Spring Awakening is a frank portrait of teenage sexuality, a moral journey from youth to adulthood and its cataclysmic consequences in a society where both sexually and information are repressed.
By Alena Khabibullina
Special to The Dialog
Erin Eldershaw (playing Wendla) and Ryan Bommarito (playing Melchior) perform in GBC Theatre’s production of Spring Awakening.
Photo: Andrew Oxenham
A new production of George Brown Theatre Spring Awakening is a universal story. Created as far back as 1890 by German dramatist Frank Wedekind the play, also subtitled as A Children’s Tragedy, has often been censored and banned but it has never left the public apathetic. The theatrical production awakens such hot issues as puberty, sexuality, rape, child abuse, homosexuality, suicide, and abortion. It was a success Off-Broadway in 2006 and later on Broadway.
Director Diana Leblanc was not afraid to get the well-known play up on the stage of Young Centre for the Performing Arts. After three years of intense training and rehearsal, the graduating class of George Brown Theatre presents Spring Awakening in its spring repertory season.
“The play about a difficult period of child puberty coming along with a mixed bag of emotions, parent and social indifference and incomprehension of these chicken adults, was especially well performed by students.” said spectator Natasha Moritz. “I can see that some of them may still feel the same as the characters they play. I had a chance to visit the Broadway musical Spring Awakening and I can say that it’s always difficult to do something after somebody’s success. I can imagine that it was a big responsibility and took courage for all the people involved to set this play. They did it very well.”
The story happens in Germany, 1891. A 14-year-old girl, full of life and curiosity, exploring her body, asks her mother where babies come from. Not getting a true answer Wendla Bergmann becomes pregnant after being raped.
“I think the college students of George Brown should definitely consider coming to see the show because of how relevant the topics are within today’s society,” said Erin Eldershaw, who plays Wendla. “The beautiful thing about Spring Awakening is that it was originally written by the German playwright Frank Wedekind in 1890-91, and over a century later Jonathan Franzen writes the newest translation and the story still speaks to the audience. Suicide, abortion, rape, and homosexuality, are all still a part of our society and are topics of discussion on a daily basis.”
Spring Awakening is a frank portrait of teenage sexuality, a moral journey from youth to adulthood and its cataclysmic consequences in a society where both sexually and information are repressed. Consider yourself lucky if you got to see this play on stage after it was banned for nearly 100 years.
