Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2025, Adelaide)

My partner and I went off to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2025, Adelaide); and we both left fairly sad. It was a surreal experience, as there was literally a standing ovation from the crowd; but I've never felt more disengaged or out of touch with a story - I did not understand the gulf between the "more normie" audience experience and mine at all. It was weird, in that it didn't seem to understand grungey queer burlesque origins, it disneyified the main character but not as a villain (who I now understand is meant to be relatable only in that they are just as broken as you or I); and I completely missed half of the narrative having forgotten the salient points of the movie version. But it was a "packed" show with a high ticket price. I feel very mixed thinking about this vs the raw, authentic feel of seeing; say, sewer rat girl (https://www.gogosiobhan.com/srg) or the many talented baby drag performers doing their craft at now defunct places like my lover cindi. I don't know what to do with this, because I'm broadly a cis male attempting not to be a dick in the world. But there's fuck all reviews apart from press releases ("wickedly funny", "raw energy"); and I have a vague apprehension this is sucking attention and $ away from far better folx doing way better stuff, still with broad appeal. If you are looking for something a bit weird but with story and emotion, I strongly suggest you look elsewhere this fringe; ie https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/mel-mcglensey-is-motorboat-af2025 or