This past Wednesday we went to Arts West, a small theatre in our neighborhood, and saw a musical drama called "Thrill Me, the Leopold and Loeb Story." It's a chilling story based on a real event that was later referred to as "the crime of the century" in the US.
There were only two actors, one played Leopold and another Loeb. The story was told, or rather sang, from Leopold's point of view. The monologues and dialogues reflect the director's imagination and ingenuity, especcially the claim that Leopold intentionaly left his glasses at the crime scene. What exactly was the two young men's thought process behind the killing of a young boy of 14? No one can know for sure. The distrubing fact is that they killed a yougn boy, actually a distant cousin of Loeb, for no apparent reason.
Supposedly, they intended to commit a "perfect crime" to prove that they are "supermen," men of superior intelligence and wisdom. The theory goes that they took that idea from Nietzsche, who wrote about the so-called "Ubermensch," or "superman." These two young men, wealthy and well-fed, misinterpreted Nietzsche's thinking. They sought to prove their ability to live beyond the laws of right and wrong, and rise above the general society, as long as they can "outsmart" the world, thus ensuring their existence as super-being "transcending" above the realms of social norms and morality.
Their heinous crime was committed in 1924 right around when Hitler became fascinated with Nietzsche's thougts, and started dreaming about an empire of a "master race" ruling over other "inferior" races. I'm no expert in Nietzsche. What's clear is that we've learnt, or observed firsthandedly, how some people, especially power-hungry politicians, can use popular philosophers' words, but interprete them in a way that fulfills their own agenda.
There were only two actors, one played Leopold and another Loeb. The story was told, or rather sang, from Leopold's point of view. The monologues and dialogues reflect the director's imagination and ingenuity, especcially the claim that Leopold intentionaly left his glasses at the crime scene. What exactly was the two young men's thought process behind the killing of a young boy of 14? No one can know for sure. The distrubing fact is that they killed a yougn boy, actually a distant cousin of Loeb, for no apparent reason.
Supposedly, they intended to commit a "perfect crime" to prove that they are "supermen," men of superior intelligence and wisdom. The theory goes that they took that idea from Nietzsche, who wrote about the so-called "Ubermensch," or "superman." These two young men, wealthy and well-fed, misinterpreted Nietzsche's thinking. They sought to prove their ability to live beyond the laws of right and wrong, and rise above the general society, as long as they can "outsmart" the world, thus ensuring their existence as super-being "transcending" above the realms of social norms and morality.
Their heinous crime was committed in 1924 right around when Hitler became fascinated with Nietzsche's thougts, and started dreaming about an empire of a "master race" ruling over other "inferior" races. I'm no expert in Nietzsche. What's clear is that we've learnt, or observed firsthandedly, how some people, especially power-hungry politicians, can use popular philosophers' words, but interprete them in a way that fulfills their own agenda.
Intertwined with the super-man idea was the sexual tension between these two young men. It seems that Loeb was the one who was more into the "super-man" idea and seeking for thrills through crimes; Loepold got dragged into the crimes only in exchange for sex and affections from Loeb. Would Loeb be able to committ the murder on his own, by himself?
On a personal level, this musical drama warns the audience how difficult it is to raise kids, protect them from societal and familial malady, and prepare them for the unknown future in a country where the media is so fond of feeding fear to the genearl public.
On a personal level, this musical drama warns the audience how difficult it is to raise kids, protect them from societal and familial malady, and prepare them for the unknown future in a country where the media is so fond of feeding fear to the genearl public.
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