Lederhosen, masturbation, incest...what more could a girl want from a wednesday night

Imagine the scene. You’re a girl who has been a virtual hermit for the last 2 months, having chosen a future of sunshine, smiling orphans and pad thai over a present of …well anything except work and home improvement… and you are offered the chance of an evening out at the theatre. “Oh, Wonderful!” you say and look forward to an evening of cultured bliss.

Now imagine that you find out said play is a musical. A new musical. A new musical set in 19th century Germany about sexual awakening. Featuring masturbation, child abuse and teenage suicide, among other things. It’s safe to say that you would assume your evening (and possibly any belief in the London theatre scene) would be a dead loss.

That is why I feel compelled to report, with some obvious confusion, that Spring Awakening (the aforementioned thespian experience) is actually rather good. Bewilderingly strange in places (sex scenes with lederhosen tend to be) and eye-shuttingly embarrassing in others (there is a graphic masturbation scene, for example) it is also funny, sad and wonderfully performed by a precocious cast.

A modern version of a controversial 1891 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind, the musical portrays the lives of village boys and girls as they learn and experiment about sex. Although a tragedy, the musical element and the comic relief means it never gets too bogged down in misery, even when two girls sing about being sexually abused by their father.

The relationship between the two main characters Wendla Bergmann and Melchior Gabor (admirably played by Charlotte Wakefield and Aneurin Barnard) is very believable and no holds are barred in depicting the pain and pleasure of that first sexual experience. Apart from the lederhosen, i think it would probably compare to most young people. The couple’s song about the pain that comes with love ‘The Word of Your Body’ explains very simply ‘You’re going to bruise me, I will be your bruise.’

I don’t want to say anymore about what happens as it would ruin the story but suffice it to say that the critics on Broadway, where it has won many awards, aren’t wrong. This show is something special. Strangely, the most interesting thing about it is that, even though it was written more than 100 years ago, the themes of sex education and promiscuity in adolescence are still so very relevant today.

So, perhaps not the night at the theatre that I’d expected, but very entertaining and enjoyable night all the same. Go and see Spring Awakening. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.