Photo Credit: Belinda Strodder
Being a teenager is weird. Your body is rapidly changing, hormones run rampant and it feels increasingly like the adult world is clueless and, at worst, out to get you. Now imagine on top of all this you are never told anything about sex, reproduction or allowed to express your feelings or desires. This is the world in which the tortured teens of Spring Awakening exist, as first written by German playwright Frank Wedekind in the late 19th century and re-introduced to modern audiences via Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s musical adaptation in 2006.
Spring Awakening was a game changer when it opened on Broadway. Here was a musical set in a distant place and time yet infused with an explosive contemporary score incorporating rock, pop and folk. The way in which the songs were incorporated into the story was genius in its simplicity; when the characters’ emotions become too much their only way to fully express themselves is by grabbing a microphone, belting out a tune and temporarily becoming rock stars. The show won a slew of awards, including a Tony for Best Musical, and went on to have productions in London and Sydney. StageArt presents this new Melbourne production.
It’s the late 1890’s and passionate young student Melchior (Ashley Roussety) is beginning to question the restrictions placed upon him and his fellow classmates by the adults who run their lives. His highly-strung friend Moritz (Brent Trotter) is riddled with anxiety about his burgeoning sexuality and the sheltered Wendla (Jessie-Lou Yates) finds herself drawn to Melchior. As the two lovers embark on a relationship they set in motion a series of events that will change their lives and the world around them forever. Spring Awakening explores a wide range of topics from religion and oppression through to abortion and sexual abuse. This is a powerful story highlighting the dangers of societal restrictions and the devastating consequences of misinformation.
Director and designer Robbie Carmellotti’s production is a mixed bag. The young cast sound fantastic in the musical numbers and attack the difficult dramatic material wholeheartedly. The three leads, though a little too old for their roles, are fantastic. Roussety in particular is captivating as Melchior and he also has a gorgeous singing voice. The two adult cast members, Barry Mitchell and Olivia Solomons, fare less well. They play multiple roles, parents and teachers etc., and seem to have been directed to perform as over the top caricatures. These pantomime-esque performances clash against the more naturalistic style of the younger cast and stick out like a sore thumb. The dichotomy of young and old is inherent in the text and doesn’t need to be shoved down the audience’s throat so it’s a strange directorial choice.
The image of seeing the cast magically pull out hand held microphones from their costumes to perform the songs soon wears thin and although Carmellotti tries to get inventive with other ways of amplifying the singing it often appears unnecessarily messy. The decision to have some cast members also play instruments throughout the performance seems like a gimmick, especially since it’s obvious some of them are miming, and had this reviewer wondering what the point was.
Then we come to the questionable changes to the material itself. Unlike other productions, this Spring Awakening has inserted characters into songs in which they usually don’t appear. Wendla’s heartbreaking solo ‘Whispering’ is invaded by Melchior singing counterpoint and the secondary character Ilse (Hannah McInerney) inexplicably shows up in the penultimate song ‘Those You’ve Known’ which is traditionally a trio between Moritz, Wendla and Melchior. These are bizarre changes that don’t really add anything to the story and actually end up doing it a disservice.
The set incorporates three beautifully painted raised platforms surrounded by thickets of branches enveloping the walls of the performance space. Unfortunately the design is spoiled by the inclusion of three large orange poles decorated with LED lights that don’t really have any function and throw the otherwise attractive set design off. Strings of fairy lights and handfuls of rose petals are effectively used throughout the show to create a few moments of exciting staging. The majority of the choreography by Zoee Marsh is inventive and impressive, but some of the tempos in the musical direction are far too rushed leaving the cast scrambling to catch up. It’s a shame because Spring Awakening has one of the most beautiful scores in modern musical theatre.
This might not be the best production of Spring Awakening you’re likely to see, but there’s no denying that the show itself still packs an emotional punch and the young cast are very talented. There are moments of infectious energy and excitement to be found – ‘My Junk’ and ‘Totally Fucked’ spring to mind – but unfortunately these moments are few and far between.
3 stars out of 5
Spring Awakening
By Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik
Directed by Robbie Carmellotti
Featuring Gabriela Barbagallo, Alice Batt, Henry Brett, Grace Browne, Adam Canny, Nathan Fernandez, Jordon Mahar, Hannah McInerney, Barry Mitchell, Ashley Roussety, Luisa Scrofani, Olivia Solomons, Alex Thompson, Brent Trotter and Jessie-Lou Yates.
Chapel Off Chapel, Prahran
19 May – 10 June 2017
