This month the Spanish Moon hosts “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, the saucy rock-musical that hilariously captures the glam rock phenomena of the ’70’s. The captivating story of a transsexual German songstress, Hedwig, had audiences laughing and left them speechless at its opening night performance Thursday at the Spanish Moon.
When Hedwig Shmidt, played by Cody King , energetically paraded on stage in a silver glitter dress and make-up resembling Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, the audience smiled as if they knew what fun lie ahead. Hedwig’s amazing blonde, Farrah Fawcett meets a mullet wig was nothing compared to her glitzy make-up and sexy white boots. The showy costume did not distract from King’s talent. King’s ability to portray a man who has become a woman was impeccable. His voice was a powerhouse that beautifully rocked the bar.
The show’s subject matter is lewd and not meant for virgin ears. When John Cameron Mitchell wrote the text for “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” he wasn’t afraid to throw in cheap sex jokes like, “When Luther popped the question, I was on my knees.” Also, the audience was roaring at the metaphor for phallacio using gummy bear imagery.
Although the primary mood of the play is lively and funny, there is a serious tone to the story. The audience fell silent when Hedwig described being rejected by the love of her life, Tommy Speck. The most powerful scene is when Hedwig’s current husband, Yitzak, spits on her at her lowest point.
Just as Hedwig slumped into a ball, a single bead from her boot fell onto the stage. Although the bead probably was an accident, it caused the kind of dramatic sympathy that deserves a Tony.
For manly men who are not enthusiastic about watching a transsexual talk about love and loss, there are the Wiglets played by Claire Hatty, Becca Many and Candace Rogers. The scantily clad trio in tiny black dresses are Hedwig’s groupies. With black hair and lots of leg, the Wiglets’ role was modeled after Robert Palmer’s girls in the “Simply Irresistable” video.
The Spanish Moon may be an odd location for a rock-musical, but the ambience and stage were flawless. A small stage made the play seem personal and felt like a concert at times. The brick walls of the Spanish Moon brilliantly matched the hole-in-the wall mood of the play.
The production will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night for the month of November, including the Thanksgiving holidays. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the performance begins at 7:30 p.m. It is a good idea to arrive early, because seating is limited to a few tables and the bar area. Standing during the perfomance is bearable since it runs under an hour and a half.
Tickets are $13 or $10 with a student ID. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is the best $10 an LSU student can spend this month.