“An innovative and fresh take” on a classic: Spring Awakening review

This week, Music Theatre Warwick presents Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening. Set in nineteenth-century Germany, this dark and emotional tale deals with themes such as child abuse, teen pregnancy, and suicide. This MTW production, directed by Grace Lovegrove, is an innovative and fresh take on the story, rather than simply a regurgitation of either the original 2006 Broadway production, or the 2015 Deaf West revival. Indeed this production successfully incorporates musicians, contemporary dancers, and British Sign Language into the ensemble to create a cohesive blend between the rock score and the period setting. With simple yet effective set design and excellent vocal performances from a talented student cast, this production hits all the right notes.

From the first glimpse of Max Stapleton’s simple set, which features nothing more than a small room setting, a wooden tower, and a park bench, the audience is at once transported into the world of these struggling teenagers. The production makes use of these few set pieces extremely effectively, with the hayloft at the top of the tower used repeatedly to highlight certain characters whilst the action plays out on the stage below. Whilst the set does not change drastically throughout the show, school desks and chairs are used frequently during the first act, and the incorporation of these set pieces into the choreography makes it easy to distinguish between the setting of the individual scenes. The stage is littered with colourful flowers which are reflected in the bright dresses worn by the female ensemble, and this conveys the spring setting of the show perfectly.

With simple yet effective set design and excellent vocal performances from a talented student cast, this production hits all the right notes

Spring Awakening tells the story of a group of teenagers struggling with their emerging sexuality, whilst at the same time trying to cope with school and parental relationships. From the very start, this tone is set by two high-energy group numbers led by Ethan Peters as the headstrong Melchior Gabor, most notably ‘The Bitch of Living’, which is full of powerful vocals from a very strong male ensemble. Despite the plethora of beautiful solo pieces, it is in the group numbers that this production truly excels, as it is in these moments that the attempt to create a sense of varied communicative methods is realised in full. Cory Bloxham and Louise Balcombe’s choreography in numbers such as ‘Totally Fucked’ is electrifying, and the addition of contemporary dancers to the ensemble proves to be highly successful.

Whilst the group numbers were full of interesting choreography and staging, the scenes featuring dialogue between just one or two characters appeared to lack the same dynamic. Although the performances were of a very high quality, these scenes did not hold the same emotion as the songs themselves, with the notable exception of those featuring the adults, portrayed superbly by Gracie Moss and Thomas Liggins. From their humorous scenes as the boys’ teachers, to their heart-breaking moments as the parents of Melchior, Moritz, and Wendla, their performances shifted to accommodate the varied emotional impact of these multiple roles.

Despite the plethora of beautiful solo pieces, it is in the group numbers that this production truly excels

Other noteworthy moments in the piece include the haunting duet between Ilse and Marta, portrayed by Emma Tarcy and Matilda McCarthy respectively, ‘The Dark I Know Well’, in which excellent vocal performances and innovative interpretive dance are successfully combined to foster a truly chilling emotional impact. The second act duet ‘Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind’, which once again features Ilse, this time opposite Elliot Gale’s Moritz, was simply staged, and yet still packed the punch required from what may be the most tragic moment in the show. However, the stand-out moment was Peters’ performance of the beautiful ballad ‘Left Behind’, which was once again supported by the strong ensemble, and in which all the aspects of this production appeared to come together perfectly.

MTW’s Spring Awakening is an innovative take on the musical which is fast becoming a modern classic, featuring a hugely talented ensemble and an excellent main cast. The show deals with some difficult themes which have been handled very well, and this production has made great efforts to bring these issues up to date by integrating them with music, dance, and sign language. It is an inventive approach which works very well, and culminates in a night at the theatre which will not be forgotten in a hurry.