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OT (Sort of) - Hedwig and the Angry Inch

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ednbarby:
... Or should I say "...INCH!", Juan?  ;)

I watched this movie Saturday night on Juan's recommendation (and that of another friend who had thought that since I love Brokeback so much, I ought to love this one, too) and I uber-loved it.  What a great movie!  On its surface, it's a John Waters-esque campy transsexual/punk rock story, but at its heart, it's a *startlingly* beautiful love story.  And there is one scene in it in particular that is eerily reminiscent of Brokeback - you see, Hedwig/Hansel is in love with a young man who does not want other people to know he's gay - doesn't even want to admit it to himself.  The difference is these are East Berliner punk rockers in the 80s, not Wyoming ranch hands in the 60s.  But it's about the only difference.  It's a movie that definitely bears repeat viewings, too, especially if you like punk rock music, which I definitely do.  Brilliant, brilliant stuff.  Funny as hell, sad as hell, romantic as hell.  Here's a link to it at IMDb.  Needless to say at this point, I can't recommend it highly enough.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248845/

rtprod:
Barb,

Skip the movie soundtrack and get the ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM, which is still John Cameron Mitchell and the same band but much rawer, faster tempo slightly and overall just more rock and roll.  The Origin of Love is so amazing on this album, and much different from the film.  GET IT.

AWESOME -- I have seen this show 24 times onstage, in various productions in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.  Will never forget seeing this at the Jane Street Theater in Manhattan the first time way back.  For a summer I did some marketing work for one production and traveled around the city with the cast and crew doing live gigs.  In a live setting it is positively overwhelming, a fusion of gender and sexual politics, incredible rock and roll that rips through you and Hedwig "herself," who just tears you up by the end of the show when Midnight Radio is played.  I have seen it with John Cameron Mitchell, Michael Cerveris, Ally Sheedy (!) and the transcendent Seattle native NICK GARRISON, who owns the role, has done it around the country, and is so shattering, funny, sweet, tender, rough and just overall unbelievable -- he's won awards for this performance in multiple cities.  If you ever can see NICK GARRISON do it, you will not believe your eyes or your heart by the end.  Here's a photo of Nick:



And a link to an old site for the Seattle production, where you can see him in full Hedwig glory--GO LOOK AT THE VIDEO CLIPS!!!!!!!!:
 
http://www.hedwigseattle.com/

This story, of a fractured soul searching for his other half, is really profound and moving.  One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE experiences.  But this is not merely a drag show in any way, it is an homage to glam-rock, a tragic and funny Eastern European coming of age story, a roaring rock and roll show bar none.  Stephen Trask's music, the costumes, make-up, wig and etc. are sublime really....

To anyone who can see this show onstage (or even the film, which is a little more low-key) GO NOW.  You will never forget it. 

Another thing we agree on Barb -- lol.  Dreamed about you the other night too.  Guess that should go in a PM.

rt

ednbarby:
I'm extremely jealous, RT.  I would *LOVE* to see the stage show.  I'll have to look to see where I can find one.  And one that includes Nick Garrison.  Is John Cameron Mitchell still doing Hedwig/Hansel?  Man, the music alone blew me away.  It's my favorite kind - punk/glam rock - for starters.  And it's beyond brilliant - it puts my current political/sexual punk/glam rock heroes, Green Day, to shame.  I am *so* buying it and the soundtrack if I can find it.  Midnight Radio just rocked my world - especially in Hedwig's finally setting of his poor, long-suffering, also-ran partner free.  But The Origin of Love is life-alteringly beautiful, too.  And it was startling to me how beautiful Mitchell turned out to be under all that makeup.  Interesting how strikingly masculine men tend to make hideous women, isn't it?  Not always, but usually.

rtprod:
Hey Barb,

Yeah, he is a little tiny man underneath that huge wig and outfit -- lol.   I think JCM has retired the mane so to speak...  lol

I updated my post to include a link to a site where you can see video clips of Nick....

The problem with the clip on the site, which is THE ORIGIN OF LOVE, is that they are running another song under it as well from the home page, so it's all garbled....  If you can turn the main audio off then just hear the clip, you'll hear a beautiful song....

rt

Aussie Chris:
Hi Barb, nothing for me to add here except welcome to the club.  I only saw Hewig a couple of years ago for the first time on viseo, and was blown away.  It was one of those "where have you been all my life" moments, or maybe, "how is it possible that I didn't know something this good existed".  If I ever hear of a local stage production I'll definitely be going to see it - you just know that it would be incredible live.

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