Rent- DEB Hall, Guild of Students, University of Birmingham
Featured in print
From hearing my friends singing praises about the musical, to having seen GMTG's stunning performance of 'Legally Blonde' last semester, their production of 'Rent' certainly had a lot to live up to. Yet, the cast and crew were able to exceed any expectations I may have had, delivering a performance that was packed fully of emotion, humour and vibrancy.
The 1993 musical 'Rent' focuses on a community of young people shivering through Christmas in New York, whilst dealing with issues such as homelessness, addiction, and HIV/AIDS. At the centre of this is aspiring film-maker Mark, struggling to document and manage the lives of his friends, including his melancholy flat-mate Roger, explosive ex-girlfriend Maureen and warm-hearted friend Collins. The makeshift gang endure the gains (and losses) of new friends and lovers, whilst also battling against their ex-flatmate Benny, who threatens to evict the homeless in order to expand his business. Whilst the plot is arguably a bit complicated, it is essentially a musical about suffering, social justice, and above all- love.
It is this theme of love that was brought right to the front in GMTG's production, with the chorus' rendition of 'Seasons Of Love' providing a beautiful, harmonious centrepiece. For a musical that concentrates primarily on the principal actors, GMTG were able to make impressive use of the chorus, who performed everything from chaotic market scenes, to smaller comedic interjections and the particularly spirited café scene of 'La Vie Boheme.' As for the staging, despite a minimalist structure, the colourful lights and gloomy lighting effectively portrayed a bleak yet bustling New York City.
But of course, it was the main cast who were thrown under the spotlight, achieving more notable moments than it is possible to mention. Will Jackson as Mark was able to capture the character's profound awkwardness and resilient love for his friends, whilst Joe Griffiths-Bloor's Roger was captivating as he struggled to cope with HIV. Particularly when acting alongside Mimi, (who Claudia Sugarman expertly portrayed as feisty yet despairing), the pair had such a chemistry that each heartfelt ballad became even more tragic. And bursting into this world of suffering- in platform heels-was Fergal Mullan Wilkinson, who breathed life into the musical in such a way, that once he had left, it was all the more heartbreaking.
This brings me on to my favourite scene of the musical- Jason Obiri-Yeboah's rendition of 'I'll Cover You.' Even the way that Jason walked onto stage amongst the solemn funeral party was deeply moving, before he had even begun to sing with soulful, bass tones. Indeed, his stunning performance has been the topic of many "Brumfesses" since the show, and it's not difficult to see why, with the compelling performance leaving few dry eyes among the audience. Completely contrasting this, was Rae Doyle's hilarious opening monologue, during which she literally sparkled, both in terms of her outfit, but also in terms of her indefatigable stage presence. The audience were drawn to her during every one of her scenes, with her performance proving that this production of 'Rent' was able to produce as much comedy and entertainment as it could tears.
Other entertaining elements of the show included the voicemail messages from the parents of the main characters, positioned to the side of the audience so that the main action on the stage was still visible. An impressive dance routine was incorporated into Mimi's number 'Out Tonight', in which the girls dazzled in fish-net tights. It was these elements that kept the audience hooked, despite a plot that was arguably difficult to follow. Unfortunately, as I was seeing 'Rent' for the first time, there were some aspects of the show that I couldn't fully grasp, such as the nature of Benny's character as a villain-turned-hero. Yet, the cast and production team were generally able to take a complex plot and make it consistently engaging, which must be credited.
Perhaps, the reason that this show was so engaging was due to its relevance within our current society, and the skill with which the ensemble were able to get this point across. Individuals all over the world struggle with homelessness, poverty and disease, facing not only the severity of the issues themselves but also the stigma built up behind them. It was honourable that the cast were collecting money at the end of the show to support HIV/AIDS charities, as they had done every night, and this sense of dedication to the cause was something that also came across strongly in performance.
Despite the show's distressing themes, I left the Deb Hall not subdued, but filled with a new respect for life. The cast and crew of 'Rent' should be extremely proud of their production which was overall a celebration of diversity and the mutual struggles faced by so many people in New York City, and beyond.
From hearing my friends singing praises about the musical, to having seen GMTG's stunning performance of 'Legally Blonde' last semester, their production of 'Rent' certainly had a lot to live up to. Yet, the cast and crew were able to exceed any expectations I may have had, delivering a performance that was packed fully of emotion, humour and vibrancy.
The 1993 musical 'Rent' focuses on a community of young people shivering through Christmas in New York, whilst dealing with issues such as homelessness, addiction, and HIV/AIDS. At the centre of this is aspiring film-maker Mark, struggling to document and manage the lives of his friends, including his melancholy flat-mate Roger, explosive ex-girlfriend Maureen and warm-hearted friend Collins. The makeshift gang endure the gains (and losses) of new friends and lovers, whilst also battling against their ex-flatmate Benny, who threatens to evict the homeless in order to expand his business. Whilst the plot is arguably a bit complicated, it is essentially a musical about suffering, social justice, and above all- love.
It is this theme of love that was brought right to the front in GMTG's production, with the chorus' rendition of 'Seasons Of Love' providing a beautiful, harmonious centrepiece. For a musical that concentrates primarily on the principal actors, GMTG were able to make impressive use of the chorus, who performed everything from chaotic market scenes, to smaller comedic interjections and the particularly spirited café scene of 'La Vie Boheme.' As for the staging, despite a minimalist structure, the colourful lights and gloomy lighting effectively portrayed a bleak yet bustling New York City.
But of course, it was the main cast who were thrown under the spotlight, achieving more notable moments than it is possible to mention. Will Jackson as Mark was able to capture the character's profound awkwardness and resilient love for his friends, whilst Joe Griffiths-Bloor's Roger was captivating as he struggled to cope with HIV. Particularly when acting alongside Mimi, (who Claudia Sugarman expertly portrayed as feisty yet despairing), the pair had such a chemistry that each heartfelt ballad became even more tragic. And bursting into this world of suffering- in platform heels-was Fergal Mullan Wilkinson, who breathed life into the musical in such a way, that once he had left, it was all the more heartbreaking.
This brings me on to my favourite scene of the musical- Jason Obiri-Yeboah's rendition of 'I'll Cover You.' Even the way that Jason walked onto stage amongst the solemn funeral party was deeply moving, before he had even begun to sing with soulful, bass tones. Indeed, his stunning performance has been the topic of many "Brumfesses" since the show, and it's not difficult to see why, with the compelling performance leaving few dry eyes among the audience. Completely contrasting this, was Rae Doyle's hilarious opening monologue, during which she literally sparkled, both in terms of her outfit, but also in terms of her indefatigable stage presence. The audience were drawn to her during every one of her scenes, with her performance proving that this production of 'Rent' was able to produce as much comedy and entertainment as it could tears.
Other entertaining elements of the show included the voicemail messages from the parents of the main characters, positioned to the side of the audience so that the main action on the stage was still visible. An impressive dance routine was incorporated into Mimi's number 'Out Tonight', in which the girls dazzled in fish-net tights. It was these elements that kept the audience hooked, despite a plot that was arguably difficult to follow. Unfortunately, as I was seeing 'Rent' for the first time, there were some aspects of the show that I couldn't fully grasp, such as the nature of Benny's character as a villain-turned-hero. Yet, the cast and production team were generally able to take a complex plot and make it consistently engaging, which must be credited.
Perhaps, the reason that this show was so engaging was due to its relevance within our current society, and the skill with which the ensemble were able to get this point across. Individuals all over the world struggle with homelessness, poverty and disease, facing not only the severity of the issues themselves but also the stigma built up behind them. It was honourable that the cast were collecting money at the end of the show to support HIV/AIDS charities, as they had done every night, and this sense of dedication to the cause was something that also came across strongly in performance.
Despite the show's distressing themes, I left the Deb Hall not subdued, but filled with a new respect for life. The cast and crew of 'Rent' should be extremely proud of their production which was overall a celebration of diversity and the mutual struggles faced by so many people in New York City, and beyond.
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