The cast of American Idiot playing at QPAC. Image by Dylan Evans Photography via American Idiot LIVE.
This critically acclaimed album American Idiot, which won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2005, inspired the subsequent Broadway Musical, winning the Grammy for Best Musical Show in 2010 and two Tony Awards for Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design. And with a film is to follow, being shot in 2017.
So this new all-Australian production, making its premiere down-under in Brisbane and presented by the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and shake & stir theatre company, already has many accolades to its name. The work itself is predominantly a showcase for the music from the album, as every song is featured in the show alongside several songs from their subsequent release, 21st Century Breakdown. The premise of the book, written by lead singer and librettist, Billie Joe Armstrong, and original Director, Michael Mayer, is somewhat flimsy with a story that unfolds in short vignettes of the lives of the main protagonists, interspersed with musical numbers. In fact it can barely be called a ‘rock opera’ or a piece of musical theatre, so thin is the narrative or the explanation of actions.
The story centres around three young disaffected boyhood friends from small-town, lower middle-class America and their search for meaning and truth in their lives, a pretty standard format. The anti-hero narrator Johnny (Ben Bennett) leaves home and meets the ‘Mother Revolution’ figure Whatshername (Phoebe Panaretos) and falls in love; Wil (Alex Jeans) gets Heather (Ashleigh Barlow) pregnant, while Tunny (Cameron MacDonald) goes to war and loses a leg. They all grow up in different ways.
What makes it interesting are the strong political overtones, the original being set during George W. Bush’s Presidency and the war in Iraq. Two songs are overtly political and have strong resonance – American Idiot, which opens the show, and Holiday. There are uncomfortably distinct parallels to today’s America, giving voice to the disenfranchised suburban underclass as represented by the three friends and those they come into contact with. The opening sequence with its emphasis on the television culture of the USA, showing appearances and quotes by Trump for example, promised some potentially serious analysis, but that did not come. It was a pity as more emphasis on the failure of the American dream, rather than micro-stories that could happen in any first-world country, would have strengthened this piece and added meaning to the title American Idiot.
Musically the work was strong with singers and musicians overwhelming first-rate. The three main characters, Ben Bennett, Alex Jeans and Cameron MacDonald, were all excellent, both as actors, singers and musicians. They were strongly supported by great cameos from Christopher Scalzo and Kurt Phelan in particular. It was difficult to hear many of the lyrics from the girls in the cast, due to over-miking which drowned out the soprano voices. But Ashleigh Barlow gave a convincing performance as the pregnant Heather, Phoebe Panaretos was a terrific Whatshername and Rowen Vilar impressed with her acrobatics in the dreaming sequence. Chris Cheney was an inspiring St. Jimmy, a sort of all-encompassing father-figure come freedom fighter and drug dealer, who also, and rather confusingly, represents the alter-ego of Johnny.
The set design by Josh McIntosh, with lighting by Matthew Marshall, were both highlights of the production. The set was an undistinctive grey box with various screens and entry points, including balcony and staircase, used to portray domestic rooms and bedrooms, as well as street scenes and even battle scenes. A strategically placed set of six large TV screens were well-utilised to emphasise ubiquitous media with relevant footage. What made the set work so well though were the projections and video footage, as well as drawing scribbled words as narrated by Johnny. All credit to Brisbane-based video design team, optikal bloc, for truly excellent work, making the visuals leap off the stage. One could question the somewhat excessive use of strobe lighting and the need to shine light directly into the eyes of the audience quite so frequently, though it did lend immediacy to the action.
American Idiot, the punk musical, is a flawed work and a rather mixed bag of goodies, but it was impressively staged, well-sung and acted and energetically delivered. Moreover the punk-rock music of Green Day is accessible, acerbic and powerful. Songs such as Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends, She’s a Rebel and Jesus of Suburbia are real winners. Ending with their celebrated hit, Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) was a neat if somewhat naff ending.
Overall though, this work could be better and have more relevance as a piece of musical theatre if it linked the songs more overtly to current politics and bigger picture issues, offering more than just a lightweight musical entertainment.
Green Day’s American Idiot is an Australian premiere exclusive to Brisbane at the Playhouse Theatre, QPAC until Sunday 12 March 2017. The role of St Jimmy is played by rock-star legend Chris Cheney (The Living End) until 28 February and then by Phil Jamieson (Grinspoon) until the end of the season.
Star Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
Green Day’s American Idiot
Presented by shake & stir theatre co and QPAC
Cast
Chris Cheney
Phil Jamieson
Ashleigh Barlow
Ben Bennett
Madison Green
Alex Jeans
Nicholas Kyriacou
Cameron MacDonald
Lorinda Merrypor
Phoebe Panaretos
Kurt Phelan
Christopher Scalzo
Rowena Vilar
Creatives
Director Craig Ilott (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Smoke and Mirrors)
Choreographer Lucas Newland
Music Director Glenn Moorhouse
Lighting Designer Matthew Marshall
Video Designers optikal bloc
Set Designer Josh McIntosh
Costume Designer Melaine Knight
www.americanidiotlive.com.au
