High School Musical

Glee
Star World,Friday and Saturday,10 pm
Who is a Gleek? Do you sing in the shower,holding your shampoo bottle like a mic and pretending that the sound of water hitting the tiled floor is the sound of applause? Do you want to leap out of your seat and sing and dance,every time someone’s mobile phone plays a catchy tune? Are you looking for happiness through living your dreams and performing for an adoring audience? Then you’re most certainly a Gleek. Just like the characters on Star World’s latest show,Glee,all of whom have a burning passion to perform,whether it is the optimistic and super-confident Rachel Berry who is so sure that she is the star of her own Broadway show. Or whether it’s Will Schuester,the Spanish teacher at the William McKinley High School,who sees a way out of his humdrum life by taking over the school’s languishing Glee club. Or the hunky Finn Hudson,who realizes that to live your dream is not to be a loser.

So what is a Glee club? A Glee Club is a show choir— singing and dancing to an elaborately choreographed chart-topper or show tune. The challenge is in adapting every genre,from disco to hip-hop for an old-fashioned song-and-dance stage show. Of course,on the show,it’s really just an excuse for having long,but fun,song sequences,without having them look like they’ve been tacked on. Apart from the actual stage shows (all sung by the show’s stars,who’ve had musical experiences),there are carefully inserted rehearsal scenes,which reflect the overall mood of a particular scene. For instance,after a heartbreak,we hear Rachel rehearsing Rihanna’s sad ballad,Take a bow. In another scene,Schuester is forced to resign from his low-paying position,so that he can take up a better paying job as an accountant to support his family. He has a change of heart after he hears the club rehearsing Journey’s don’t stop believing.

Who are these ‘Glee-ful’ performers? Matthew Morrison is the heart and inspiration of the Glee club as Schuester. The young club members include Lea Michele as Rachel and Cory Monteith as Finn. There are,of course,those who’re not particularly gleeful about the show choir. The leader of the opposition is a wonderful Jane Lynch,personifying pure evil as Sue Sylverster,the demanding coach of the school’s cheerleading squad,Cheerios. Her chief minion is played by Dianna Agron as Quinn Fabray,head cheerleader and president of the Chastity Club,whose mission in life is to wrest her boyfriend Finn from the hopeful clutches of Rachel.

Verdict:
There are many reasons you should watch Glee. The first and most obvious reason is the music,which has been specially selected to appeal across the board to everyone,whether they like Kanye West or Madonna. And the choreography is very visually appealing—the first episode features a beautifully put together rendition of Amy Winehouse’s Rehab,which is sure to get you tapping your feet. Another,and possibly more important reason to watch the show,is that for the first time,the social divisions and relationships in a typical American high school are explored in a real way. There’s none of the over-sexualized content of 90210,nor the unbelievable conspiracies of Gossip Girl. The characters are highly relatable whether they’re struggling to fit in,like the wheel-chair ridden Artie Abrams or are just looking for a little love,like the obsessive-compulsive school counsellor,Emma Pillsbury.