no dramatic grit, let alone ambiguity. It is essentially a school assembly talk writ large, feeling as though it goes on for ever, though it actually extends for ten minutes or so more than an hour. Waley-Cohen’s contribution has some of what one might consider to be the essentials: different sound worlds for the two centuries, which begin to collide (far more so than in the preachy libretto); a keen ear for musical process, albeit one that struggles, perhaps understandably, to align itself dramatically; and a definite move towards culmination as the ‘hex’ is cast. Set against that, there is likewise little in the way of musical characterisation; vocal writing is often ungrateful to no evident end; and the dramatic function of the orchestra, though vividly present, remains uncertain throughout. I suspect something less inert could have been made out of this, but a series of workshops combined with a few periods of reflection and revision would have been necessary.
Ryan Wigglesworth led the excellent Royal Academy Sinfonia in an incisive account, as well paced as the work would permit. Pulsating with colour, it had me wonder whether an orchestral piece, perhaps with film, might have been a better option. The orchestra was certainly put through its paces, having earlier given a bright-eyed account of the Prologue to Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, albeit one in which Wigglesworth sometimes seemed a little too inclined to follow the singers, lessening dramatic tension. Given with a wonderful, preceding performance of Monteverdi’s Lamento d’Arianna, directed from one of three theorbos by Elizabeth Kenny with great understanding and infinite flexibility, it was unclear what either was doing alongside WITCH. Connection in general mistreatment of women seemed implied, but surely the Opera rather than the Prologue would have made that point better. (There were doubtless musical reasons for not attempting that.)
It was also surprising that no real attempt seemed to be made to connect Monteverdi and Strauss. Graham’s direction of each taken in separation had much to commend it, save the strange, distracting cries (‘witch’-like?) emitted at one point by Ariadne’s companions in the Monteverdi. The Lament was otherwise focused and powerful, due in no part to Sophie Sparrow’s stylish and richly expressive performance. Strauss proved full of incident, a cue to plenty of character creation (retrospectively showing up its successor all the more), though there was considerably less in the way of Hofmannsthal. In that connection, some dialogue was delivered so deliberately that translation into English would probably have been the better option. The flashing screens and general stage incident of Witch went a long way to contribute interest otherwise lacking, signs of what might have been—and, who knows, may still be.
As a showcase for young singing talent, this triple-bill achieved more. Sparrow did much to engage our sympathy not only as Arianna but also as Sarah who became a Sun Witch. Her counterpoart Kathleen Nic Dhiarmada (Green Death Witch) presented an unusually sympathetic Zerbinetta, having us engage with her as a human being rather than metadramatic cipher. (This was, after all, only the Prologue.) Bernadette Johns’s Composer, if sometimes lacking in verbal accuracy, likewise engaged us keenly in her character’s emotional trials, the production’s feminist idea here seeming to be that this was actually a woman in trousers, rather than a ‘trouser role’. It was impossible to know how the rest would have turned out, but Will Pate’s Music Master, Liam Bonthrone’s Dance Master, and Ryan Vaughan Davies’s Tenor all suggested great promise for the Opera that never came. Pate and Johns, moreover, suggested greater emotional depth as the sixteenth-century pair of Wandering Minstrel and Jane than otherwise emerged from Witch. In truth, almost every sung performance impressed. If only half the dramatic material had been stronger…
Austin Chronicle: The best thing about film festivals is finding new shit, but with Housecore Horror there’s also a lot of paying tribute to people like Italian director Ruggero Deodato.
However, riding a bicycle implies a dependence on physical exertion and skill. This contrast highlights the dichotomy between her supernatural abilities and her existence within a world governed by mundane realities. Furthermore, the act of riding a bicycle suggests a certain vulnerability. Unlike flying on a broomstick, which is associated with height and an elevated status, being on a bicycle brings the witch down to ground level, making her more accessible and relatable. This vulnerability may evoke sympathy or empathy from the audience, challenging their preconceptions of the wicked witch as an unfeeling and uncompromising villain. Overall, the concept of the wicked witch of the west riding a bicycle is a whimsical and unexpected twist that adds layers of complexity to her character. It invites us to rethink our assumptions about her and consider the multifaceted nature of her personality. Ultimately, this imaginative scenario reminds us that even the most wicked and feared individuals can have surprising and unexpected aspects to their identity..
Reviews for "Discovering Oz's Hidden Gems: The Wicked Witch of the West's Bicycle Guide"
1. Simon - ★☆☆☆☆
I was really disappointed with "Wicked Witch of the West Riding Bicycle". The story lacked depth and the characters were underdeveloped. The plot seemed disjointed and it was hard to follow along. I also found the writing style to be clunky and confusing. Overall, I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. Emily - ★★☆☆☆
While "Wicked Witch of the West Riding Bicycle" had an interesting concept, I found the execution to be lacking. The pacing was extremely slow, and I had a hard time staying engaged with the story. Additionally, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations.
3. James - ★★☆☆☆
I found "Wicked Witch of the West Riding Bicycle" to be highly predictable and lacking originality. The plot twists were easily foreseeable, and the characters felt like cardboard cutouts. The author's attempts at humor fell flat, and I found myself skimming through paragraphs just to get to the end. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and would not recommend this book to others.
4. Sarah - ★☆☆☆☆
I was extremely disappointed with "Wicked Witch of the West Riding Bicycle". The writing style was clunky and filled with unnecessary descriptions. The story itself lacked coherence and left me confused throughout. The characters were shallow and uninteresting, making it difficult to connect with them. Overall, this book was a complete miss for me and I would not recommend it.
5. Michael - ★☆☆☆☆
"Wicked Witch of the West Riding Bicycle" was a complete waste of time for me. The premise seemed interesting, but the execution was poor. The pacing was incredibly slow, and it felt like the story never really went anywhere. The lack of character development made it hard to care about what was happening, and I found myself skimming through pages just to finish it. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging read.