Review: HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH at Zach And Zack Productions
By: Melissa Hall
A rock musical, excellent vocals, intimate venue, what more can you ask for? Zach and Zack Productions newest offering, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, premiers at the Epilogue Playhouse tonight. The show hits all the right notes with a powerful lead performer, a perfect space, and audio and lighting that makes you truly believe you're in a punk rock bar.
Tim Hunt plays the titular character and his sheer charisma and talent carries the show. He portrays passion, humor, sex appeal, and vulnerability in every scene. Under a thin veneer of self-deprecating humor and a blustering diva attitude lies a sensitive soul trying to find their place in the world. Hedwig performs songs, but in true cabaret style she also tells stories of her life in East Berlin. She grew up as a young boy named Hansel, before a botched sex change left her with an "angry inch".
The rock musical has a dark premise and is clearly for mature audiences, but it's also filled with playful humor. In "Wig in the Box" he strips off his blond wig and recruits the audience to sing along. There's also a hefty balance of the heartbreaking raw honesty as Hedwig shares the pain of rejection and feeling like you don't belong. In the final scenes Hedwig is stripped of all her finery and in the quiet moments of "Midnight Radio" we see the most powerful performance of the evening, proving the show is so much more than bright lights and big hair.
Hedwig's husband, play by Kate Homan, does an incredible job showing frustration and restraint with dry humor while assisting with wig changes and backup vocals. The wigs and make up, done by Andrew Elliot and Daniel Klingler, deserve their own mention. In classic drag queen style they are over-the-top and perfectly done.The Angry Inch, a live band onstage, provides music throughout the show.
This production is a perfect example of edgy theatre done well. There is absolutely an audience for it in Indy and I'm grateful to Zach and Zack Productions for tackling the show with such impeccable style. Truly, I can't say enough about this excellent show. It's a very limited run and it would be a crying shame to miss it.
Don't miss the show
This limited engagement run ends January 14. Tickets are $30. Performances are held at the Epilogue Playhouse, 1849 N. Alabama Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202. For more information, a complete schedule of the shows or to purchase tickets, visit Zach and Zack's site here.
Photos Courtesy of Zach Rosing
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