SPRING AWAKENING.
London.
SPRING AWAKENING
book &lLyrics by Steven Sater based on the play by Frank Wedekind music by Duncan Sheik.
Lyric Hammersmith To 14 March 2009.
transfer to Novello Theatre.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Wed & Sat 2.30pm.
Runs 2hr 20 min One Interval.
TICKETS: 0844 482 5171.
www.springawakening.co.uk
Review: Geoff Ambler 3 February at Lyric Hammersmith.
Inspirational and uplifting music adorns a dark tale with beautiful results.
Shocking theatre is nothing new, yet although this tale, which spent most of its life heavily censored, has subjects now frequently explored, its themes of abuse (both self and child), incest, flagellation, youthful passion, suicide and school still manage to surprise. Based on Frank Wedekind’s 1891 play, Spring Awakening's musical adaptation deals with these harsher realities of life that delight and torment youths in any time. Heavy all this may sound and admittedly it has quite disturbing moments. But Spring Awakening is never overpowering; instead a beautifully constructed production quickly emerges, a melange of youthful hope and excitement, discoveries and joys, counterpoints to the pain and anguish, which are heightened by the oppressive Germanic, Victorianesque era.
Three friends, reaching a point in their young lives where school and parental expectations compete with developing relationships and new feelings, experience the agonies and ecstasies that abound at that time of life, with tragic consequences. Wendla, naive, curious and eager to experience life, discovers a deeper relationship with childhood friend Melchior, one that develops into frenzied passion, delightfully staged among a sermonising preacher and his congregation. Atheist Melchior argues with his school-masters, incurring beatings; he exudes a cool rebellious quality that will become his undoing. Meanwhile his tousled friend Moritz is tormented by failure and suffers his domineering father's disappointment.
Awakening is a moving journey, simmering numbers punctuated with rocky, edgy moments - all delivered with uplifting, heart pounding energy. Indeed Totally F***ed elicits an unending ovation from an energised audience basking in an evening of exceptional musical story-telling. This young cast, most of whom declare their first professional outing, are all seriously talented individuals. The three leads, Charlotte Wakefield as Wendla, Iwan Rheon as Moritz and Aneurin Barnard as Melchior are each a thorough delight, presenting characters to care for and a story to lose yourself in.
I believe I witnessed, this evening, the birth of several huge careers. A cast of unknowns, entirely original music and a story from the 19th century have converged into an incomparable delight. Surely a transfer beckons.
Wendia: Charlotte Wakefield.
The Adult Women: Sian Thomas.
Thea: Evelyn Hoskins.
Anna: Natasha Barnes.
Martha: Hayley Gallivan.
Ilse: Lucy Barker.
The Adult Men: Richard Cordery.
Otto: Edd Judge.
Hanschen: Jamie Blackley.
Ernst: Harry McEntire.
Georg: Jos Slovick.
Moritz: Iwan Rheon.
Melchior: Aneurin Barnard.
Swings: Chris Barton, Natalie Garner, Mona Goodwin, Jamie Muscato, Gemma O’Duffy, Richard Southgate.
Director: Michael Mayer.
Designer: Christine Jones.
Lighting: Kevin Adams.
Sound: Brian Ronan.
Choreographer: Bill T Jones.
Costume: Susan Hilferty.
2009-02-09 01:21:06