Teen Angst Review
08.07.2022
Teen Angst provides young people with a voice to air their grievances to the adults in their lives, through original music, stellar acting and hilarious comedy.
The show features four main characters, each representing a different aspect of the teenage experience. The actors also become several authoritative figures throughout the show – from overbearing parents to school counsellors and a jazzy principal. This show is especially unique as it was created by teenagers, providing a truly authentic angsty voice. The four cast members all aged from 16-18 were able to create a thirty minute musical with eight pieces of original music.
Teen Angst grapples with issues such as external pressure from parental figures, mental health, fears, and passions, all the while staying true to the teenage phase. Teens are not provided with many platforms to be both seen and heard, making it especially difficult to discuss serious issues which this new generation bears the brunt of. With the growth of social media leading to a rise in cases of mental health issues, it can be hard to for adults to understand the new world which teens are growing up in.
Despite the show only having a thirty-five minute runtime, it generates an authentic and comedic story about the modern experience of teenagers. From the set design and music to the acting, Teen Angst truly shows how creative and powerful the voices of young people can be.
I highly recommend more shows to be created which utilise the voices of young people as I believe they can give new insights into our society. I love the show, and if anyone were to be given an opportunity to see a production like it I would recommend them to take it.
5 Stars.
Maddison, 17 [she/her]
Shopfront’s Teen Angst played at Shopfront Arts Co-op from the 7th – 10th July.