RENT timeline

A lot of people debate some continuity errors with the timeline in RENT.

The first act takes place between Christmas and New Years.

The second act takes place the rest of the year, leading up to December 24.

Are there any dramaturgical problems?

Was this a burning idea you just kept deep inside since. 1996?



Thanks for clearing that up?

zainmax said: "There are a lot of problems withRENT.https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1042303"

i think that thread gave me a hernia, jesus christ what is with all that bickering over the fact that the first act takes place over three hours on christmas eve

Updated On: 2/20/18 at 09:12 AM

aces25 - I don't understand what your point is. And to be clear, the first act does not take place between Christmas and New Years. It takes place only on Christmas Eve. The second act takes place from New Years Eve until the following Christmas Eve. I do not see where there is a "continuity error" - Jonathon Larson chose to write his first act to take place over the course of an evening, and the second act to take place over the course of a year. Whether or not you think these choices are "good" or not, there is no continuity error. Larson actually did a pretty great job of outlining when the events of the show take place.

brettarnett said: "I think the issue is how so much happened in only three hours (Mark alone, got around the city fast!). Also did Life Support groups have meetings at 10/ 10:30 at night?But then again Rent has never been lauded for its timeline, especially in the first act."

If that is the issue, I recommend the OP never watch any season of 24.

brettarnett said: "I think the issue is how so much happened in only three hours (Mark alone, got around the city fast!). Also did Life Support groups have meetings at 10/ 10:30 at night?But then again Rent has never been lauded for its timeline, especially in the first act."

There is so much wrong with this, on a micro and macro level. First, the "city" he gets around so much is Alphabet City, not New York City. Second, yes it is plausible that people in the East Village would go to a support group meeting at 10:00-:30 PM. Finally, if this timeline is a problem, let's just go ahead and cart Greek drama into one of the trash bins in Tompkins Square Park.

Backseat driving is never pretty.