Looking around at the crowd
gathering for the matinee showing of Spring
Awakening, made up of mostly somewhat older theater-goers, it didn’t feel
like the show I was getting ready to see was a controversial rock opera. I felt
like I stood out like a sore thumb, being the only teenager there apart from
the actors getting ready back stage.
The musical is based off of a play
of the same title by Frank Wedekind, a play that wasn’t produced in England
until almost 100 years after it was written, and only then in an edited
version. The musical has the same setting as the original play, Germany in the
1890’s. It follows a group of teenagers, Wendla, Melchior and Moritz. Wendla
wants to know where babies come from, seeing as how her sister’s already had
two children. Moritz is unable to sleep at night because of strange dreams
involving a woman’s legs. The renegade Melchior is the only one with any
answers, gained from books.
This production has done an
excellent job in bringing Spring
Awakening to life. Melchior’s sadness and anger were shown brilliantly, and the audience could feel Moritz’s torment and frustration.
The modern rock soundtrack
contrasted well with the setting. The music is beautiful and haunting at times,
while at other times it’s a basic expression of anger through rock. The songs
might not have aided as much with the story telling, but they provided a great
insight into the thoughts and feelings of the characters. On the outside
they’re well-behaved and obedient, but on the inside they’re screaming.
The lighting was beautiful, as were
the sets. The costumes seemed to match the time period, with a few modern
touches. The choreography wasn’t showy, but worked well for the songs. Over
all, the elements all came together to create a visually stunning play.
Going into the play, I thought it
would probably attract an audience of, say, older teenagers or people in their early twenties. I, as somebody
getting ready to turn 17, didn’t find anything in the show I couldn’t handle,
though that might be best left to the discretion of parents if they want their
children to see this show as, while it doesn’t involve nudity, it is very
explicit and deals with themes of sexuality. But having seen the show now, I
realize those that should see Spring
Awakening aren’t teenagers because they know the difficulties of living in
that zone between childhood and adulthood. It’s the adults who have forgotten
how difficult it is for teenagers to live in a world run by adults. Spring Awakening expresses that
transition, and how oppressive society can be, in a very powerful way and it’s
this theme that makes it a timeless story.
