Not many people can appreciate the theatrical productions that Broadway has to offer. For some people, Broadway is just another stop on the subway. For others it's a place where stars are born. And then there are those that say there's a magic in the air when they're on Broadway. I thought “Chicago”, “The Lion King” and “AIDA” were all superb plays, but none of them made me feel “the magic” of Broadway until I saw Jonathan Larson's “Rent”.
As one of those avid theater-goers, I had decidedly mixed feelings for the spectacle that was “Rent”. I found most of “Rent”, wildly exciting and entertaining while some elements of the play turned me off entirely.
The Nederlander Theater has to be one of the most disheveled and unorganized establishments on Broadway. It was dark, dingy and it wouldn't have surprised me if a bat had flown over my head and try to bite me on the neck. I felt as though I was in a scene from “The Phantom of The Opera”, and that was just on the outside. The inside was even worse. Inside the theater the ceiling and walls were covered in white plaster; making it seem as though a pigeon had marked its territory all over the place.
It was completely understandable that the lights were off for the sake of storyline purposes. However, did the lights have to be off when theater-goers were entering the theater? If it wasn't for the mini-flashlight in my purse, I would have probably sat on someone else's lap. Maybe rent should have rented some lamps so the people could actually see where they were going.
The theater was hot, musky and it reeked of cigarettes and alcohol. It didn't seem like a theater on Broadway. It seemed like one of those pubs that you'd find on a corner in Manhattan, but believe it or not the atmosphere of the theater wasn't the worse element of “Rent”. That “honor” went to the stage setting.
“Rent” has been running on Broadway since 1996. It has made millions and has had the honor of wining four Tony Awards in its first year on Broadway. Nevertheless, one would think that with all the money that this show has accumulated over the years, they would at least have the decency to invest in a quality looking stage The stage was entirely too small for the cast and the band, It barely had enough room for the actors, let alone the four member band that was shoved to the back of the stage. Most of the room was taken up by a “Christmas Tree” which was actually an arrangement of wires with Christmas lights dangling from it. For a moment I thought it was ET's spaceship.
Roger and Mark's apartments, Mimi's apartment, the life support building and the street were the three basic setting of Rent, but they all looked the same. No extra props were added or taken away fro m the stage for the varied settings. I wouldn't have known where the characters were, if they hadn't mentioned it somewhere in their lines. Overall I thought the stage was too mediocre for a brilliant piece like this.
Even though the atmosphere of “Rent” was simply deplorable; the storyline, actors and music made me light up like a kid on Christmas morning.
Based on Puccini's 1830 musical Le Bohéme, the creator of “Rent”- the late Jonathan Larson- took the tender hearted love story if three couples and added a modern day twist to it. It was a non-stop roller coaster of emotion from the very beginning to the end about society's not so-poetic problems.
“Rent” is mapped out by relationships: There's Mark, who lives with Roger and both of them use to live with Benny, who now owns the building that they all live in. Benny becomes money hungry and wants Mark and Roger to pay last year' rent or else they're out on the street- some “great f” friend huh?
Then we have Mimi, a street junkie and dancer with the AIDS virus. Mimi meets Roger when she knocks on his door and begs him to light her candle. Then we have Maureen and Joanne, the fun loving but very argumentative couple. And last but certainly not least, there's school teacher transgender Collins and Angel, whom meet after Angel helps a shaken and disheveled Collin after he's mugged.
“Rent” takes controversial and somewhat taboo topics like, HIV, AIDS and homosexuality and brings them to the forefront showing society that these issues can and should be discussed. Rent is about young people who must live for the moment because tomorrow isn't guaranteed for any of them. They know that romantic love takes time, time that these individuals don't have, therefore they must seize the day and live each day as if it were their last.
