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The smoke clears in the Bangor Opera House and the cast and crew of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” receive a well-deserved standing ovation for their rock star performance. Hedwig, played by Scoop Sloan, dominated the stage with a well-developed character who commanded the audience’s attention.
The show, about a person that undergoes a botched sex change operation, is more of a one woman/man show, but the musical talents of the entire ensemble cannot be ignored.
The lighting design shone throughout the entire production, offering unique, original choices that made it feel like a real rock show. The projections, however, were sometimes distracting. When you’re trying to listen to an intimate story and giant gummy bears appear over a person’s head, the loss of focus is understandable.
The set was beautifully designed and provided the audience with an intimate, backstage feel. Unfortunately, it was not utilized well — there was not much movement across the stage throughout the show. For several of the ballads Hedwig sat down. The set provided the actors with a lot of stage business to play with, which does not happen often, besides the occasional mirror or wig check.
Director Scott RC Levy has a deep understanding of audience interaction. The audience became part of the performance throughout the play. Hedwig stepped out into the crowd and had countless humorous interactions with the audience, bringing the performance to life.
The musical quality of the piece was profound and the transition from rock tune to soft-spoken ballad blended perfectly. The song this piece has become famous for, “Wig in a Box,” was still the musical high point of the piece. The ensemble did not interact with one another a lot and seemed to watch Sloan’s performance as audience members. They stop acting and blend into the set whenever Sloan spoke.
The exception was occasional interactions between Hedwig’s boyfriend Yitzhak, played by Cornell alum Sasha Gioia Alcott. She provided some foil to Hedwig’s character. Any doubts about the cast’s acting ability were melted away by each member’s amazing musical talent, including current University of Maine new media student Chad Arsenault. Each individual’s talent was showcased by a solo at some point in the piece, proving that all members were equally strong.
Costume design was another high point for the production, providing the audience with a new, flashy outfit for Hedwig every time she came on stage and fitting perfectly with the character. The makeup synchronized with each of these well-designed outfits to help provide the total package and flash a show like this calls for.
Propelled by productions like this, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is bound to make its way into the list of musicals everyone recognizes immediately. This is an amazing collaboration put together by a group of people whose talents complement each other. It’s rich with levels, humor and drama. This show is everything a person looks for in entertainment: it pops, flashes and rocks.
