What I liked
As written in my overall impression, pretty much everything! One thing I left out were the performances, which were also thoroughly and consistently impressive. Just a top-notch musical all around, wonderfully staged.
What I didn't like
Nothing comes to mind! I wish this musical so much success!
My overall impression
This incredible musical is an absolute and total success, at every level. As a mega-fan of the original 1990 film, I went into this one intrigued, but admittedly cynical — what I didn’t expect is that the musical would not only serve to capture and deliver the vibe, themes, and punk rock spirit of the film, but actually improve upon it with making its lead characters a bit more vulnerable and relatable; fleshing-out many of the film’s side characters into more fully-realized and complex individuals; and making slight, smart changes to, notably, the characters of Mark’s father and the school’s principal, further allowing for a story that feels a bit more timeless than the film, which serves to make the story’s antiauthoritarian themes — which are now more relevant than ever — more timeless and universal as well. All of this and incredible music too! Every song — seriously, every song — fit the world of the play, rocked the audience, and served to meet its objective, whether it’s to deliver on the themes of the play, provide a deeper look into the demons its singer is wrestling with, or simply lend the story some romance, laughs, and heart. I immediately jumped onto the website to see if there were more shows, as I was ready to promote the hell out of this thing and bring everyone I could to see it. If there is any justice left in this world, this musical is set for a great future, and I can’t wait to revisit it! Deepest congratulations and gratitude to all involved!
