A green face and a red chair
Posted by Jenni James on 27 November 2024The highly anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked was released over the weekend. Its story of friendship, self-discovery, and resilience is widely loved and feels very relatable for anyone who has felt different, marginalised or overlooked.
I went to see the film on Saturday and found myself unexpectedly emotional as the film closed with its most famous song – Defying Gravity. Elphaba’s vulnerability and bravery, beautifully captured by Cynthia Erivo, made me hear the words of the song afresh, words that I could sing as a survivor of domestic abuse.
Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I’m through with playing by the rules of someone else’s game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It’s time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap
It’s time to try defying gravity
I think I’ll try defying gravity
And you can’t pull me down
I’m through accepting limits
‘Cause someone says they’re so
Some things I cannot change
But ’til I try, I’ll never know
Too long I’ve been afraid of
Losing love I guess I’ve lost
Well, if that’s love, it comes at much too high a cost
I’d sooner buy defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye, I’m defying gravity
And you can’t pull me down
At the beginning of these 16 days of Activism, as we set up our Red Chairs to remember the victims of gender-based violence, we can also join our voices with Elphaba’s anthem of freedom and resistance to corrupt power and oppression.
Perhaps during these 16 days, we quietly mourn with a Red Chair, and we speak out defiantly with a green face.
Header Image credit: Universal Pictures
The Red Chair Project
Download a pack of resources to help you join in with the Red Chair project during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
The Red Chair Project