Rent Increase

[rickps]

I've been host to the uber-charming simbobloke this week.  As we are both obsessed with Broadway and the touring company of Rent was in town, we decided to attend.  But before I babble about the show, a side comment about our dinner beforehand...



The nice thing (well, there are a lot of nice things but I digress) about having someone visit is that you can venture to places you wouldn't on your own.  In this case, it was Confidential, a 'small plates' restaurant featuring Richard Sweeney (AKA Big Gay Rich) of Top Chef fame.  Food was excellent from the complimentary 'amuse-bouche' (a delicious mouthful of food designed to excite the taste buds) through the artful cheese and fruit plate, to the deconstructed pizza.  Great service from the wait staff.  Perhaps the nicest surprise was the announcement from our server that the meal and liquor were being offered at half price.  Terrific food and drink at a bargain price...  I'm so there!



Some 10 years ago when I saw Rent for the first time, I hated it.  I mean really hated it.  Painfully loud music, angry lyrics, a dumbed down La Boheme, it left me cold.  But the past decade has changed me.  The world is a harder, bitter place.  What were uninvolving tunes have now become touching and somewhat simplistic.  Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal were reprising their signature roles in the show.  The years have been kind to both with Rapp's performance being most memorable.  Even San Diego's traditionally reserved audience came out of its shell screaming approval for the shows highlights.

Rent will never rank in my top 10 of shows.  But it was fun, a lot of fun.

Comments

[abqdan.livejournal.com]

Bill loves the show. Like you, I hated it the first time I attended; and I've never given it another chance. Maybe it's time.

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

"Love" may not be quite the right word. "Involved and intrigued by ironic themes" might be a better phrase.

It's not a cheerful "Wizard of Oz" show by any means. The themes of poverty, rebellion, AIDS, drug addiction aren't appealing except as an abstract, since none of those things are directly in my.

Many of the songs are moving to me though, with a simple universalism of love and hope that touches me set in a framework of intriguing rythyms and sounds. Add to that, some of the songs have been sung to death by our chorus and they are ingrained into my psyche!

I did see it the first time on Broadway not too long after it came out, I think in '96 or '97. It's certainly not for everyong.

[ricksf.livejournal.com]

There's an "in your face" attitude for many of the Rent songs that I appreciate. Subtle, this show is not.

I've been drawing mental parallels all morning to Les Miz, a show I enjoy much more. Both address issues of loss but from very different perspectives. Les Miz laments, Rent screams. Interesting.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I never thought I would like the show, but gotmoof got me to listen to the CD before we attended in SF a decade ago and I became a huge fan. I saw it again in NYC and was so moved by it. It remains one of my favorite scores.

Glad to hear that Rapp and Pascal were reprising their roles. It means it was an Equity production!

HUGS!

[mfpatterson.livejournal.com]

You got to see it with both Adam and Anthony, I really do hate you.

I just got the DVD of the last night of the show. It's nice to have although not the strongest of cast's that I've heard.

But hey, anything, and I mean anything is better than what they even attempted here in Hilo. My head hurts just thinking about it. OYE...

[cuboz.livejournal.com]

...and of course, I'm sure the lovely company assisted in your enjoyment of the show as well! :-)

*hugs*