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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 5, 2002)
pdy 5. 2002 » THEATER ................▼................ Good Hed A Night of Sultry Delight JkO ^ t S P triangle productions! pulls off Hedwig and the A n g ry Inch in the company’s best show to date by C h r is t o p h e r M § c Q u a in erhaps it’s best to qualify my praise I of the energetic, ecstatic triangle productions! rendition of Hedu/ig and the Angry Inch by relating my own peculiar experience with the mas sively popular queer rock musical, which has found relatively amazing success since its New York debut in 1998. I witnessed this storied stage phe nomenon in an off-Broadway theater in late 1999, well after creator John Cameron M itchell— who wrote the show and performed as the angry, quasi transsexual Cold War emigrant glam- rock star to an acclaim that soon approached cult worship— had ended his lengthy tenure to take on a more Wade McCollom is, reportedly, a much better background, “supervisory” role. Hedwig than Ally Sheedy His well-deserved sabbatical left those tude directed inward (embodying the character’s of us who came in late with Ally Sheedy as ultimate struggle with self-loathing) and outward Hedwig, and what I saw was a joke— a mean dering, muddy-sounding, seemingly endless (implicating the audience). Much of that effortless, here-and-now vibe pose-and-screamfest starring not so much Ally is thanks to McCollom and director Dennis Sheedy as Ally Sheedy s Ego, which saw fit to Bigelow’s tinkering with Mitchell’s text. One of rearrange and undermine M itchell’s original Hedwig’s conceits is that it’s a rock concert tak (and, as it turns out, rather clever and heart ing place right now, right in front of you, felt) artistic intentions. though the rock star in question is undergoing Sheedy improvised bad dialogue, forced a crisis causing her to be much more talkative other cast members to vocalize on songs meant than would be expected. to be sung by Hedwig and generally created a Here, the dialogue has been ingeniously shambolic mess. She was fired not long after I altered to reflect the present, with Hedwig sar witnessed the debacle, but no matter: I virulent donically remarking on triangle’s low budgets ly warned anyone who would listen against what and propensity for exposing young male flesh 1 characterized as an overrated, underbaked, in its shows. Other gently mocked local color pointless exercise in sub-Rocky Horror camp. includes the Rose Garden arena, the company’s It wasn’t until the 2001 release of the film, own theater space and its adjoining Belmont directed hy and starring Mitchell, that I half- neighbor, the Tao of Tea. retracted my disappointment. It was a lovely And then there’s the band. The casting of feat of carefully controlled visual momentum, Julianna Jaffe as Yitzak, Hedwig’s (male) hus editing and sound that could never be duplicat band, co-vocalist, bratty sidekick and straight ed live; if one hadn’t known, one would never man (in both the literal and traditional, butt-of- have guessed it had once been a play. Hence, the-joke sense), makes a perfect counterpoint to cinematically biased me attributed the film’s the already bent gender of the proceedings. artistic success to the fact that it was a film, Todd Chatalas, as Angry Inch lead guitarist, prejudicially assuming the medium itself had plays well, as does drummer Michael Partlow. reined in the dull excesses allowed by the stage. Songs come through loud yet crisp— expertly So it was with some vestigial trepidation— abrasive and/or melancholy as needed— all albeit a fairly open mind— that I attended tri topped off with McCollom’s fine singing. angle’s Hedwig. I left the venue beaming. The tunes, though not quite rendering your Not only was it the most accomplished, LPs of Aladdin Sane or Electric Warrior obsolete, entertaining triangle production I’ve seen, it are true to the rock ’n’ roll aesthetic, especially was one of the best Portland theater experi considering their succinct rebellion against the ences I’ve ever had, right up there with Waiting usually much less economical traditions of for G odot at Interstate Firehouse Cultural Cen musical theater. ter or Artist Repertory Theatre’s 1998 produc McCollom, Bigelow and company have per tion of Cocteau’s Indiscretions. fectly captured the spirit of the perfect queer Wade McCollom as Hedwig absolutely rock musical, one that doesn’t make those words owns the character’s decadent, cynical, wise, seem like the triple oxymoron they so easily witty and wounded rock ’n ’ roll persona. He is could be. Judging from the packed weeknight a natural comedian (comedienne?), which now house, their efforts have made Hedwig and the strikes me as the main deficiency of Sheedy’s Angry Inch one of the hottest tickets in town. performance of yore; whereas her brand of It really is a show that shouldn’t be missed. “spontaneity” was self-indulgent and humor It’s a finely honed, well-executed version that less, McCollom’s, though hardly sycophantic, is finally brought Hedwig home— for me, in more very fresh, very funny, very audience-aware. ways than one. |T1 He’s in total complicity with us (even when the jokes are at our expense) and without a H edwig and the A ngry I nch plays 8 p.m . trace of self-consciousness. Thursday to Saturday through Aug. 3 at Theater! This Hedwig is simultaneously hilarious, sting Theatre!, 3430 S.E . Belmont St. Tickets are ing and touching— a raucous combination of $ 2 2 4 2 8 from 503-239-5919. Courtney Love and Sandra Bernhard— with atti- Hot DJ.d dance music, door prizes, best male and female Toga contest (150 first prize each) ! 2315 NE Alberta Street Portland, Oregon 97211 503 / 282-7700 503 / 288-3024 No host bar • $10 admission $1 off for every can of food* *up to 5 cans(for local community food bank(s)) ALL AGES Golden Globe Winner & Oscar Nominee KAREN BLACK j.^ STARLA BENF0RD& KRISTEN LEE KELLY VAGINA MONOLOGUES SPREAD THE WORD OPENS TUESDAY! July 9-14 • Ncwmark Theatre Ticket* available at ticketmaster.com, all w c M t n w i H r outlets or charge by by phone 503 790 ARTS. Discount for groups of 20 or more call 503 241 4910 For dinner and dessert packages at the Backstage Cafe, please call 5 0 3 2 74 6 5 96. Portland I rihtuio \7
