^ Nail on the head.
But even if the themes don't necessarily resonate hugely for you (I doubt my parents will see a ton of themselves in this show, though who knows), I think AMERICAN IDIOT still provides a visceral/sensory kick, and mixes the music in a creative way with stimulating imagery, that those who have little familiarity with Green Day or post-9/11 teenage angst, can still find something about it to grasp onto.
That said, I don't think you NECESSARILY need to belong to our generation (yo soy 24) to relate to being frustrated with your life, or desperately thrashing about in the world to try to do something/anything, only to realize not everyone gets a chance to be "special" or do/be exactly what they wanted.
I realize this is an odd point-of-comparison, but I think it's universal and non-specific to this generation, in a similar way to how "Brokeback Mountain" didn't speak to just the gay community, but anyone who ever let their self-imposed limitations keep them from being truly happy (e.g.: going into whatever business your parents wanted for you, rather than what you love -- or let a relationship lapse for a silly/regrettable reason).
At the end of the day, I think those who are complaining about how thin/weak the book is are bothered by some other element(s) of the show -- maybe they hate the music, maybe they feel its too non-traditional (the Broadway queen sitting behind me said snarkily after it ended "So, THIS is Broadway?" and started bitching about the choreography) -- but as has been stated, the story here is no thinner than "Hair," or for that matter, "Spring Awakening," and I legitimately don't get those who are attacking this show for having more on its mind than JUST narrative.
Updated On: 4/4/10 at 10:54 AM
