Saturday 18 June 2011

Pinkelstadt alias Urinetown

"One of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years, URINETOWN is a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!"

I have to confess that I didn't go and see most of the plays, musicals or performances done by student groups in the last years. Yes, even then I still was an immatriculated student but didn't feel like one and was basically completely out of touch with everything. This year now I saw the posters for the musical "Pinkelstadt" and it stayed in my mind as the titel was so unusual (and I had never heard of it). So I went and saw it.


www.mainzer-rhein-zeitung.de
I must say that the plot is rather odd and I'm not sure if I am overly taken by it. But it is a musical after all and who thinks too hard about faults in the plotline when the music and dance is done well?! On the other hand it is great to say such an ironic and un-sentimental musical. Especially if you are fed up with all the A. L. Webber &Co works...what made me proud is that I think I got all the "quotes" from other musicals. Some "Chicago"- like show, some "Hair", some "Jesus Christ" and, most important, some "Les Mis" (even with the waving of the Tricolore). So all my years reading musical magazines and collecting cd's weren't wasted after all ;-)
The quality was amazing, some very good singers. Acting mostly convincing (better than some of the big musicals with their mostly imported clones) and a very entertaining choreography considerring the limited space on the stage of an uni lecture room. So all in all I had a very entertaining evening and am stunned by the amount of effort and dedication some people put into something that is after all only a hobby!
Thumbs up, a success.

And I found a new favourite musical earworm...:-)

(taken from a different production but nevertheless great)

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