Spring Awakening - A Full Length Play

Frank Wedekind

Dramatic Publishing

1979

84 páginas

2h 48m

ISBN-13: 9780871294258

Wedekind's play about adolescent sexuality is as disturbing today as when it was first produced Wedekind's notorious play Spring Awakening was written in 1891 but had to wait the greater part of a century before it received its first complete performance in Britain, at the National Theatre in 1974. The production was highly praised, much of its strength deriving from this translation by Edward Bond and Elisabeth Bond Pable, 'scrupulously faithful both to Wedekind's irony and his poetry.' The Times This translation of Spring Awakening was first performed at the National Theatre, London on 24 May 1974. For this edition the translator, Edward Bond, has written a note on the play and a factual introduction to Wedekind's life and work.

Resenhas (4)

5 (Perfeito)

Sex Education is important!! LET’S NOT KILL CHILDREN…

The Awakening of Spring is a German play that was written in the XIX century. It’s a show about teenagers and children growing up and starting to question themselves and others about the life of an adult, including, but not limited to: sex, love, sexuality, meaning of life and much more. The play was years ahead of its time and it caused such an impact because of the delicate topics it had that there are still productions of it being made and even new material being created based on the play. For instance, “Spring Awakening”, the Broadway musical.
I have read an adaptation of the play in Portuguese many years ago, I also saw the musical in Brazil a couple times, but it is so interesting to read the original text and understand things that weren’t clear before. After reading the original play, all I feel now is the need to learn German to actually read it in the original language to see if any of the meanings or characters change. Although, I must admit, if reading in English wasn’t easy - because of the age of the play and the vocabulary used - I don’t think I’ll ever be able to read it in any more languages.
I look impossible for me that someone wrote this before World War I. There is two gay boys, one suicidal, rape, abortion, child abuse etc… How did someone write about this in a country that wouldn’t make homosexuality legal until the late 1960’s? That for me is bigger than any problems the story might have. Sometimes I feel like some of the scenes are out of place, so some of the plots are almost done when there are new ones starting, when, in theory, it’s all happening in the same time for each of those kids. But, honestly, I don’t really care about it, because it is such a revolutionary and important play that it could have no story I might still love it!
I should say that I’ve always identified myself with Melchior. That being in the Brazilian adaptation, in the musical and now and the original play. I am not sure exactly why, all I know is that most of the people I know identify with Moritz, but for me it was always Melchior. I do know that he rapes and beats someone up, but I’m talking about energetic type. I would really love to play Melchior one day because I think I can understand the character (again: not talking about the raping and beating people up) and that I also could give him some more layers.
I believe that the play is a historical and important evidence that the idea of respect, mental heath, sexuality, sex education and anti-hate are not something new. It’s an idea that the world has needed for a long time and we are finally applying it.

“How does it happen?——How does it all come about?—— You cannot really deceive yourself that I, who am fourteen years old, still believe in the stork.”