Spring Awakening - the play

I'm finding many versions of the play. Those of you who have read it, which one would you recommend?

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Seconding the Eric Bentley suggestion.

I bought the Bentley version at the theatre- it has an amazing introduction section with some very interesting history about the show.

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I've read the Bently version.
I recommend it, but then again, it was the only version I found

Would anyone recommend reading the play before seeing the musical?? or is it better to experience it fresh??

Bentley! That's the one I read and the information in the Intro. is great as well.

I read Bentley's.

I've performed the Ted Hughes translation. I haven't read the Bentley version, but I've compared some passages and I think Hughes's works better. The way he uses the language is beautiful.

~Steven

I directed the play and used a translation by Edward Bond. Before picking this translation, I read the one by Eric Bentley which was so-so and one by Tom Osborn which was performed at the Royal Court in 1963. I liked the Osborn, but the rights were not available. I don't know anything about Frazen's translation. I read somewhere he hates the musical.

Any Bentley translation is of historical interest, but there are better translations. I'm familiar with Douglas Langworthy's translation of The Good Person of Szechuan which is better than Bentley's translation.

Back to SA, Bentley mistranslates the title as Spring's Awakening. The season isn't awakening. As for casting, I had some of the actors who played schoolboys double as boys in the reformatory.

I read Bentley, which seems to be the popular one, but that's the only version I've read.