American Idiot

Last night I went with a couple of colleauges to see the Broadway musical American Idiot. We decided after work to go to the half price ticket booth in Times Square and just see something - I had heard something about American Idiot (can't remember what really) and knew that it was based on the Green Day album and full of Green Day music. So, off we went. I think this is one thing I could get used to in New York actually - popping down to the theatre, once a week perhaps, to catch a musical or a play...

It was a great musical with an on-stage band playing all the music. The singing and the music was fantastic, if not a bit loud and crazy at times (with perhaps the strobes being just a tad too bright!). The acting and dancing was pretty good too, perhaps not choreographed perfectly, but then again, perhaps being a punk rock style musical it's not supposed to be.

The story (which is a little hard to get at times because from the style of music, unless you know the words, you sometimes struggle to hear the lyrics) is about a group of 3 friends in modern America. Bored with their lives which are filled by TV and drinking, they each have their own story. The protaganist though ends up on a path of self destruction (which is essentially the story from the Green Day songs) full of drugs. His one friend ends up joining the army and coming back wounded. And his second friend stays home after he finds out his girlfriend is pregnant (only to lose her later). The protagonist's path of self destruction ends with his own destruction of his alter-ego and the story ends with the 3 friends reuniting back in their small town, perhaps a bit wiser and more mature from their experiences.

But to be perfectly honest, all that's important is that the the music was good, the set and lighting were great, and the singing and dancing was lots of fun. All in all, a worthwhile show I reckon!