Review: HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH a Perfect Opener for Mother City's Stylish Gate69

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH has travelled a long road from concept to contemporary musical theatre classic that it has become. John Cameron Mitchell, who wrote the book for the show, drew ideas from his own life before collaborating with composer Stephen Trask on material that the pair would first showcase at Squeezebox, a drag-punk club in New York. The rest is, more or less, history, with HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH premiering Off-Broadway in 1998 with Mitchel himself originating the role of Hedwig. A production in London's West End followed in 2000, and Mitchell directed a silver screen adaptation in 2001, preserving his legendary performance on film. With productions taking place all over the world, the show was translated into several languages and was eventually produced on Broadway in 2014 to great success, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Making its bow in South Africa at the brand new Gate69, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH proves to be every bit as electric as it has in other settings around the world. It is the perfect choice to open this stylish new venue in the Mother City.

After some brief pre-performance instructions from Hedwig's husband and flunky, Yitzhak, who was once the most famous drag queen in Zagreb, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH begins with the show's titular character bursting onto the stage with the number, "Tear Me Down". An obscure, genderqueer rock star, Hedwig, tells us her story. Having been born in East Berlin, Hedwig was once Hansel Schmidt, a slip of a girlyboy living with his mother, who tells her son bedtime stories that reach into the darkest and deepest recesses of the human soul. One of Mother Schmidt's tales, "The Origin of Love", proves to be a definitive influence on Hansel, who catches the attention of a U.S. soldier, Luther Robinson. When the two fall in love, a plan is hatched to get Hansel out of East Germany, one that leads to a sex change operation, a name change, a shift in identity, and the series of events that has left Hedwig performing her act in the wake left by Tommy Gnosis, a much more successful rock star who owes his own success to Hedwig.

Any production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH depends on the performance of the actor who dons the trademark wig first designed by Mike Potter for the second Hedwig gig at Squeezebox. Kitted out in this production by costume designer Niall Griffin, Paul du Toit is perfectly cast as Hedwig. Du Toit is a charismatic force, delivering vocals on the songs that are as first class as well as turning in a performance that is as moving as it is magnetic by the final curtain. Griffin's design revolves around some beautifully designed key pieces, including a fantastic cape at the start of the production and, later on, a fur cape that the Oxford Dictionary now allows one to describe as being "on fleek". Griffin also does excellent work on his costume design for Yitzhak, enhancing the first class character work done on this role by Genna Galloway.

Structured as an interrupted monologue with carefully placed interjections by Yitzhak and Tommy, John Cameron Mitchell's free-flowing book for HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH combines with Stephen Trask's score to provide a compelling evening's entertainment. What begins as wit ends in catharsis, with Mitchell's book taking the characters on a journey that will transform them forever by the end of this fateful night in their lives. In her direction of the show, Elizma Badenhorst handles the wit better than the catharsis but overall she manages to craft an engaging experience that makes use of every inch of the theatre space in Gate69's intimate upstairs venue.

Indeed, the theatre space itself becomes a part of the action, with Mitchell and Trask having noted their feelings that all productions of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH should be site-specific, with Hedwig actually performing in and commenting on the space in which she finds herself. With Griffin doubling up his design duties by creating the set for the show, the central conceit of the staging is that Hedwig has parked the mobile home in which she follows Tommy's concert tour at Gate69, where she performs the show. The trailer is beautifully designed, although it is best to set aside thoughts about some of the real-life logistics of its design right at the start. Nonetheless, the idea of the show taking place right there in Gate69 is the stuff of match made in heaven. Every moment spent in Gate69, from one's entrance into the fabulously glam foyer and bar, up the staircase and into the theatre space itself, builds beautifully to the opening moment of the show. Taking care of the audience along with a waitstaff dressed as flight attendants, Cathy Specific is, to quote another musical, 'the hostess with the mostes'. To be so glib about it perhaps undermines just how convivial Cathy is as she works the room before the show, and how on the mark her welcoming speech is just before the beginning of the show.

On the choice to open Gate69 with HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH: it would have been easy to open a venue like this with a revue, comedy, tribute show or even a headlining music act. The choice to stage a theatre piece that speaks directly to the world's still developing queer consciousness is a declaration of sorts that Gate69 is not exclusively about delivering a high-end social experience - an objective which it achieves in spades - but about offering an experience that can queer straight perspectives and conscientise complacent queer views too.

With such a progressive Bill of Rights in South Africa, our citizens sometimes forget about LGBT(IQ) issues that we still face in our country. This past week, Judge Siraj Desai handed down a 17-year sentence to Christo Oncke, a man who assaulted, strangled, tortured, tied up and set alight Dawid Olyne, a gay man who had hit on him. So to see a new South African theatre that not only celebrates its queerness but also reminds us that we have our own Hedwigs to celebrate and our own Berlin Walls to conquer is a singular achievement. Long may Gate69 strive to find the balance between commercially appealing work and social consciousness!

Presented in association with VRG Theatrical, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH plays Gate69 until 27 November, with tickets costing R550 per person and including a welcome drink, a mezze platter, a hot bread service and dessert. Bookings are via the box office on 0715892915 or the Gate69 website. Strictly no persons under 16 years of age.

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