Rent!

Last night was the final production of Rent. The Younger Offspring has been rehearsing in this production for weeks, and it has really paid off. The show was brilliant. There were several times when the tears were just flowing from my eyes. "Will I lose my dignity" set them off big time. The cast brought together the words and the emotions. The layering of the lyrics and the harmonies were sublime. I am at a loss to know how these young people managed to pull of such emotionally charged performances.

I was reminded of my thoughts and feeling when AIDS made its appearance in Scotland. Initially, I fell for the inhuman, amoral, no immoral, rhetoric being spouted by many. There was an overwhelming lack of compassion. The overwhelming noises I heard were 'It's a judgement on sinful lives.' Utter bullshit! It's a disease, and a terrible one. Thankfully, I soon learned to be more compassionate and to see the person, and the utter hypocrisy of the line on sin. Sheer hypocrisy!

The song 'Will I lose my dignity?' brought back memories, not of the ravages of the disease, but of the way in which people with HIV and AIDS were treated. They were stripped of honour, of respect, and shown such disdain. It wasn't a case of losing dignity, but having it violently ripped away.

The young people last night were amazing. They reminded me, I need to speak up for those whose voices are being ignored, and for those whose dignity is being ripped away.