'Hedwig' makes a special visit to the Scenic Drive
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is currently showing at Montecasino. The lead actor of the award-winning rock musical, Paul du Toit, stopped by the Scenic Drive to talk about the incredible story.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a poignant rock musical that has won itself a place in the hearts of critics and audiences alike since it first ran on the Off-Broadway circuit in 1998.
Based on John Cameron Mitchell's book of the same name, the musical follows the life of Hedwig Robinson, an East German transgender woman who leads a fictional rock and roll band.
The show in its many iterations, with music and lyrics by Stephen Trask, has gone on to win a number of prestigious awards, including the Obie Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical, and the 2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
In 2016, Hedwig and the Angry Inch made its South African debut at Gate69 in Cape Town. Seasoned South African actor Paul du Toit stepped into the role of Hedwig and wowed audiences at sold-out shows alongside his co-star Genna Galloway. Paul and Genna won Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards for Best Actor in a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for their performances in the show.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch will be running at the Pieter Toerien Theatre at Montecasino until 1 April.
The production provided the following description of the musical:
'The gritty plot revolves around a fictional rock band fronted by an East German transgender singer who survives a botched sex change operation performed to allow her to marry an American man and escape East Germany, only to get dumped a few months later. Hedwig subsequently develops a relationship with a younger man, Tommy, becoming his mentor and musical collaborator. Tommy steals her music and moves on without her. The musical follows Hedwig and her roadie as they shadow Tommy's tour, while exploring Hedwig's past and complex gender identity. This inimitable rock musical will be making its way to the Pieter Toerien Theatre at Montecasino under the direction of Elizma Badenhorst (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Rock Of Ages,) with a four-piece rock band under the baton of Wessel Odendaal.'
Paul du Toit, who loves transforming into Hedwig every night and thoroughly enjoys taking audiences through the emotions of the story, brought a little bit of Hedwig's magic to the Scenic Drive.
See the process of becoming Hedwig in the video below: