It's a dark and stormy night in Spafford.  The weather has been brutal so far.  I'm 
watching "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" for the 9th time.  I'm trying to figure out what 
it is about this movie that I find so intriguing.  Is it the action…maybe…the story…well 
sort of… could it be Linda Harrison in that little fur outfit who just happens to run into 
James Franciscus in the middle of 1000 sq. miles of desert?…well…I've got it!  It's the 
weather!  On my 40in. screen everything is so bright and warm. Obviously the film was 
shot in Southern California. I want to climb in and join them.  My cell phone rings.  It's 
my friend Rose, she wants someone to go with her to see "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" 
at Syracuse Stage.  Hedwig and What?  Ok I've got four wheel drive I'll give it a shot.  
The following is my review of the play special to the Borodino Bullett.  I will use the 
following criteria; does anything get "Blowed Up" Are there any cows in the play? any 
fightin and shootin?  These element I'm sure are important to all true Borodino residents.

    Well here goes…this play is about a man who becomes a woman (transvestite) in order 
to marry a soldier and move to the U.S. from Germany.  Ok hold on.  I'll try and 
translate. Everyone's familiar with the musical "Oklahoma" right? Possibly Borodino's 
all time favorite show.  All right then think of it this way.  Curly is brought up in a 
dysfunctional family and is unsure of his gender (sex), Judd falls in love with him but 
wants him to look and act like a woman.  Curly agrees to marry Judd and move to Texas 
but he can't leave Oklahoma without first undergoing a physical examination that proves 
he's a woman.  Anxious to leave the hard life in Oklahoma Curly agrees to a sex change 
operation. Unfortunately medicine in Oklahoma is very primitive and the operation is 
botched.  Curly is left with…well the title says it all.  Curly becomes a saloon singer and 
relates his/her struggles with song.

    Obviously if "Oklahoma" is your favorite musical then you are probably not going to 
like this show.  Hedwig is not just any transvestite but an IN YOUR FACE transvestite.  
The picture on the cover of the Weekend Edition of the Post says it all.  Loud, garish, 
10in. heels, monstrous wig, a lot like Frankenfurter in "The Rocky Horror Show".  
Twenty years ago this show would have been daring if not shocking, but in a world of 
Howard Stern and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" it is oddly tame.  We are warned of 
mature themes and strong language but if you can handle say…"Cabaret" then you'll be 
OK.

    The Actor playing Hedwig is very good, almost too good. What I mean by that is this, 
you would expect someone who has gone through what Hedwig has to be a little bit more 
"beaten up", more disheveled, like Lola at the Copa, but this guy executes every move 
perfectly. It's like a western movie where everyone has perfect teeth.  Still it's an 
entertaining performance. 

    The songs are all Rock so if Benny Goodman is on your hit parade better pass.  The 
Band is very impressive, excellent musicians, so if you like Rock and Roll you'll love 
these guys.  Of course once the music starts you can't understand a word Hedwig is 
singing.

    I also liked the use of the Hutchings Stage; elaborate lighting schemes and video 
projection which defy the limited facility.

    So in conclusion, no cows, no shootin, nothing gets "blowed up", on the Clover Meter 
"Hedwig and the Angry Inch" gets 2 cows out of 4, and if you need a sex change 
operation for gods sake don't do it in Germany.

                                 C.J.      
                               

Tickets $15-41

443-3275