If you like your musicals served with plenty of gender confusion, then Hedwig's your man. Or woman. Or both.
The title character in John Cameron Mitchell's transgender rock musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" is the victim of a botched sex-change operation - with the "angry inch" both the name of her band as well as what's left over from the surgery.
"Hedwig" enjoys such a loyal cult following that you'd have to wonder why anyone would tamper with it.
But San Francisco's Boxcar Theatre has not only tampered with it, they've turned the show upside down by casting eight actors to play Hedwig in each performance.
It has the potential to be even more confusing than Hedwig's gender.
Instead, it works beautifully. In some cases, one Hedwig takes over seamlessly from another to show a different side to the character. In others, one Hedwig narrates as the action unfolds to another.
And in every case, director Nick A. Olivero's production is so flawless that it feels as if the show was meant to be done this way.
The show is enjoying an open-ended run - and through March 2, former X Factor contestant Jason Brock is appearing as one of the Hedwigs and performing in a cabaret after some of the shows.
For more information and tickets, visit the theater's Web site.
Photo © Peter Liu
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