Great book! I read the Francis J. Ziegler translation, it was quite easy to understand, just a few more difficult parts. The story is great, I loved the humor and the story’s structure. I think the story is very important, and quite relevant to teenagers today. It shows that throughout the ages, adults and teenagers haven’t really changed, neither have the taboo’s in our world. It’s quite interesting to think about.
Super enjoyable light read!! Totally recommend this play

Usually, I find reading plays a poor second to seeing them performed, but some plays are simply unplayable. Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening (Frühlings Erwachen) comes into that category. Apart from the problem of most of the characters being young teenagers (adults playing children never works), the play needs space and quiet for the audience to think in. There is little of that in a musical or noisy West End show.

Like Ibsen, Wedekind briefly mentions events and then leaves us to fill in the blanks. He may tell us the answer later, or he may not. He teases us briefly with the fourteen year-old who is sick every morning, and only implies Frau Schmidt’s rôle in the matter. Similarly, he goes into immense detail about the facts-of-life essay written by a teenage boy, but leaves us to work out that this has nothing to do with the suicide.

The lies and evasions told by parents and teachers to each other to explain their inadequate parenting are the core of the play, but only as long as the audience can read between the lines. At least we can pause, think, and go back when we read the play. There is no hope of that in a musical.

The censors who banned Spring Awakening in the 19th century were afraid audiences would “awaken” to the fact that social restrictions are there to keep the lower orders in their place. No wealthy parent need worry about their child having a cheap back-street abortion or failing an examination. Money buys sensible solutions to these adolescent crises. The censors need not have worried, as modern performances prove.

Spoilers and tw??

If I understood correctly there was murder, death, sexual assault and rape (the girl was 14.) uhm yeah. No thank you

This is the original, un-censored version of the script. I guess it was pretty controversial back in the day.

I have to say, I don't really see what all the big hot dog is about this script. People talk in paragraphs, not dialogue. I hate that. Have a conversation. People don't normally talk for 3 minutes and then stop and let the other person talk for 3 minutes in response to what they said.

I guess it would be disturbing to watch if you got a bunch of good, actual 14-year-olds to play the main roles, but I have my suspicions that there are enough actual, good 14-year-olds that are mature enough to handle roles like this. In which case, they'd end up casting older actors to play younger ones and it wouldn't make your skin crawl as much. Not that it really does that anyhow. I mean, maybe it's just because I'm reading it, not watching it, but beating someone with a stick isn't all that disturbing and *SPOILER* they only talk about taking all the abortion pills, you don't actually see it... much less the death. I think the moral of this play is what was scandalous in the 1890s is small potatos in the 2000s.

I guess I'll audition for it because I have nothing better to do, but there aren't that many good adult roles at all. Even if the director does ignore the genders of the professors and such.

You know what I'd also like to have? A gloss of the ASL used in the show.

Everything happens so fast in the play that I caught myself wondering if it wasn't simply meant to be a musical. It is short and powerful, and I can only imagine how it was received in 1891. Its message, of course, is still very important today.

Glad I finally read something in German again! This was very strange, but incredible. Discussions around sexuality and sex education and the pressures of the school system and it was written in 1890! Also lots of deep lyrical passages. However sometimes this was taken too far and it felt a bit forced and cheapened. Not a perfect play but very interesting and worth a read. I can see why this is almost impossible to perform.

3,5 Stars :)

I did enjoy to compare this high awarded musical adaption to its original work. And I have to say some changed parts hit differently.
Like the lyrics of „The Dark I Know Well“ - that really got me and was hard to digest (as such an issue should be).

While listening to the recordings the first time, I have to admit, that I was slightly disappointed. But by now I have listened to the album another time and do appreciate the melodies a lot more now.

And it is just a brilliant play, the original as well as the musical!

Now it is to see if this was any good use for my uni paper on Wedekind or just a lovely way to procrastinate with additional research :)))

2.5⭐️

My favorite.
I mean I have tattoo of this musical...
Rating it 5 stars is an understatement.

EDIT: 2 of my tattoos are lyrics from this musical.

Eh

Suicide, sex, gay and criticism of society. What else can I ask for? Wendla is just like me fr and Hänschen Rilow is real as fuck