the play's the thing

This post is from New York, where I'm sort of adapted now to the time change.

Tonight we saw Rent; it was my second time seeing it after having gone to it when we were here about two and a half years ago. Once again it didn't disappoint.

I'm writing more about Spring Awakening, though, which we saw last night. Some have suggested it will take Rent's place as the new edgy rock musical about the disenfranchised. I'm not so sure.

It's an odd experience to see the Broadway musical version of a play only two days after I attended the non-musical version back in Victoria. I think it was kind of helpful in understanding the plot and characters a little more quickly. I had studied the play back when I was an undergraduate, but that was centuries ago...

We got the tickets from the TKTS 1/2 price booth--which is still in its temporary location at the Marriot. Some of our group went to Avenue Q, and quite enjoyed it. Another friend from the internet world once told me all about that one, but I have yet to see it.

Six of us, though, chose Spring Awakening. They were described as "obscured view" seats, but really, they were quite good--four and five rows back but on the side.

When things got going, though, we were very puzzled by the behaviour of the crowd. As soon as the actors ran out on stage, they got a very enthusiastic standing ovation. This made no sense, yet the whole audience was doing it. I felt like I was at a cult rally or something.

Then someone in front of us who was also confused asked a nearby "ovationer" about it and was told it was the lead actress (Lea Michele)'s last night in the show. Later we heard it was the lead actor (Jonathon Groff)'s last night as well. The story is here

It was a very emotional performance. One song, titled "You're Fxxxed" (x's inserted to protect the tender sensibilities of my readers) ends in a freeze with the performers all giving the audience the middle finger. The audience stood and gave another loud ovation at that point and kept on going. The actors, therefore, had to hold the freeze. The lead girl began sobbing during this, and some others were laughing and crying. It was kind of a magical moment.

What was surprising was that we actually got tickets. I did a little internet research when we got home and even back in February some were saying that night was getting close to sold out. It was probably the "obscured" label on those seats that made them available.

The whole show felt more like a love-in with family and friends (and a lot in the audience were family and friends) and I did the verboten (yes, an homage to the German origin of the show)

I pulled out my camera and caught a bit of the afterwards. It's jumpy 'cause I didn't want to watch it through the viewfinder, just held it about where I thought it should be. Not great footage, but you get a bit of the idea:



Prior to this, the edgiest show I'd taken kids to was probably Rent. This one challenged the limits even more--some nudity at the end of act I and the scene repeated at the beginning of act II, a gay makeout scene, a masturbation scene as part of a song, and of course the song mentioned above.

And to think I rejected the idea of Equus during the London trip last year. Of course, that was partly because I knew the play well enough to know most of my kids wouldn't have enjoyed it, despite the thrill of seeing Harry Potter in the altogether.

The show was good--but I don't think it's as good a show as Rent--well, maybe not as good at doing what Rent does. Part of what is amazing about Rent is that it really touches broadly on the human condition, while Spring Awakening deals with an issue, if the difference makes sense. Also, I get goosebumps hearing the harmonies of "Seasons of Love", and the harmonies throughout Rent are amazing. Spring Awakening just doesn't have that complexity in its vocals--lots of unison.

I have a more detailed critique to offer sometime, but must be off to bed--it's an early start down to the ferries to Liberty and Ellis Islands tomorrow, then the Met Museum in the afternoon.

*I recently posted that I'd be moving all "personal" posts to another more secure spot. That's still the plan, but I think some posts like this I'll put here for a little while then move them there before search engines and random folks get to this one.