[On Stage] Why Do Mimi and Roger Look for Medicine Instead of a Key?

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The musical 'Rent' is a modern reinterpretation of Giacomo Puccini's opera 'La Boh?me.'

The two works premiered exactly 100 years apart. 'La Boh?me' premiered in Italy in 1896, and 'Rent' premiered in the United States in 1996. What story did Jonathan Larson, the creator of Rent, want to tell at the end of the 20th century by borrowing a work from the late 19th century?

◆ The Meeting of Mimi and Roger (Rodolfo) = The scene where Mimi meets Roger in Rent is interesting. It seems to be the scene where Larson most actively borrowed from La Boh?me.

In Rent, Mimi comes to Roger's room holding an extinguished candle to get a light. The two show mutual affection. In La Boh?me, Mimi also comes to the poor poet Rodolfo's room to get a light, and they fall in love at first sight.

The crucial difference is that Mimi drops a bag of drugs in Roger's room. In La Boh?me, the item Mimi drops in Rodolfo's room is her room key. Rodolfo and Mimi search for Mimi's room key in the dark. While groping the floor, their hands touch. At this moment, Rodolfo sings the famous aria "Your Cold Hand." Rodolfo introduces himself to Mimi while singing "Your Cold Hand," saying he writes poetry, has no money, but is rich in spirit. Mimi responds with the aria "My Name is Mimi," singing that she is an embroiderer, her real name is Lucia, but people just call her Mimi for reasons unknown. The reason why she is called Mimi is never revealed in La Boh?me, but perhaps because of this aria, Larson is the only one in Rent who keeps Mimi's original name.

The drugs Mimi drops in Rent symbolize addiction. All the characters in Rent are addicted to something. The main characters include drug addicts like Mimi or homosexuals addicted to love and sex. The only character who pursues a different kind of addiction is Benny. Benny is addicted to money. He is rejected by all other characters. Mimi dropping drugs to deepen her feelings with Roger might reflect Larson's aversion to money or wealth symbolized by house keys. Or it might imply that owning a home is difficult for the characters in Rent anyway.

Musical 'Rent' performance scene. Jang Ji-hoo as Roger (left) and Kim Soo-ha as Mimi
Photo by Shinsicompany

◆ 'Rent' in Economics = The title 'Rent' is an important term in economics. In the 18th century, when economics emerged, rent simply meant land rent, or 'jidae (地代)' in Korean. It referred to unearned income obtained by owning land. Over time, the implications of rent became more complex. Today, it also refers to actions that hinder fair competition through monopoly or exploitation. 'Rent seeking' is considered something to be eliminated.

In Rent, the landlord Benny charging excessive rent to tenant Roger to make a profit can be seen as a form of rent-seeking in a broad sense. Moreover, Benny did not acquire the building through his own effort but by marrying a wealthy family's daughter. He exploits Roger with unearned income from the building.

If rent-seeking occurs under fair competition, it can be a driving force for economic development. However, Benny's behavior in Rent appears close to exploitation. At the beginning of the play, Roger and his roommate Mark sing the number "Rent," shouting, "I can't pay, I can't pay, how can I pay the rent?" Roger and Mark declare they will not pay last year's rent, this year's rent, or next year's rent.

The street performance by Maureen, a performance artist in the play, singing the number "Over The Moon," is also a metaphor criticizing rent-seeking. During Maureen's performance, there is a story about a dairy cow that can no longer be milked, implying someone monopolizes the cow and controls milk production.

Musical 'Rent' performance scene. Maureen role Min Kyung-ah
Photo by Shinsicompany

◆ Poor Artists of East Village = The setting of Rent is the East Village in the 1980s. The East Village has been consistently featured in exhibitions. Early last year was a highlight. The Seoul Museum of Art's 'East Village New York,' Lotte Museum's 'Kenny Scharf, Super Pop Universe,' Dongdaemun Design Plaza's 'Keith Haring: Dreaming Art for Everyone,' and Seoul Forest Art Center's 'Streets of Rebellion: New York' exhibitions all had New York's East Village as their backdrop. The upcoming exhibition 'Jean-Michel Basquiat: Streets, Heroes, Art,' opening on October 8 at Lotte Museum, also centers on the East Village. Basquiat is an artist representing the East Village alongside Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf.

The artists of the East Village expressed considerable hostility toward President Ronald Reagan (in office 1981?1989). The Reagan administration advocated neoliberalism and relaxed various regulations. The deregulation led to a real estate development boom in New York, pushing poor people who could not afford the rising rents further to the outskirts. The poor artists displaced to the outskirts, like the protagonists of Rent, blossomed artistically in demolished buildings without electricity in the East Village.

Keith Haring created a collage titled "Reagan Killed by Police Hero" in 1980, which was exhibited last year at the Seoul Museum of Art's 'East Village New York.' The subtitle of that exhibition was "Vulnerable and Extreme," likely referring to the radical art presented by economically vulnerable poor artists in New York. Larson also created a wild show full of eccentric characters using provocative themes and intense rock music.

Watching Rent, the lyrics "I have no money but my heart is rich" from Rodolfo's aria "Your Cold Hand" in La Boh?me somehow feel hollow. Perhaps that is why the protagonists of Rent calculate a year as 525,600 minutes and shout their love so passionately.

Musical 'Rent' performance scene
Photo by Shinsicompany

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.