The 20th Anniversary UK tour of Jonathan Larson’s rock opera, Rent, is an unequivocal triumph. Director, Brue Guthrie, has honourably paid homage to the original Broadway production while making it fresh, raw and enticing for a whole new generation.
Inspired by Puccini’s opera La Bohème, the story focuses on a group of bohemian artists who struggle to maintain their friendships and their non-conformist ideals in New York’s East Village, in the mid nineties. Anna Fleischle’s stage design captures the very essence of street life with her brilliant recreation of the now famous corner of East 11th Street and Avenue B, delightfully utilising every inch of performance space.
The entire cast are superb, leads and ensemble, and it would be unfair to single out any particular performance. There are wonderfully notable moments from every single actor. Rent is a tough sing and vocals excelled across the board with a talented, five-piece band providing awesome accompaniment. Getting Lee Proud on the creative team was a stroke of genius and yet again he enhances another production with his exhausting choreography, totally transforming numbers such as La Vie Boheme and Christmas Bells. The Tango Maureen is perfection and Layton William’s dance in Today 4 U defies gravity. There’s certainly plenty to keep dance captain, Katie Bradley, busy!
This production of Rent is magnificent, a theatrical event that will leave you feeling emotionally violated in the best way possible. It is also proof that you can get new, younger audiences into theatres if only the right stuff is produced. An unusually busy press night and standing ovation from the whole theatre are testament to Larson’s legacy, Guthrie’s vision and the epic efforts of cast, crew, creatives and entire production team. Go and see this show. ★★★★★ Rob Holcroft 23rd November 2016
