Rent – Return Season

Rent – Return Season

One of Sydney’s fastest selling musicals last year came from somewhere the major theatre houses may not have expected… And now, the Hayes Theatre Company brings back Rent by Highway Run Productions.

Jonathan Larson’s Rent became a global phenomenon soon after its Off-Broadway debut in 1996. A rock-opera following a group of struggling artists living in New York’s East Village in the early 90s, struggling to build their dreams in the wake of the AIDS crisis.

Rent shot to international recognition, even winning a Pulitzer Prize. But Larson never saw his work’s impact, suddenly dying of an aortic dissection the night before the premiere.

“I think that it just makes sense to bring [Rent] back to…where it was when Jonathan Larson first saw it, and that was in a 100-ish seat theatre in a workshop setting,” said Toby.

The Hayes Theatre has become an ideal home for a musical that resonates with many people on a personal level. Toby elaborated: “We did not want let our audience feel like we hadn’t taken enough care, and that we weren’t trying to do well with ‘their’ musical…”

In their second run, Toby said he’d “be lying if I said [the creative team] weren’t tweaking or building up ideas that maybe we didn’t have the time or the resources to implement last time”.

Francis and fiancé Lauren Peters are first time producers on this scale, and along with first time director Shaun Rennie, they’ve successfully authenticated the ‘underdog’ mantra of Rent and prepared a cast that is both unique and fitting.

“Lauren and I were there on the first day The Hayes even started renovating, and were there to help sand back the bar and paint walls,” said Toby, icing the cake of this bohemian dream of a production narrative.

“I remember at that time there was the feeling that no one knew what The Hayes was going to be… there was no idea that it would become this place for young producers to try out things, for established producers [as well]…I don’t think there is anything like it at the moment where every production that goes up has such an interest from the public and from the industry…” (AM)

Mar 29–Apr 17 (Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 5pm). Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point. $59-$74. Tickets & info: hayestheatre.com.au or 02 8065 7337

 

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