Spring Awakening Reviews

Whatsonstage - 5 stars

http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8831233740708&title=Spring+Awakening

Props to Michael Coveney for writing two overnight reviews (WoS *AND* the Independent) at once.

I also suspect the reviews are going to be split here by generational lines - the older the critic the harsher the review. Lyn Gardner, being in the middle, should be interesting.

3 stars from The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/feb/04/spring-awakening

Very surprised that Billington went - Lyn Gardner had mentioned that she'd be covering it on her blog.

And like de Jongh, Billington is somewhere between "I'm too old for this" and "It's not snobby enough for me." Reading his review, the impression I have is that he just Doesn't Get It. He could say "it's too loud and I think the choreography's sloppy" but I don't agree that the music kills the pressure cooker that the kids are stuck in - if anything the music lends validity to the piece because the rise of post-war pop culture really is how kids react these days (or certainly did when I was frustrated, angsty, and 14.)

i think i wanna see it now ! my mate said it was amazing and now i fell when it transfers i will see it ! wont have time or money to see it before the closure at the lyric

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Matt, I have a name! And can all on here who have seen it, tell Musical-Matt to go see it as it is AMAZING!

Billington liked it MUCH more than I thought he would, but every single criticism I predicted he'd make, he did. I think you're right that some of them just don't Get It, but they don't Get musical theatre in general. (Fwiw, I've given it a rave in my Guardian column this week. But then I'm under 30. )

I don't think age is a factor in whether someone will like this show - it just depends on musical and dramatic taste, I think. I'm over 50 and I love the score and loved the New York Spring Awakening. But, regarding Hairspray - another what could perhaps be termed a "young" show - it bored me senseless. So, you like or hate something according to what appeals to you personally regardless of age/generation, etc.

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