Rent – the landmark rock musical tells the thrilling story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive in New York City’s East Village in the thriving days of Bohemian excess. Inspired by Puccini’s classic opera La bohème, Rent features unforgettable music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson who unfortunately died before he could see what a success his musical would become.
The cast of Rent: Photo by Matt Crockett
From the opening of the show, we knew we were in for and exhilarating ride. Quickly falling in love with the characters on stage and wanting to celebrate the highs (and lows) of their lives.
It would be unfair to single out one member of the cast, as each performer played their roles with so much passion and emotion. The whole auditorium was moved to a standing ovation at the end of the show. What I love about this show is that it’s the pure performance skill from the actors that carries the show and not over-elaborate sets with hidden tricks or over elaborate costumes.
Layton Williams as Angel in Rent Picture: Matt Crockett
While the set was simple, with a few moving parts and excellent lighting it regularly transformed for different scenes and added to the whole experience of the show.
This amazing production has blown away all the previous versions of Rent I have seen and will be remembered as one of the best musicals I have ever seen.
Rent continues at the Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday April 8.
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Read Andy Howells interview with Lucie Jones who stars in Rent