Spring Awakening is a musical like no other. Based on the 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind, Spring Awakening was developed into a coming-of-age rock musical exploring themes of sexual awakening for young boys and girls alike in a conservative, Christian society in the 19th century.
production was brilliant considering the confined space
The girls are unaware of what sex is, while they still swoon over the local boys in town. The boys try to suppress their urges, meanwhile Melchior Gabor (played by Joe Gill) has learned about sex and anatomy through books.
This musical is about progression, it's a tragedy caused by the senior members of society misinforming the youth, which in turn causes harm. It's a reminder that progressiveness = positive outcomes for the youth.
In fact, the opening song Mama Who Bore Me performed by leading girl Wendla Bergmann (Shannon Hood) and the girls in the ensemble is the crying out of the girls eager to know how life is created. Hood sang with great diction and a clear sound, although the performance lacked a little power it was still enjoyable.
Daniel Fischer, who played Moritz, hit every line perfectly, the audience laughed when a joke was made and were silent when tragedy struck. Definitely a stand-out.
Gill, who portrayed Melchior, played the role brilliantly. The role was performed with vigour and a clear understanding of the character. I really enjoyed Gill's interpretation of the role.
Shaun Hamilton was also a stand-out in both his roles and I greatly enjoyed his performance.
The whole production was brilliant considering the confined space they had and the audience surrounding all sides. The ensemble moved around perfectly, setting the scene, although the vocals were pitchy at times. Additionally, I was unsure about the mixed accents, with American and Scottish used, slightly took us out of the illusion of the setting.
Overall improvements could be made in vocal area and the overall polish of the performance, however this is still a perfectly sound production.
