Anastasia Blog: Breaking Societal Norms
Countless examples of patterns exist throughout modern media. The storyline formats in cinema and theater are replicated so often that they became a model pushed onto viewers. Plotlines make people crave an exciting life, and character developments cause young minds to strive toward perfection in society's eyes. Singing in the rain, Mamma Mia, Dear Evan Hansen, Phantom of the Opera, and countless others showcase characters moving forward in the plot, grasping ideal happiness, which correlates to how society perceives and portrays people. Broadway's Anastasia, however, breaks many of the unspoken rules set down by its predecessors. Class, race, and gender are portrayed not as strict guidelines for the creators but as fuel for revolutionary language. Whenever such normalities are brought to light in Anastasia, the characters refute it through their morals, actions, and of course, lyrics.
Let us break down Anastasia's rebellion against normalcy, starting with discussing the most prominent theme of the production, class structure. The opening sequence takes place in the young Anastasia's bedroom. As a royal family member, her room is filled with silk fabrics, beautiful furniture, and polished floors. Her father, Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov, is seen in his formal wear before attending a lavish party. Despite the elegant scene, the hungry citizens of Russia raided the palace and killed the Romanov family. In a single number, Russia's entire class structure flipped onto its back, and the story was set into motion. Beginning the plot, however, is not the only time class structure is relevant to the story. In the song "Rumor in St. Petersburg", St. Petersburg's citizens displayed how terrible the class system can truly be. With the lines "We stand beside our leaders and stand in line for bread" and "Two dozen total strangers live in two small rooms," the singers paint a country filled with hungry stomachs and a considerable gap between the wealthy and poor.
Broadway and other American structured productions often show the government as stable or do not allude to government at all. As previously mentioned, the media shows the way viewers should act to be perceived as perfect. Rebellious behavior is not civil and, therefore, is not shown as often. If the show has other forms of breaking presenting class structure, like Mean Girls' Regina George, the show portrays people as the antagonists. However, Anastasia shows the patriarchal system and widespread belief of some above others as the real enemy. In many plays and movies, Anastasia's plot would write Gleb, the loyal Soviet military man, as the easy antagonist. Yet, this version's creators decided to direct the audience's attention toward another, the system of hate bred in government. Gleb has been granted much power in the Soviet government, and nevertheless, he doubts the morals behind it. His dilemma of trying to choose whether to kill Anya is immediate and carries through all of his thoughts. Gleb loves Russia and believes burying the past is what is best for its citizens, but he recognizes Anya as human. During the song "Quartet at the Ballet," Gleb sings in reference to Anya, "She's near at hand, yet here I stand. My heart and mind at war." In this play, morals are the friend; hate is the only real enemy.
Fighting against class structure is not the only way Anastasia breaks society's unspoken rules. Gender roles are almost nonexistent in the central trio of characters. The only example of such roles can be seen in Demitri. He is a strong male lead who has grown up having to fight for himself. While this is a background often seen in male roles, the way Demitri handles himself contradicts many everyday perceptions of men. In "Everything to Win," Demitri sings about his insecurities for the future. He knows he may never see Anya again and is glad she will be with her family, but Demitri reveals how much he wishes to stay by her side. He fell in love with her powerful, stubborn, and hotheaded nature. These aspects of Anya also help demonstrate how the creators of Anastasia broke traditional gender roles.
Vlad is the last member of the iconic trio and is also not how many would imagine the pinnacle of man. He is quite a diva and loves to get attention. In the song "The Press Conference," Vlad pushes Lily out of the way to speak with the paparazzi. He even spells his name out letter by letter to make sure the press can write about him. He is a knowledgeable character and made his way in the world by using his mind and socializing with the royals. The cautious one in the trio, Vlad, is older and not as athletically capable as Demitri, thus hindering him from being a toxically masculine character.
Modern media distorts reality and pits characters against each other. Thankfully Broadway’s Anastasia does not fall to such habits. Revolution is not just portrayed in the Russian history of the play, but also in the message of the production, woven into the fabric of the production. Class and gender norms were defied in lines, actions, and lyrics.
