Revd Rachel Mann, writer, poet and speaker, talks about her new Lent book, Gravity Defied: A Lent Course based on the movie, Wicked …
Well, firstly, it is enormously entertaining and engaging. Watching it doesn’t feel like hard work. So, rather than being piously focused on the ‘worthiness’ or ‘importance’ of the film, using it as a Lent course doesn’t feel exhausting or demanding. Of course, Wicked is much more than ‘mere entertainment’. It tells a compelling story about a scapegoated outsider who is passionate about justice and finds a way to take on an oppressive regime led by a self-indulgent tyrant. Its themes of friendship and love, self-sacrifice and good vs evil are timeless and ever suitable themes for Lenten study.
Which themes are the most prevalent in the film that invite further discussion and reflection?
Perhaps the most pervasive theme in Wicked is the joy and cost of living life authentically. The central character Elphaba experiences prejudice, fear and mockery based on the colour of her skin and her unusual gift for magic. She wants to be liked and to be like others, but finds that the fullness of life is found when she accepts who she actually is. It is a costly path to follow. This story has strong echoes of the Christian vocation to become our truest selves in Jesus Christ. To become who we are and thereby be set free.
It is also an exploration the temptations of power and popularity and the risk of losing oneself in their pursuit. In the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda we see how friendship can be transformative. It offers a picture of the way in which love is more powerful than greed or selfishness. The friendship between Elphaba and Glinda raises questions about what a life well lived looks like, especially when they make different decisions when faced with the opportunities provided by the corrupt and charming Wizard of Oz.
Why choose the title, Gravity Defied?
The song, Defying Gravity, which brings part one of the two Wicked movies to an end is an absolute banger. It is a song which signals Elphaba’s moment of liberation from her false images about the Wizard of Oz; it is a song of freedom and hope. As such I wanted to find a way to incorporate that song title into the book title … to capture its energy and joy and liberation. Gravity Defied struck me as a smart way to do that.
How is the Lent course set out?
I’ve adopted a classic five part format so that a group or individual can do a section each week in the run up to Holy Week and Easter. Each session or week has a theme. Week one, for example, explores the question, ‘How do we judge goodness?’ The sessions are then broken down into a mixture of clips from the film as prompts for conversation alongside studies from the Bible that chime with the clip or theme. I call these sections ‘going deeper’ and I hope they will reveal surprising connections between Wicked and the Gospels. At the end of each session is a space for further reflection over the week as well as prompts to consider between sessions.
How should readers, whether individuals or groups, best use the book?
Ultimately, the book belongs to the person or group who gets hold of it. So, it really is up to book owner how she, he or they want to use it. Of course, I have given the structure and ordering a lot of thought. So I think it’s best to treat each week as a pattern which unfolds and develops, complementing the previous week.
Before starting the course I suggest that individuals or groups sit down and watch Wicked. There is a lot to be said for a watch party that - depending on personality - might develop into a singalong!
I also suggest that ideally every participant has a copy of the book. It means that sections that are not covered in a group session can be explored at home. It also means that group members can prepare for each week. Courses like this work best when grounded in prayer and preparation.
Most of all, enjoy, relax, pray, and have fun.
Which character in Wicked do you most identify with and why?
Inevitably, like so many, I tend to identify with Elphaba. Like her I’ve had my own experiences of scapegoating and marginalisation. I’ve had to claim my own power and discover my self-confidence. She is an absolute legend.
Rachel Mann is a writer, poet, speaker and national broadcaster with a particular interest in the relationship between popular culture and faith. Ordained into the Church of England in 2005, she has served as a parish priest, Poet-in-Residence and Minor Canon of Manchester Cathedral, and is now Archdeacon of Salford and Bolton. Her many books include Dazzling Darkness and Fierce Imaginings, the novel The Gospel of Eve, and poetry Eleanor Among the Saints. She has previously written the Lent courses From Now On and Still Standing.
Gravity Defied: A Lent Course based on the movie, Wicked is available now in paperback, priced £7.99.
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