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Why Spring Awakening now? A musical based on the play of the same name by German playwright Frank Wedekind’ about young people’s quest for knowledge and explanation about their own emerging sexualities. Surely, our 21st century British society has progressed far beyond this, but Tim Lott’s Guardian article ‘Children used to be scared of the dark – now they fear failure’ seems to suggest otherwise, and in light of this Spare Room Theatre Company’s production of Spring Awakening at The Rondo Theatre, is aptly timed.
The set was immediately striking, dressed with vintage objects, giving it a sense of style and functionality. Props were all at hand for the actors allowing them to be fluid in the space and to push the action forward. This large set forced the actors forward into the audience and this enhanced the ‘in yer face’ style of the piece matching the profanity in songs like ‘The Bitch of Living’ and ‘Totally Fucked’. Each member of the cast gave a brilliant opening performance, bringing to life the contrast between the tender, more intimate moments and auditorium shaking rebellion and angst. The use of multi-rolling the adult actors was really effective as when the young people were at a standoff with them, their anger and frustration could be clearly directed and this gave real clarity and impact.
Spare Room’s Spring Awakening is highly recommended. It is clear that there has been a real attention to detail on behalf of the creative team with this production. Notably the candle that was lit at the beginning of the play remained burning to the end echoing, rather beautifully, the line ‘they light a candle and hope that it glows’. We at Live Arts hope that candle keeps glowing bringing the success this company so thoroughly deserves across over their entire run. We would encourage anyone who can to go and see it.