American Idiot, music by Green Day, lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong, book by Armstrong and the director Michael Mayer, is an In-Your-Face (and Ears and Eyes) rock musical with an undercurrent of anger and rebellion. Though filled with references like The War now going on, it's fairly non-specific. The loose-limbed casual dancing seems to be singers dancing rather than dancers singing as it stays within the context of inept youth rebelling. The melodies are simplistic to a simple beat. I know, I know, they sold millions of albums. And the entire audience the night I attended, including my date, an Australian Anthropologist, knew the songs.
The singer/actors are all excellent, the music rather engaging. What kept me entranced were the stunning visuals of the design. With myriad TV screens on the four-story-high set (designed by Christine Jones), fascinating projections (by Darrel Maloney), and dazzling lighting (by Kevin Adams), I enjoyed the show. Still, I often found myself to be an observer rather than an empathetic participant in the problems of the angst-ridden youth who are tempted by The Devil, yea unto becoming a junkie.
There is a wonderful flying sequence and some numbers that really work like "Wake Me Up When September Ends." Mayer keeps it moving, and the dazzling visuals keep it all exciting, so all in all, it's a nice psychedelic trip. And it has the hottest, cutest conductor in town for the band - Carmel Dean -- who is visible in the wings.
