Spring Awakening - Musical Theatre Students at Göteborgs Stadsteater

The award-winning musical Spring Awakening is a story of awakening sexuality, explosive desire and rebellion. A group of young people try to break free from a strict religious, stifling and restrictive society. The musical is a story set in the late 19th century, but as the music and songs take centre stage, the characters break free from their shackles and social convention and a world of indie pop bathed in light becomes their reality for a moment. A recurring theme in the musical is an absent adult world. The young people are met by a compact silence from both parents and teachers who are neither willing nor able to be there when they are needed most.

With this production, director AnnaKarin Hirdwall wants to draw parallels between the past and the present to focus on the incredible pressure that many young people experience regardless of the time or society they live in. Then as now, the struggles and dreams of young people are the same; a longing to be seen, heard, respected, and understood both by themselves and others is their absolute wish and hope.

"A free, mutual and true sexuality on equal terms is something to strive for and something I hope the audience will want to think about and discuss further even after the lights in the theatre have gone out," says AnnaKarin Hirdwall.

Image

The musical is based on Frank Wedekind's play Spring Awakening (Frühlings Erwachen, 1891), which caused a great stir because of its controversial theme at the time. The play was banned and it took until 1906 before it was staged for the first time. 100 years later, in 2006, it premiered as a musical at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on Broadway, where it was a huge hit with audiences and won eight Tony Awards.

The production at Gothenburg City Theatre features students from the Academy of Music and Drama, from the musical theatre programme and from various music courses. In addition, actors Ashkan Ghods and Karin de Frumerie from the theatre's permanent ensemble participate.

More information and tickets through Gothenburg City Theatre's website