I wouldn't take a kid to the show for three reasons:
1) It's plain vulgar in many ways, not just the constant use of "sh*t," "f*ck," and "m*therf*cker," but in it's whole faux-hip attitude that promotes antagonism and disrespect and mockery of others as "hot."
2) The unnecessary constant homophobia - queeny behavior mocked in pursuit of a cheap laugh all through the show.
3) The history is muddled, inaccurate, and borderline offensive in how it soft peddles Jackson's penchant for genocide. The kid will think s/he is learning something, when they're only learning mistruths. The genocide is acknowledged, but Jackson is still presented as sympathetic, cool, and sexy (which he wasn't - this was much like casting hot Woody Harrelson as repellent Larry Flynt).
I don't really understand how you somehow missed all those elements of the show when you saw it off-Broadway (where they most certainly were present), and then suddenly had a problem upon seeing it again on Broadway.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
I don't thnk the point here is nudity or cursing. The point is this show is of no interest to a 12 year old boy. He will probably be as bored and baffled as I was, and I am considerably older than 12. The critics may love it, but stay away. The music is negligable, the comedy is unfunny, the drama is almost non-existent. And what was the point of the set with all those Christmas lights? This is the first time I have gone to a show and withheld applause during the curtain call. Not the cast's fault. As far as I am concerned, the emperor has no clothes. But I may well be the only one who feels this way.
Well, kad, it's not that I didn't notice them. But in the 2nd row of the Newman, there was a different feel to the piece than I saw at the Jacobs. I was dubious at the time, but as an Off-Bway sketch style show, the context was different than a big, commercial, Broadway show.
I went back because 1) it was free, and 2) I've admired Friedman's songwriting for about 15 years now and wanted to hear his work again. The second time around, I found the rest of the show didn't live up to the quality of the music/lyrics (often the case, for me, with the shows featuring Friedmans's work).
2) The unnecessary constant homophobia - queeny behavior mocked in pursuit of a cheap laugh all through the show.
THIS. This was my biggest problem with the show, and I had many, despite how much I wanted and expected to like it.
Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. ~ Wicked
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent
