This new production of Jonathan Larson’s multi-award-winning rock musical Rent opened to a standing ovation at Brisbane’s QPAC Playhouse, a solid kick-off for a national tour including seasons in Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, and Canberra.

Performed with high energy and emotion by an outstanding cast, Rent reminds us to live and love for today. Swirling with righteous anger, youthful rebellion and powerful tenderness, this production is directed by Shaun Rennie, with musical direction by Andrew Worboys and choreography by Luca Dinardo.

Noah Mullins and Jerrod Smith in Rent. Photo @ Pia Johnson

Loosely based on Puccini’s La Bohème, which was in turn based on the 1851 novel Scenes of Bohemian Life by Henri Murger, Rent follows a group of impoverished young artists in New York City’s East Village. It’s 1991 and Mark (played by Noah Mullins) is an emerging documentary filmmaker, rooming with musician and former heroin addict Roger (Jerrod Smith), who has barely left the house since the suicide of his girlfriend and discovering he has HIV.

In their orbit are their neighbour Mimi (Martha Berhane), philosophy professor Collins (Nick Afoa), drag queen Angel (Carl De Villa), former-housemate-turned-landlord Benny (Tana Laga’aia), Mark’s...