Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Mon 3 – Sat 8 Apr
The famous rock musical blew up Broadway when it arrived in 1996 and has stood the test of time to become a modern-day classic. Based on Puccini’s La Boheme, the story follows a group of young bohemian friends living in New York’s East Village who are all struggling both to express themselves as artists and to succeed as individuals.
Set in 1989 and spanning the length of a year, the story begins on Christmas eve with our narrator, filmmaker Mark and his roommate Roger. Mark is still head over heels for former girlfriend Maureen (famously played by Idina Menzel in the 2005 film adaptation) but Maureen has now coupled up with Harvard lawyer Joanne. Ex-drug user Roger’s new girlfriend Mimi has yet to overcome the struggles Roger has, and computer genius Tom and his partner Angel equally have their own challenges work through. Finally, there is Benjamin, a former member of the group who has since become the opposite of everything they stand for.
The story chronicles the life of the group of these 20 something year olds throughout the “525,600 minutes” that make up a year, and famously addresses the topic of the AIDS crisis and issues surrounding multiculturalism and addiction – topics creator Jonathan Larson was noted for addressing in his work. His death on the eve of the first performance on Broadway in 1996 makes the show’s unforgettable life affirming message all the more poignant.
Tickets: ÂŁ15 – ÂŁ43. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk