As Depraved takes its flip as essentially the most anticipated musical-to-film adaptation of the twenty first century, it’s straightforward to neglect that earlier than Depraved was a musical, it was a e-book by Gregory Maguire.
Stephen Schwarz, who wrote the musical, picked and selected what he felt have been the e-book’s greatest moments to adapt onto the stage. Nevertheless, the pre-teen ladies who liked Depraved have been typically too younger to learn the e-book concurrently as a consequence of its mature themes, corresponding to intercourse and sophisticated political thrulines.
Whereas some Depraved followers might have learn the e-book later in life, many have by no means touched it, listening to combined critiques from musical lovers. However producers of the Depraved movie, which has been cut up into at the very least two elements, shared that it will embody elements of the e-book that will not have been within the musical. So we’ve compiled seven of the variations and similarities between the Depraved musical and e-book to suss-out what may make the movie’s ultimate minimize.
Related: The Fundamental Characters
Whereas the e-book and musical are wildly completely different for essentially the most half, each comply with Elphaba and Glinda at their coronary heart. Within the musical, Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship is essentially the most vital facet and is on the middle of each emotional turning level. Within the e-book, nevertheless, a number of different components weigh of equal significance. However even nonetheless, Elphaba, Glinda, Nessarose, Fiyero, Madame Morrible, and naturally, The Wizard, are all in play all through the novel.
Completely different: The ‘Wizard of Oz’ Lore
In each variations of Depraved, the magic comes from the way it ties into the unique Wizard of Oz it was impressed by. Nevertheless, the musical and e-book make completely different selections in the case of issues like if Elphaba actually melts with water. The musical means that that’s only a ridiculous rumor, whereas the e-book proves it to be true. Within the musical, Fiyero turns into the Scarecrow, whereas within the e-book, Elphaba is just reminded of Fiyero by a scarecrow. Boq exists within the e-book, however a munchkin man named Nick Chopper turns into the Tinman as an alternative. Even how the Wizard makes choices and the way Elphaba discovered the flying monkeys is completely different.
Related: The Themes
At its coronary heart, Depraved is a narrative outlined by its thematic classes—prioritizing friendship, embracing individuality, standing up for what you consider in, amongst others. These underlying messages exist in each variations of the story despite the fact that the e-book leans extra on the politics of Oz and the way these might mirror the politics of our fashionable world, whereas the musical is extra targeted on the connection dynamics. Nevertheless, the best way society perceives these in energy — whether or not superstar or a political figurehead — is the crux of each the e-book and the musical.
Completely different: The Tone
As a musical, Depraved captures the extravagance and pleasure of musical theater. However the e-book is completely different. The e-book is extremely darkish with mature themes and descriptions, corresponding to loss of life, intercourse, medication, and extra. Affairs are rife and there are descriptions of kid abuse. All of that sounds fully completely different from the musical, and by chance, it’s! If the present leaned into the identical darkness because the e-book, it will lose the magic that gave it its timeless legacy. The best way Depraved transcends generations and has linked with folks from everywhere in the world is what makes it so universally revered. The e-book has a unique, extra area of interest following, and whereas many like it, its tone makes it a controversial decide.
Related: Some Iconic Quotes
Whereas the Depraved musical remains to be some of the quotable musicals of all time—i.e. “You realize black is that this 12 months’s pink” and “For the primary time, I really feel depraved”—the e-book really did encourage among the musical’s quotes. The Wizard says in each, “The place I’m from, we consider in all kinds of issues that aren’t true… we name it historical past.” One other fashionable quote from each the e-book and musical is, “I do know you don’t need to hear this however somebody has to say it! You might be uncontrolled! I imply they’re simply sneakers… let it go!” And Elphaba says in each, “Okay let’s get this over with, no I’m not seasick, sure I’ve at all times been inexperienced, No I didn’t eat grass as a toddler.”
Completely different: Switching Views
Within the musical, the story, which follows Elphaba, is informed principally from Galinda’s perspective, though we do see scenes seemingly unknown to Galinda. Nevertheless, the story is informed from a number of completely different views within the Depraved novel, bouncing between Elphaba, Galinda, Elphaba’s mom, Boq, and different characters who might not even exist within the Depraved musical. Whereas this gadget provides texture and a number of unreliable narrators to an already difficult story, it will be practically unattainable to include right into a musical adaptation. Actually, by telling the story of Depraved with Galinda’s narration, we’re offered only a trace of what Gregory Maguire’s model laid out.
Related: Excessive High quality
Fortunately, one of many greatest issues the Depraved musical and e-book have in widespread is their prime quality. Regardless of not profitable the Tony Award for Greatest Musical, Depraved has outlasted its personal legacy as one of many longest-running modern musicals, popularizing the modern style and making a technology of millennial girls who can nonetheless sing each phrase to “What Is This Feeling?” The e-book, whereas much less fashionable, nonetheless managed to seize the minds of many as a scathing evaluation of political corruption by a layered fantasy origin story. Hopefully, the movies dwell as much as their predecessors.