You would think this post is about working through a sports related injury to finish a race…but actually it’s about broadway. Last night I went to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch with a couple of friends.
I had never seen the show before and didn’t know anything about it but one of my friends is obsessed and invited me along. Neil Patrick Harris played the lead for a bit, then Andrew Rannells, next Michael C. Hall and now the original Hedwig (from 1998) and writer of the show, John Cameron Mitchell has taken back over as the Broadway lead.
So last night I went to the show knowing nothing about it (all I knew was that there was cross-dressing involved), and Mitchell comes out with a broken leg. Like a full on metal knee brace so that he cannot bend one of his legs at all. According to Twitter, Mitchell was injured mid-show during a February 7 performance but finished out the show (and cancelled the later performance). On stage he also has a bedazzled crutch, a chair and a crate to prop his leg on. Mitchell proceeds to do the entire show with this broken-ish leg (not sure of what the actual injury is), mostly sitting in a chair and hobbling around the stage. This show is practically a one-man show, there are a few other people on stage and pretty much only one other person speaks, although infrequently. I was told that when the lead does not have a broken leg, he’s dressed in crazy platform heels and dances around the stage, he doesn’t wear sneakers and sit in a chair.
Mitchell had to improvise quite a bit and the show was funny and entertaining, even without the dancing theatrics. This show is weird, to recap it in one sentence from Wikipedia, it’s “about an East German transgender rock musician chasing after an ex-lover who plagiarized her songs.” I’m extremely torn over my feelings leaving the show. I know that Mitchell has a cult-following and people are obsessed and probably came from near and far specifically to see HIM in the show and loved him up there, knee brace and all. However, I don’t know who Mitchell is and I think I’d prefer someone who can perform the show as it’s supposed to be performed. So half of me is like “WOW, that guy is on stage, performing through what looks like a terrible injury and he is probably in pain and what a dedicated artist, how impressive” and the other half of me is like “I paid good money to see this show and I’m watching a guy sit in a chair with a cast on his leg.”
I found this quote from Mitchell, “I am in equal parts thrilled and terrified to be returning to Hedwig,” Mitchell said in a previous statement. “15 years ago she kicked my butt so hard that I quit acting. But like an expertly face-lifted ex-wife, she’s lured me back. The killer new work by Neil Patrick Harris, Andrew Rannells, and Michael C. Hall have left much larger pumps to fill. Here’s hoping I don’t need a walker by the end of the run.”
I don’t even know what the point of this post is, mostly just to say I’m so confused after that show. I liked it but wish I saw it in all its glory (although I don’t plan to go back to see it with the full effects). The show was funny, unique and quite an experience, although not the one I expected.
As an FYI Michael C. Hall will be taking over for Feb 17-21 while Mitchell tends to his injury.
