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Peer Reviews Hedwig and the Angry
Inch Entire contents are copyright © 2007, Craig Nolan Highley. All rights reserved.
Anyone familiar with the Victor Jory Theatre in the Actors Theatre of Louisville complex may not recognize it in its current state. It has been transformed to the smallest detail into the Liki Liki Tiki Room, a tacky, Hawaiian-themed lounge where you might expect a second-rate Elvis impersonator to perform. Statues of Hawaiian gods, paper lanterns, cocktail tables, you name it, it's all there. There is even a wall of trophies and snapshots of past entertainers who have graced the Tiki Room's stage, effectively creating the illusion of a low-rent nightclub. This really sets the scene for the unusual evening of theatre to follow. As waitstaff shuffle in and out of the room, taking real drink orders from the audience members as they settle into their seats, a band comes in and starts setting up. They are a typical modern grunge-rock band: black leather, tattoos, shaggy hair (or none at all). Then, as the house lights fade and the stage lights come up, we are introduced to the star of the show as Hedwig storms on. She is a force of nature. She glides onto the stage wrapped in a huge, flowing cape that looks like wings. With her face made up in pure glam-rock style and sporting a wig that looks like someone's rear end, she commands -- no, demands -- your attention for the next ninety minutes as she tells her life story between some fairly catchy rock songs. She began life, she tells us, as Hansel, an effeminate young man who grew up listening to American Forces Radio, becoming enamored of such varied performers as Debbie Boone, The Captain and Tennille, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and David Bowie. Born on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall, Hansel dreamed of fleeing to America but had little hope of ever doing so. One day he met an American soldier who promised to take Hansel to America, but there was a catch: Hansel had to have a sex-change operation and become the soldier's wife. Hansel reluctantly agreed, but was unable to afford a decent doctor and the surgery was botched. He was left with an "angry inch" and a new identity as Hedwig. Hedwig eventually lost her American soldier and ended up living a trailer park existence in America, until she met the love of her life: an up-and-coming rocker named Tommy Gnosis who ultimately broke her heart. As Hedwig, David Hanbury is incredible. While you know immediately upon her entrance that Hedwig is a man in drag, Hanbury quickly makes you believe in the illusion. Though his German accent comes and goes, he makes Hedwig believable and real, with a depth of emotion that runs much deeper than the character's surface flippancy reveals. Though she cracks jokes all evening, Hedwig is a wounded creature underneath, and Hanbury never lets you forget it. He also has the vocal range to carry all of the songs flawlessly, from light rock ballads to heavy metal screaming. Director Sean Daniels' staging works for the most part, but there are a couple of problems. Though the audience is positioned on three sides of the stage, a lot of the effects are lost if you don't sit directly in front. There were also a few sound problems the night I saw the show, mostly feedback during the opening and closing numbers. Occasionally the band drowns out Hanbury's vocals so that you can't quite make out the lyrics. John Cameron Mitchell's script is terrific, and Stephen Trask's songs are fun. The scenic design by Michael B. Raiford, along with some clever lighting effects by Brian J. Lilienthal, set the perfect mood for the piece. Overall, this was a great show that I may very well see again. Having never seen the popular film version that came out a few years ago, I went in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. The audience I watched it with was so enthusiastic that they were cheering and waving instead of just applauding. You can't get a better recommendation than that. Hedwig and the Angry Inch Actors Theatre of Louisville Sept. 11 - 30, 2007 Featuring David Hanbury, Angela Motter, Scott Anthony, Jeff McAllister, Jon Spurney, Jessica Lauren Howell, and Bing Putney Posted September 14, 2007
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