Nietzsche, Anyone?

Nietzsche, anyone?

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche – an internationally-renown German philosopher (whose works to this day contribute to existentialism and postmodernism) and classical philologist with a large, bushy, walrus-like mustache and a matching shock of disarmingly unkempt brown hair. Nietzsche was born in 1844 and became insane in 1889 – at which point he carried out the remaining 11 years of his life in a near-catatonic state under the care of his mother and his anti-Semitic sister. After his death, his sister corrupted his work to adhere to and serve Nazi ideologies.

You may just be asking at this point what on earth is hedonistic about all of this right now, and with good reason.

But, fear not, dear hedonists – for your Hedonista has not led you astray.

Why not take this very colorful character and infuse him à la comedic satire?

For that’s just what playwright Jeremy Richards did. What’s more, he made his book and lyrics his Masters of Arts in Cultural Studies Program thesis at UW Bothell, with the music by composer Rob Scherzer, and the director one Kate Jaeger.

When asked “Why a musical about Nietzsche? How did he become your muse?” Jeremy had this to say:

As an undergrad, I spent years studying philosophy and theology, while also pursuing poetry and theater. I constantly looked for ways to merge these interests, and I wrote my undergrad thesis on aesthetics, but for some reason I didn’t encounter Nietzsche until after I graduated. Once I started reading Nietzsche, I was in awe of his style and process. I didn’t always agree with his assumptions–his misogyny and disregard for political equality are regrettable–but I was inspired to see that he wasn’t the nihilistic or pessimistic philosopher I assumed he was. He was a poet and a composer. He was funny. He wrote in aphorisms, he said, so that he could write in ten words what others take an entire book to express. He struggled to affirm life, humanity, and the earth, and claimed that “the world can only be justified as an aesthetic phenomenon.” How could you not see him as inspiration for a musical?

Beyond that, his life was so tragic that it revealed a dark absurdity. Though he criticized Judaism along with all other religions, he explicitly praised the Jews and condemned anti-Semitism. His collapse into madness gave his sister and her anti-Semitic husband the opportunity to exploit Nietzsche’s words, not just distorting them, but leveraging them to support atrocities committed by the Nazi party. This was such an epic injustice on so many levels, it naturally creates a dramatic context. But ultimately, I didn’t want to get too weighed down or preachy, since Nietzsche always said to accompany truth with laughter and “kill the spirit of gravity.” So I created a script that walks that line between the light and the dark sides of Nietzsche’s life and work–the clash of intention and fate bursting into song.

Given an opportunity to attend with a media ticket, I checked it out. This play treats Nietzsche – whose name we’re taught in this musical is pronounced like “teach ya” and NOT “peachy” – and those who most strongly influenced his life as characters from Saturday Night Live (SNL). Justin Sund makes for an über entertaining Nietzsche, nay Friedrich. The entire cast was both playful and amusing (although some voices were definitely stronger than others) and accompanied by creatively complementary melodies. On opening night, however, the Übermensch orchestra pit at times overpowered and drowned out the exuberant actors and their voices on stage. Still, Nietzsche! The Musical is worth a trip to Pike Place Market, particularly if you’re a philosophy wonk or a lover of small theatrical musicals.

Nietzsche! The Musical produced by Unexpected Productions is currently playing at Market Theater in Pike Place. Its world premiere took place on on May 14, 2010 and it plays Fridays and Saturdays through June 12, 2010. Tickets are $12 a piece.

Nietzsche may have coined the phrase “God is Dead” … but Nietzsche is very much alive in this production.

So … Neachya, anyone?

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable coverage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.