Since becoming a scholarly truant two years ago, the Original Cast recording of Spring Awakening, the Tony-award winning musical written by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, and all its academic angst has secured a special place in my heart. Therefore, I was eager to see the National Touring Company’s production which is playing at the Canon Theatre until April 19th, 2009. I had been warned that there is a stark disparity between the book and the music and that the show may not be entirely as I expected. So too, would I advise lovers of the album to read the synopsis included in the liner notes because I think the story that Sheik and Sater are tackling may require a specific headspace to be truly appreciated.
The musical is based on the 1891 play Spring[‘s] Awakening by German dramatist Frank Wedekind (1864-1918), which caused a scandal in its own time for its exploration of adolescent sexuality and implied homoeroticism. In adapting this play into a musical, Sheik and Sater have kept most of the original story and characters and rooted them firmly in late Victorian Germany. The music, however, does not entirely exist within the realm of the plot, but, like in the concept musicals of Kander and Ebb, raises its characters into another dimension of expression. In this way, Sheik and Sater have given modern voices and rock music to these strictly repressed characters and allowed them to express deep, complex, confused emotions in a way that their historical context would not have allowed. This concept is presented beautifully by the director, Michael Mayer who uses staging, lighting and a particularly fantastic use of levels to snap the audience in and out of both dimensions fluidly and subtlety. One of the coolest devices used within this concept is the handheld microphone, which characters pull out of their clothing before beginning to sing. In this way, it becomes clear that it is modernity that has given these characters their voices, in this new world, they can express themselves how they would like, and they will be heard.
The most striking example of this is the song “The Dark I Know Well” in which Martha and Ilse (beautifully played by Sarah Hunt and Steffi D respectively) confess the physical and sexual abuse that is being inflicted on them by their fathers. I can’t help but think how many young girls in history have suffered in this way, voiceless, muffled, stifled and then forgotten. And I think it is so beautiful when we can use art to give a strong, heartrending voice to those that have previously been marginalized and silenced.
The actors also infuse their characters with a strong sense of modernity, which allows for comic relief from the heavy subject matter, but also makes the point that adolescents through the ages have shared these common experiences, and their period in time has only limited their ability to express themselves. Blake Bashoff, who plays the overwhelmed Moritz, is particularly skilled at this and shows shrewd comic timing and has an incredibly powerful voice that pulsates through the entire theatre. Christy Altomare (Wendla) and Matt Doyle (Melchior) remain more grounded in their historical context, but evoke timeless passions, ambitions, dreams and curiosities with beautiful performances. Andy Mientus is also notable as Hanschen; he reminded me of Draco Malfoy in a homoerotic Harry Potter fan fiction. He makes Hanschen’s dark mystery both alluring and slightly disturbing, and his voice is beautiful. The entire cast is fantastic, there isn’t a weak link in the bunch.
Perhaps the most astounding aspect of Spring Awakening is how poignantly its themes and issues still resonate. The conflict between the institution and bright, young, idealistic innocence is still being fought. Idealists still confront injustice and repression and fear of questions and of the truth, and dream of creating a new world for themselves and their children. It’s still just as frustrating when the world seems to be forcing us into a straightjacket and demanding that we conform to its size and shape. It is still so frustrating when adults crush our dreams. There were moments in the show when I wanted to jump up onstage and join the cast in stomping out my own angst to Bill T. Jones’ breathtakingly original choreography. We’ve all been totally fucked in this bitch of a living and Spring Awakening is a release and a celebration of the release of our collective pent up rage. This is catharsis at its best!
The musical is based on the 1891 play Spring[‘s] Awakening by German dramatist Frank Wedekind (1864-1918), which caused a scandal in its own time for its exploration of adolescent sexuality and implied homoeroticism. In adapting this play into a musical, Sheik and Sater have kept most of the original story and characters and rooted them firmly in late Victorian Germany. The music, however, does not entirely exist within the realm of the plot, but, like in the concept musicals of Kander and Ebb, raises its characters into another dimension of expression. In this way, Sheik and Sater have given modern voices and rock music to these strictly repressed characters and allowed them to express deep, complex, confused emotions in a way that their historical context would not have allowed. This concept is presented beautifully by the director, Michael Mayer who uses staging, lighting and a particularly fantastic use of levels to snap the audience in and out of both dimensions fluidly and subtlety. One of the coolest devices used within this concept is the handheld microphone, which characters pull out of their clothing before beginning to sing. In this way, it becomes clear that it is modernity that has given these characters their voices, in this new world, they can express themselves how they would like, and they will be heard.
The most striking example of this is the song “The Dark I Know Well” in which Martha and Ilse (beautifully played by Sarah Hunt and Steffi D respectively) confess the physical and sexual abuse that is being inflicted on them by their fathers. I can’t help but think how many young girls in history have suffered in this way, voiceless, muffled, stifled and then forgotten. And I think it is so beautiful when we can use art to give a strong, heartrending voice to those that have previously been marginalized and silenced.
The actors also infuse their characters with a strong sense of modernity, which allows for comic relief from the heavy subject matter, but also makes the point that adolescents through the ages have shared these common experiences, and their period in time has only limited their ability to express themselves. Blake Bashoff, who plays the overwhelmed Moritz, is particularly skilled at this and shows shrewd comic timing and has an incredibly powerful voice that pulsates through the entire theatre. Christy Altomare (Wendla) and Matt Doyle (Melchior) remain more grounded in their historical context, but evoke timeless passions, ambitions, dreams and curiosities with beautiful performances. Andy Mientus is also notable as Hanschen; he reminded me of Draco Malfoy in a homoerotic Harry Potter fan fiction. He makes Hanschen’s dark mystery both alluring and slightly disturbing, and his voice is beautiful. The entire cast is fantastic, there isn’t a weak link in the bunch.
Perhaps the most astounding aspect of Spring Awakening is how poignantly its themes and issues still resonate. The conflict between the institution and bright, young, idealistic innocence is still being fought. Idealists still confront injustice and repression and fear of questions and of the truth, and dream of creating a new world for themselves and their children. It’s still just as frustrating when the world seems to be forcing us into a straightjacket and demanding that we conform to its size and shape. It is still so frustrating when adults crush our dreams. There were moments in the show when I wanted to jump up onstage and join the cast in stomping out my own angst to Bill T. Jones’ breathtakingly original choreography. We’ve all been totally fucked in this bitch of a living and Spring Awakening is a release and a celebration of the release of our collective pent up rage. This is catharsis at its best!
So… blah blah blah blah-blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah go see Spring Awakening before April 19th, 2009. Visit http://www.mirvish.com/ for details on how to get special $25.00 rush seats. See this show, or you’re totally fucked!
