Fringe Show Reviews

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Written by: Text by John Cameron Mitchell, Music & Lyrics by Stephen Trask

Presented by: Breathe Feel Love / Toronto, ON

$content.venue

Our Rating: Your Average Rating:

07/15/2011 10:24 AM | Comments: 0

Pyramid Cabaret (Venue 13), to July 23

“When it comes to huge openings, many people think of me,” blond bombshell Hedwig Schmidt says with a wink and a smile, offering up one of many sexual double-entendres in this 80-minute adaptation of the hit off-Broadway rock opera. Even the Angry Inch has two meanings: it is the name of the singer’s band and the amount of flesh left between her legs after a botched sex-change operation she had in order to escape communist Germany to marry an American soldier.

Toronto’s Breathe Feel Love’s production is a fun, fast-paced raunchy rock ’n’ roll romp filled with tragedy, humour and a kick-ass band in the perfect venue for the show. Seth Drabinksy seems born for the role of Hedwig as he completely and believably transforms himself into the transgendered, trash-talking song-stylist.

It might help to have some prior knowledge of the story going in — the animosity between Hedwig and his partner Yitzhak isn’t fully explained, for example — but the group doesn’t give an inch anywhere and Hedwig fans should be pulling out their wigs for this one.

— Rob Williams

From the official Fringe Festival program:

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock concert with plenty of biographical interludes courtesy of trans-bombshell Hedwig, former East German twink and lead singer of nonchalant indie band The Angry Inch. This production takes the audience through a tragic story of love, emotional and physical sacrifice, and betrayal.

http://www.breathefeellove.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/BreatheFeelLove/394627063899?v=info

Recommended For: Mature Audience

Length: 90 MIN

Tickets: $10

Under 18 not admitted.

Warnings: Subject Matter, Language, Strobe Lights, Licensed Venue – Under 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian

History

Updated on Friday, July 15, 2011 at 10:24 AM CDT:
Adds review

Factual inaccuracy? Something missing? Help improve our journalism.

Know about news? Share your story suggestions, photos and video.

Spelling error? Punctuation problem? Send us an email if you’ve found a typo.

More Fringe Show Reviews

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.