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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Artsy Spring Awakening: That's It?

Posted by Alison Hallett on Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 5:37 PM

Note: This is less a formal review than a sustained expression of grumpiness.

Due to the demands of deadline day, I missed the first 15 minutes or so of last night's Broadway Across America touring production of Spring Awakening. In all fairness, then, it's only the last seven-eighths of the show that I can describe as bland, convoluted, and undeserving of half the praise it's garnered. (If anyone wants to weigh in on the first eighth, be my guest.)

Set in 19th century Germany, Spring Awakening chronicles the sexual comings-of-age of a group of provincial teenagers who've been raised without the benefit of What's Happening to Me? In various states of sexual confusion, and with no adults to explain the ins and outs, it's only a matter of time until their general ignorance about s-e-x comes to a sticky, unprotected, baby-making head.

Melchior (Kyle Riabko) is one of the few kids who understands the sex/baby connection, but that doesn't stop him from knocking up his girlfriend. Meanwhile, his good friend Moritz (Blake Bashoff) is an already poor student driven to increasing distraction by a state of perma-tumescence. The show is overstuffed with teenagers coping with hot-button issues, making it both difficult to follow and utterly unworkable as a character-driven narrative. There is incest, masturbation, malicious masturbation, child abuse, kids who have to hurt themselves to "feel," back alley abortions... It's fuckin' Degrassi Jr. High, only the music is worse.

The Duncan Sheik-composed score is derivative and unmemorable, full of mall-emo posturing, American Idol-esque pop numbers, and mournful piano lines ripped straight from Joni Mitchell's "Blue" (absolutely no slight to Joni intended), or maybe the MASH theme song. (The closing number is a great example of how generic and soppy most of the music was, listen to it here.) A few numbers stood out, namely those featuring Blake Bashoff, and a big ensemble number called "Totally Fucked" was a highlight, bringing a welcome dose of energy to this angst-plagued stage, but overall tedium was the order of the night.

I know I'm supposed to think Spring Awakening was a thrilling, powerfully erotic depiction of the charged and dangerous years when balls drop, hair starts to grow "down there," and the primary colors of childhood darken to the nuanced palette of adulthood. (At least, that's what the New York Times said I was supposed to think.) But come on: No one who's seen a movie, read a magazine, or watched an after-school special in the last twenty years will twitch so much as an eyebrow here. Billing this show as "edgy" and "erotic" only reinforces the divide between Broadway and the rest of the culture: One instance of boob-biting does not an erotic spectacular make... and "teenagers think about sex a lot" is hardly a revelation. And as a this-is-why-we-need-sex-ed cautionary tale? It's just trite.

I'm definitely in the critical minority on this one, but I just don't get the hype (or the Tonys) here. Anyone else?

 

Comments (14) RSS

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1
Damn right the music is worse than Degrassi. There is no way Duncan Sheik could even come close to the brilliance that was Zit Remedy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nU2zvWsmMk
Posted by Rob on October 22, 2008 at 6:16 PM · Report
2
Musicals are cheesy by nature, I think. Anyways, I also reviewed. http://www.hungoverportland.com/2008/10/sp…

But more importantly: there is about to be something on the news about a cat that glows in the dark.
Posted by Joneser on October 22, 2008 at 6:28 PM · Report
3
It was like a really flat combination of (A) High School Musical and (B) that super-awkward "maturation program" my elementary school hosted, where me and all the other fifth grade boys had to go sit in the school gymnasium with our dads and learn about B.O. and zits and boners.

Also, can someone please tell me what a "purple summer" is?
Posted by Erik Henriksen on October 22, 2008 at 9:00 PM · Report
4
So does it make me lame that I loved it then? Laughed, cried, ordered the DVD from Amazon as soon as I got home!
Posted by Beth Delaney on October 23, 2008 at 12:25 AM · Report
5
It's a shame that the musical didn't live up to your expectations... but maybe they passed out the viagra in the first fifteen!

I'm not going to be able to catch Spring Awakening myself, but I'm going to be taking in L&C's production of Urinetown in November... I think that's going to be mad refreshing.
Posted by Michelle on October 23, 2008 at 9:53 AM · Report
6
Okay. You miss the first 15 minutes of the show, which maybe helps set the mood, the tone, and helps shape the characters. Nonetheless you proceed to critique "Spring Awakening" as if you saw the whole thing (though at least you were honest).
You mention only one song and manage to get its name wrong -- it's "Totally Fucked," not "You're Fucked."
And you complain about what you're "supposed to think" but when you think on your own you conclude that the show is a "why-we-need-sex-ed cautionary tale" -- which it isn't.
Maybe that's why you don't get it.
Posted by Pete on October 23, 2008 at 6:04 PM · Report
7
I didn't conclude that. That's another way the show has been described, and I don't think it worked on that level either.

Apparently we disagree, Pete, although, all I really took from your comment was that you think I'm an idiot. I think there are probably loads of people out there who are still interested in seeing it who might benefit from hearing your thoughts on the show.

I'll change the song title, thanks for catching that.
Posted by Alison Hallett on October 24, 2008 at 5:42 PM · Report
8
I was originally offended by your review...then I saw the play. I reviewed it as well and linked back to your blog. Read mine here if you'd like: http://denisesaxon.blogspot.com/2008/10/sp…
Posted by dsaxon9454 on October 25, 2008 at 10:52 PM · Report
9
i think seeing it with the original broadway award winning cast makes a huge difference. i saw it numerous times and it was amazing. they are all gone now and the new broadway cast just doesn't cut it as evidenced by the recent closing notice. the only two actors in the touring production who were also in the broadway cast for awhile are kyle and blake. and as good as they are they can't hold a whole show together.
Posted by teresa on October 26, 2008 at 11:16 PM · Report
10
i think seeing it with the original broadway award winning cast makes a huge difference. i saw it numerous times and it was amazing. they are all gone now and the new broadway cast just doesn't cut it as evidenced by the recent closing notice. the only two actors in the touring production who were also in the broadway cast for awhile are kyle and blake. and as good as they are they can't hold a whole show together.
Posted by teresa on October 26, 2008 at 11:17 PM · Report
11
Wow, I so don't agree. I was completely blown away, and I'm hardly a teenager. It's so much more sophisticated than the traditional American musical which needs to spell out every thing and is very linear...SA is poetry. The music is touching, haunting, beautiful and captures the energy, joy and tragedy of youth. I loved the purposeful juxtoposition of 19th century Germany with a modern rock score. It served to show that in over 100 years, things havn't really changed. It's not just about sex education, it's about communication and lack thereof between adults and teens and about the things that teenagers go through which is not talked about openly enough. Teen suicide is still very much an issue in this day and age. I realize it's not for all markets, but to disavow the brilliant work of this creative team and cast seems dismissive and half-assed.
Posted by Betsy Sanders on October 28, 2008 at 10:51 PM · Report
12
I believe that what "Spring Awakening" has to say is new to every child turning into a teen. And, for adults, it's one of two things -- either a vivid reminder for us as we attempt to raise the next group of teens, or something that makes us deeply uncomfortable because we've spent the time since we turned 20 industriously trying to erase those years from our memory completely.
Posted by Terry M. on October 29, 2008 at 10:49 AM · Report
13
It was a well-written, beautifully acted, and complex work.
Spring Awakening addresses the damage that ignorance can do. A problem that still exists today, even with 'sex-ed'.
It seems that you find the problems of teenagers trivial and silly because you (possibly) once experienced them. But just because the situations in Spring Awakening make you roll your eyes and shift in your seat, doesn't mean that the message it's sending isn't important.
Duncan Sheik is a very talented composer,Steven Sater is a gifted writer, and Frank Wedekind had a once revolutionary idea.
Please don't overlook the strong points of Spring Awakening for your petty prejudices.
And next time, have some class, be on time or don't go.
Posted by Molly on October 30, 2008 at 10:26 PM · Report
14
Wow, it takes guts to disagree with every single major critic in almost every major newspaper (both in Portland and nationally) not to mention all those Tony and Drama Desk voters! It takes guts to stand up and admit that you really don't know what you're talking about. Congrats and keep on writing! Unfortunately, I won't be reading. We obviously have very different tastes. Everyone I know who saw it in Portland loved it.
Posted by PortlandMama on November 13, 2008 at 12:26 AM · Report

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