Fearless, cool, ferocious are just a couple of words that passed through my mind after seeing this thrilling show. From the opening chords to the final notes, I was hooked. Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a bold piece of theatre that has understandably drawn comparisons to The Rocky Horror Show. I don’t want to give too much of the shows plot away because I believe it is best to be ignorant about certain plot points before seeing it so I’ll be brief. Hedwig and the Angry Inch tells the story of a young boy from East Berlin who moves to the U.S. after a botched sex change and a quickie marriage to an American G.I. (You’re hooked already; I can feel it.) Hedwig‘s marriage quickly dissolves and she finds catharsis in rock and roll. She even mentors a young kindred spirit to rock superstardom. Lonely and bitter, the “internationally ignored” Hedwig tells her story in a serious of flashbacks through the course of the evening. I think this is all I will say about the plot so you can be just as surprised by the developments in Hedwig’s bitingly funny story as I was when I saw it.
Like all great rock gods, Hedwig bears her soul through her songs. And it doesn’t hurt that Hedwig is portrayed by none other than Cody Daigle. He doesn’t just play Hedwig, he is Hedwig. He struts around the stage bedazzled in a sparkly mini skirt. He sings. Oh, yeah, and he does this all in five inch platform heels (to witness this is worth the price of admission alone). But don’t let this fool you into thinking Daigle takes the easy road and plays Hedwig as merely a stereotypical drag queen. Oh, no. He really delves into Hedwig’s psyche and what he is able to do is present a fully formed human being who longs for love and acceptance that has eluded her all her life.(Bravo, Cody). He is joined onstage by Sarah Gauthier as Yitzhak. She was one of my favorite parts of the show. I loved watching all her reactions to the events of the evening. Sarah has probably the hardest jobs an actor can have because she has to stay engaged while saying very little. It takes a true actor to capture and hold an audience with just a look or a gesture (So, Brava, Sarah on a job done exceptionally well). Also to be commended is the awesome rock band that is the cherry on top of the sundae that is this great show. My hat is off to Duncan Thistlethwaite and Cara Hayden for an awesome show. I can imagine all the hard work that was put in on this show and trust me it is on full display. I have never seen a show running as tight as this one was on opening night. If you feel after reading this review that maybe Hedwig might be a little too subversive for you then I should let you know the audience at Friday’s performance was a mixture of all ages and all left singing the praise of this glorious show. Catch this show before it ends its run at the end of October. Please believe me; you will be glad you did.
---Gabe Ortego
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