This is the musical which made me fall in love with musical theatre. I remember many years ago I knew the soundtrack by heart. I would sing along to it on cassette, on my walkman. Plugging in portable speakers so everyone could hear this fascinating musical. I used to save money from my paper round so I could buy cheap tickets in the gods for the Saturday matinee. I went time and time again.
I still have vivid memories of catching excerpts (quite by accident) on the televised 1992 Evening Standard theatre awards, for which it won best musical. It literally stopped me in my tracks, I’d never seen anything quite like it! Who were the incredible cast? Especially the powerhouse actress, who I discovered was the incomparable Chita Rivera, portraying the dual role of Aurora and the Spider Woman. What an electrifying star!
Who composed this sublime score inspired by distinctly Latin rhythms? I subsequently found out it was the genius songwriting duo of John Kander and Fred Ebb. They have this amazing ability to create music which evokes a place or era perfectly. After previewing in Toronto it opened at the Shaftesbury theatre in the West End, before moving to the Broadhurst theatre on Broadway. It won an Olivier, and seven Tony awards in 1993.
Based on the 1976 novel by Argentinian author Manuel Puig, with book by Terrence McNally, it’s an interesting choice of subject matter for a musical. Set in an un-named South American dictatorship, it centres around Molina played by Brent Carver, who’s a gay window dresser in prison for corrupting a minor, and Valentin played by Anthony Crivello, who’s a Marxist revolutionary. Molina’s salvation is losing himself in a fantasy world of opulent B-movies starring the glamorous and beautiful movie star Aurora. He loves every role she’s played apart from the terrifying Spider Woman whose kiss is deadly to men.
Meanwhile the other prisoners speculate about what their friends and family are doing in the outside world, and wonder what the future holds. Although they share a prison cell, at first Valentin is unfriendly and wants nothing to do with Molina and his fanciful stories. Despite this Molina continues being his flamboyant self. Valentin and Molina also contemplate how their loved ones are coping.
Gradually their relationship develops, mainly as a result of Molina falling in love with Valentin, and looking after him when he’s been tortured. Molina periodically conjures up several musical interludes starring Aurora; both to entertain and distract from the horrors of prison life. Both men open up about their respective loves in the outside world; a man called Gabriel and a woman called Marta.
Molina becomes sick after eating poisonous food intended for Valentin. He’s taken to hospital and given morphine which induces various hallucinations involving dancing orderlies, his mother, and the ominous Spider Woman. Upon his return Valentin also consumes poisoned food, once again Molina takes care of him so he doesn’t have to be admitted to hospital. Valentin now finds comfort in hearing Molina talk about his movies. We also realise how close Molina and his mother are, and the strength of Valentin’s political convictions.
Later Molina’s told he’s being released and Valentin urges him to make phone calls to his comrades. Molina doesn’t want his freedom jeopardised, so Valentin uses sex to change his mind. Although their sexual relationship is more complicated than it appears because Molina perceives himself as (or has a desire to be) a woman. The Spider Woman appears on her giant web, enthralled by the prospect of claiming another victim.
On the warden’s instructions Molina is followed, then caught and tortured to give names, but vehemently refuses to betray Valentin. Molina’s shot and becomes the star of his own movie heaven, being granted an audience with his family and friends. It ends with the guest of honour, the Spider Woman, bestowing her kiss of death upon him.