Text by John Cameron Mitchell. Music and lyrics by Stephen Trask. Directed by Shane Anthony & Dino Dimitriadis
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is here, whether you want her to be or not. And oh boy, you definitely want her to be!
Reviewed by Justin Clarke
The Queens Theatre, Adelaide
Until 15th March, 2025
Tickets: https://hedwig.com.au/
Type: Grunge, Queer Icon, Rock and Roll, Immersive
If you liked: RENT, Cabaret, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Hedwig has arrived in Australia, whether you want her to be or not. Thankfully, we’re all the better for it. Way back in 2020 (best forgotten) Hedwig and the Angry Inch was set to debut at the Sydney Festival with Hugh Sheridan in the lead role. After an onslaught of online and public backlash to the casting, the production was pulled and Hedwig never was. Now, with the change of discussion around authentic casting that best represents the character and themes being portrayed, Hedwig has been given another life and aptly placed in the extraordinarily capable hands of Seann Miley Moore (Miss Saigon) and covered by Adam Noviello.
Hedwig is not a straightforward tale, but is one that crosses time and countries. From the falling walls of Berlin, to the rough and tumble roads of America in a touring rock band, we follow Hansel (pre-Hedwig persona) as a German immigrant refugee from formerly communist East Berlin. Told through a collection of absolutely belting rock anthems, we see Hedwig fall in and out of love whilst she tries to find the missing piece of herself (“The Origin of Love”). After a passionate affair with an American G.I named Luther, Hansel is coerced to undergo gender reassignment surgery. But the operation on her genitals is botched, left with what Hedwig affectionately calls her “angry inch”.
The creators of Hedwig, John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask have in recent years come out stating that they don’t believe Hedwig to be a trans character and that she instead is a character that goes on a gender journey. This may be one of those Frankenstein cases where the creation has outlived the creators and taken on a new form of its own, responding to the world around it, with the LGBTQ+ and trans community particularly resonating strongly with Hedwig as both a persona and concept.
With everything playing out in the United States currently, Hedwig is perhaps the queer icon we need right now to celebrate self-acceptance, survival and above all, love. Throughout the belting rock anthems, the band of the Angry Inch (Gabbi Bolt Musical Direction at this performance, taking over for Victoria Falconer on keyboards, Glenn Moorhouse on guitars, Felicity Freeman on bass guitar and Jarrad Payne on drums) are just as much a part of the show as Hedwig herself is, and they carry these themes nimbly on their shoulders. Every stroke, crash and bass flick imbues the scenery with an immersive, and deeply moving score from Trask.
Moore soaks up every moment in the spotlight, immersing fully into the role of Hedwig so much that the lines of reality blur until you’re left questioning where Moore stops and Hedwig begins. It’s a powerhouse performance that is dialed to 100 as soon as the curtain rises and Hedwig is revealed in all her glory.
Sydney audiences are going to absolutely devour this production
We as an audience are firmly in the palm of Moore’s hand as Hedwig wanders up and down the circular tiered staging by Jeremy Allen, as the Angry Inch sit in the middle and Moore moves beyond entering into the audience, involving those from the front right to the very back. Geoff Cobham’s lighting design uses a mixture of spotlights, rotating strobes and genius mirror reflections that hit spots on cue so effectively that at times Hedwig is all that you see. She is the moment.
Noviello’s role as Yitzhak is purposefully overshadowed by Hedwig throughout, though their role mirrors Hedwig in their journey towards self-acceptance and love. The finale allows Noviello to captivate with firm musical prowess that ends the production on the highest of highs.
Direction by co-directors Shane Anthony & Dino Dimitriadis ensure that there’s plenty of interactive elements to make Hedwig an all encompassing experience. From the trailer park entrance complete with thick southern-accented ushers, through to Amy Hack’s (cover Yitzhak) pre-show performance, and into the cavernous space of the Queen’s Theatre itself. If there was anyone who could possibly bring the revival of Cabaret to Australia, I’d say we found our directors.
It was worth the wait for Hedwig and the Angry Inch to come to Australia with casting that aptly reflects who Hedwig represents in the realm of gender, and the Queer community itself. I think I can say hand on heart that Sydney audiences are going to absolutely devour this production when it eventually arrives.
Theatre Thought: Immersive theatre can be done, if given the time and intelligence needed. What other productions would you like to see done immersively?
CAST
Seann Miley Moore Hedwig
Adam Noviello Yitzhak
Amy Hack Yitzhak Cover
Victoria Falconer Musical Director/Keyboards
Glenn Moorhouse Associate Musical Director/Guitars
Felicity Freeman Bass Guitar
Jarrad Payne Drums
CREATIVES
Text By John Cameron Mitchell
Music & Lyrics By Stephen Trask
Shane Anthony Co-Director
Dino Dimitriadis Co-Director
Jeremy Allen Set Designer
Nicol & Ford Costume Design
Geoff Cobham Lighting Designer
Amy Campbell Choreographer
Jamie Mensforth Sound Designer
Jason Sweeney Soundscape Designer
Bayley Turner Consent and Community Consultant
