Hedwig used to be a man. Now he is not a woman either. He is something in between, a half female, half male entity, bitter to the world and broken hearted. For the fans, and there are many (with the show at full house some nights), Hedwig is a goddess but for others, Hedwig is just a freak.
The show’s strongest asset is the main lead, Matt Tapscott, whose impersonation of Hedwig might not be perfect, but it comes really close. This is mainly a one-man show (with the rest of the group being on stage for the musical acts), and Tapscott knows how to get the audience roaring. His monologues are delivered with ease and with no hesitation in his voice. He knows his material and isn’t afraid to play with it, ad-libbing on the spot. The public loves Hedwig, and they cannot stop laughing with him and, at the same time, at him.
On the other hand, the character of Yitzhak, played by Mel Farmery, feels wooden and over-acted. Not having much to do on stage than being a back-up vocalist to Hedwig, she cannot do more than moan in a melodramatic fashion.
However, Farmery’s voice is brilliant, and her singing outshines that of Tapscott, who underperforms in the slower song Origin of Love and Wig in a Box, both being the best and better-known tunes in the original play.
Overall, Hedwig is the star attraction and he knows it.
4/5
Adrian G. Velazquez
