Review: Spring Awakening

Youth hurts

“Touch, touch, touch me,” the young musical stars sing and rock at the Helsinki City Theatre’s Spring Awakening. Sexual awakening, the intoxication of first love, the charm of friendship, parental power, incest and self-harm. All this is illustrated by a skilfully made Finnish version of the controversial Broadway musical.

The story is from a hundred years ago. It is based on Frank Wedekind’s play The Awakening of Spring (1891), which was once banned as pornographic. The pain of growing up is such a timeless topic that you can easily relate to it even today. In the rock-inspired musical directed by Neil Hardwick , Mariko, known from the band Kwan, takes the stage, for example.

The main couple Jarkko Tamminen and Sara Melleri do sensitive and believable roles. The performance is not recommended for children under the age of 15 or sensitive adults. As a sensitive adult, I was able to watch it well.