will never ever respect or understand people who say hanschen and ernst are supposed to represent or be similar to melchior and wendla, especially because of this moment. if anything, they are totally different.
here, at the end of word of your body (reprise), when ernst signs “you’re gonna be my bruise” to hanschen, hanschen pushes his hand away during “bruise” and shakes his head, saying no. he’s not going to let that happen. he’s not going to hurt ernst, ernst isn’t going to hurt him, they aren’t going to hurt each other, and they are going to trust one another. this is a relationship that lies on love and trust and comfort, which is not like melchior and wendla at all.
during word of your body, instead, melchior and wendla were signing intertwined and together, representing that yes, this is their story. this is what’s going to happen. with hanschen and ernst, hanschen takes the initiative to say that wasn’t going to happen to them. love gay people!
When I found this image in my old undergrad theatre history textbook today, I shrieked with excitement - it's a set design for the vineyard scene in the original 1906 production of Spring Awakening, directed by Max Reinhardt.
I found a clearer version online, in the Max Reinhardt Archive (source).
Interesting thing I just found: So I just found a bunch of Instagram accounts made by a regional cast of Spring Awakening from a few years ago (the same production that Sing Street’s Brendan C. Callahan was in as Ernst) and the accounts are basically the cast role playing as their characters. They made posts in their character’s perspective, making their version of Spring Awakening essentially a modern retelling. I’m not sure if it was used for the show or if it was just a fun exercise that the director thought of, but either way I love it. I think it’s a great way to immerse yourself and others into the show, especially a timeless show like Spring Awakening. Here are some pictures of the accounts. It’s really interesting to see what each actor posts as their character, interpreting what they think their character would post about. (You can also check them out for yourself on Instagram!)
The pictures won’t all fit in one post so I’ll reblog to add onto this one.
Ok, friends - I'm just gonna tell you now informally (a formal announcement with more details will follow): I'm hoping to get my stage version of Spring Awakening produced sometime next year!