By Max Modell

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An ambitious musical, the songs rocked but the narrative felt limp and ultimately fell flat.

American Idiot is a jukebox musical comprised of the music of Green Day, which defined the teenage years of a generation. Based primarily on the acclaimed concept album of the same name, the story is expanded from the narrative of this album; three disillusioned teens flee their suburban lives of parental restrictions in search of a better future. As each strains for the freedom they desire, life leads them along the paths of new parenthood, drugs, and the military, where they find themselves equally disillusioned.

The performances throughout are strong, complimented by a grungy urban set and perfect costume design. Johnny, Will and Tunny along with the ensemble feel like they truly embody the energy and aesthetic of Green Day. Luke Friend, of X-Factor, particularly stands out, playing the Johnny Depp esque St Jimmy; the rebellious, drug taking manifest of Johnny who leads him astray throughout the musical.

The ensemble is backed by a really tight band, who know how to rock and smash through the classic tunes. This adds a true rock concert feel to the proceedings elevating the show beyond the normal realms of theatre.

Yet, while the performers do a great job, they have questionable material to work with. The key concepts of propagandist media and the generational divide between the American establishment and American youth were┬áso affecting in the album that the play felt underdeveloped when stretched to two hours. The narrative is very loose not developing with the characters, but rather with the songbook in an effort to shoehorn in every song in the album. This was also detrimental to the characters who┬áwere┬áleft feeling one note and inconstant, with character development occurring during the songs and shifting the narrative – as opposed to organically along the characters journeys. ┬áFurthermore, beyond the three leads and St Jimmy, the other characters lacked identity. This was particularly problematic with the three girlfriends who lack agency, existing as mere plot devices rather than as rounded characters.

Representing the explosive intersection of punk rock and musical theatre, American Idiot had the potential to be a generation-defining musical – in the same way that Green Day defined music for a generation. Sadly it fell short of this mark. It felt like a rock show, without the sweaty bodies, thrown beer and screaming fans which usually define the proceedings. Instead it was replaced by a lacklustre narrative without complex characters, a compelling plot or even a strong sense of cohesiveness. While this show is worth seeing for the performances, youÔÇÖd be equally well served┬áinviting┬áa few friends over, cranking up the volume and listening to the album, reminiscing about your teenage years.