Spring Awakening at the Northern Stage Review
Spring Awakening
Northern Stage, Newcastle
20-24 May 2014
Reviewed by Amy Jones
Spring Awakening, now showing at the Northern Stage in Newcastle is based on Frank Wedekind’s play which first hit theatres in 1906. This production however has been brought right up to date by playwright Anya Reiss and directed by Ben Kidd. It has been adapted to mirror the worries and problems that face teenagers in today’s modern world.
The story is about several different teen’s stories and shows how their lives change and alter throughout time as they explore their own sexuality. A major theme of the play is about how the adults around teenagers often lie to them and have no concept of problems that they are really facing. The actors playing the confused teenagers are Wendla (Aoife Duffin), whose mother try’s to protect her by keeping her in sexual ignorance, Moritz (Bradley Hall) weighed down by fear of failure, and the seemingly perfect but disturbed Melchior (Oliver Johnstone). Oliver Johnstone’s acting is fantastic, he is such a believable character convening a range of emotions.
The show begins as soon as you are seated with a young cast of initially 5 dotted around the stage, consisting of a playground scene, a bedroom scene and a desk. The cast move between stages interacting with each other in a young care free, fun manner.
The play then begins with all the lights going out and a voice over describing works of art. The opening scene is quite graphic and you can definitely see why this play has a 16 certificate. A number of other scenes are at times very uncomfortable to watch due to their graphic nature, and you can definitely see why this play has caused controversy wherever it’s been shown. I liked how unapologetic the play is about this and the message really gets across about the mistakes that can happen when children are raised in a society that doesn’t tell them the whole truth about being an adult and are forced to figure this out for themselves.
Throughout the play humour is used to lighten up some very dark and serious subjects, and the actors in the play pull these moments off seamlessly.
Another brilliant addition to bring this play into the 21stcentury is the use of social media, Google, camera phones, laptops, and layering of videos onto the backdrop of the set itself to help set the scene for the audience.
Overall I would give this play 3.5/5. The acting was spot on, and all the characters incredibly believable – you really get a sense of just how confusing the gap between childhood and adulthood can be, a thought provoking watch.
Rating: 3.5/5
Tickets cost from £12 to £24
For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0191 230 5151.
Northern Stage, Barras Bridge,Newcastle Upon Tyne,Tyne and Wear, NE1 7RH
