Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Belasco Theatre

Hedwig and the Angry Inch has been enjoying a triumphant Broadway run – and a steady stream of boldface names in the title role – since its opening night over a year ago. The 2014 winner of the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical revolves around the tragicomic Hedwig, a transgender rocker from East Berlin who struggles to achieve dignity and validation through constant crises of love, faith, and acceptance that continually challenge – and ultimately elevate – his sense of self. Despite the heavy adult themes, this show has proven to have a resilient appeal, consistently finding an audience in a Broadway scene that increasingly leans toward family-oriented fare.

The recent addition of accomplished stage and screen actor Taye Diggs as Hedwig is good news for even the most devoted fans of the cult classic, as there is much to be surprised, delighted and enlightened by in his portrayal. Diggs takes the non-traditional angle of casting of an African-American playing a German and runs with it beyond the obvious; he commits wholeheartedly to the insecurities, complexities and idiosyncrasies of the role. Diggs’ natural presence exudes sexually dominant masculinity, making his willingness to explore the feminine experience a compelling risk – and it pays off. Although the more effeminate aspects of Hedwig’s demeanor at times appear slightly affected, it never distracts from the character’s intent, clear evidence of Diggs’ dedication to the integrity of the material. Diggs also earns high marks for expertly leveraging his resonant, soul-tinged vocals to lend additional weight and pathos to the glam/punk rock score. His emotionally rich delivery of the ballads The Origin of Love and Wicked Little Town create as much impact as the frenetic and furious rock numbers Angry Inch and Exquisite Corpse. Diggs is not a “rocker” and he compensates for that in a believable way.

The cast’s comedic timing was on point, often drawing authentic belly laughs and effectively balancing out the gravitas of the darker material, especially in the latter half. Rebecca Naomi Jones in the role of Hedwig’s long-suffering husband Yitzhak deftly communicated the resentment-laced affection that is central to the couple’s chemistry, and the band (who remain onstage throughout) affably play along with the dysfunction. The sum total of cast, set and lighting design all work seamlessly in tandem for a raucous 100 minutes of uninterrupted (non-G) rated entertainment.

Mariana Howard

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is on at the Belasco Theatre from July 22^nd to October 11^th 2015, for further information or to book visit here.