HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH!

[sweeneytodd2]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:40pm

I just watched the movie. It really blew me away. Although the subject matter was bizarre, the film was so human and organic. The characters were extremely well developed, especially for a musical. Amazing! How was the original production staged?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 9:52pm

The original is staged like a concert, where Hedwig just talks to the audience and basically describes everything that was visualized on screen. On stage we don't see any of the characters -- he talks about them, which was quite effective. When Hedwig performs the songs, his onstage band The Angry Inch backs him. It's almost like a one-man/woman show...and was an overwhelmingly powerful night of theatre bliss.

Yup...Michael Cerveris (in the photos above) was one of the many men who brought Hedwig to life during it's Off-Broadway run.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/3/06 at 10:28pm

That looks more like Kevin Cahoon in the center.

[Mary6906]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 7:55am

Ahh, Kevin as Hedwig... Brilliant!!

[Mary6906]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 7:56am

Ahh, Kevin Cahoon as Hedwig... Brilliant!!

Updated On: 10/4/06 at 07:56 AM

[folkyboy]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 10:38am

when i saw John Cameron Mitchell at [title of show] i nearly lost myself as i played Hedwig for a full year of my life.

so surreal

[sfs1414]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 12:20pm

Anthony Rapp was the most incrediable Hedwig!!

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 1:47pm

Vocally, Rapp was AMAZING. I think he may have sang the score the best of all the major Hedwigs. Personally, Michael C's Hedwig is my favorite. But I also love Cahoon for different reasons. And Mitchell for the obvious ones.

Hedwig is perhaps still one of the best shows ever written.

[luvliza89]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 1:51pm

"Hedwig is perhaps still one of the best shows ever written."

Totally 100% agree. No matter how many times I see Hedwig on stage or see the movie, it never gets old. I still break down. I can't help it.

[Kringas]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 1:56pm

In a sense, the stage version begins at the point in the film where Hedwig plays the Times Square Bilgewater's. By the time the stage version starts, the Hedwig/Tommy affair is over, they've already had the accident (and Tommy was driving in the stage version) and she's been shadowing his tour.

I think it's mentioned on the dvd's commentary that originally they planned to shoot Hedwig reprising some of the songs from the preceding part of the movie at the Bilgewater Times Square as sort of an homage to the stage version, but time/money or something else prevailed.

For a film that looks drastically different from the stage version, it's actually really true to the original script.

[wei2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:10pm

I love the stage show, but I actually think it works better as a movie. The jumping around in time is better suited to film and JCM's (and especially Miriam Shore's) subtle character beats read so beautifilly in the film.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:20pm

"For a film that looks drastically different from the stage version, it's actually really true to the original script."

You are so rightl Although there's nothing like the stage version, the film also served as an explanation for those who were confused about the Hedwig/Tommy persona/personas!

[Kringas]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:27pm

I agree with you on that, Jane, but at the same time, I think I prefer the ambiguity of the stage version. When I did the show I had several discussions with the director about whether or not Tommy was a figment of Hedwig's imagination or whether possibly Hedwig was a figment of Tommy's imagination.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:28pm

And what conclusion did you come to on that?

[Kringas]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:38pm

Ultimately, I felt that Hedwig was Tommy's invention. I'm not saying that's the right interpretation, and it's certainly nothing that I overtly played (I don't think anyone seeing the production I was in came away with that notion), but it was just my perspective when I played the part.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:50pm

When considering that conclusion, wouldn't it then stand that the entire show is a dream or a figment of Hedwig's imagination?

[Kringas]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:54pm

Absolutely. The whole show is so allegorical that it's possible that nothing that goes on onstage has "actually" transpired.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 2:58pm

...or in the film.....interesting.

I'm still going with the Hedwig/Tommy two separate people story line. Actually, either way, it's still the same basic tenet of Socrates.

[Kringas]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 3:02pm

Well, I think that's part of the beauty of it. It's open for interpretation. At any rate, it remains both one of my favorite stage and movie musicals.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 3:06pm

Mine too!

JCM and Shortbus are featured this week in TONY, btw.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 3:31pm

Does it bother any one else that SO much of Hedwig is lifted from other places? Most specifically from In a Year With 13 Moons? Songs are great sure... but the whole idea of the best one is lifted... and it is very very funny... but... best show ever written?

kmc

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:17pm

Please list the things that are lifted-I wasn't aware of them.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:32pm

Is it wrong that HEDWIG is in my top 10 favorite movie musicals and possibly one of the best adaptations of a stage show ever?

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 4:37pm

Yes, it is wrong.

[Jane2]

Posted: 10/4/06 at 5:12pm

"Is it wrong that HEDWIG is in my top 10 favorite movie musicals and possibly one of the best adaptations of a stage show ever?"

Don't ever doubt your own opinion!

(Epecially about Hedwig!)