1969. The Who release their seminal album ‘Tommy’, a ‘rock
opera’ concept album concerning the titular “deaf dumb and blind kid” who we
all know from Pinball Wizard. It was
a breakthrough hit for the band - only furthered by their performance at
Woodstock the same year – that paved the way for future rock bands with its
harder sound, and broke away from the pop norm established by the Beatles. Its
legacy has proven to be hugely influential.
Cut to present day and an early 90s Broadway musical based
on the album is being revived in London twenty years after it was first seen here,
forty years after the film also based on the album was released, and fifty years
since The Who were established. But does it really evoke the spirit of the band
and of the album?
The Who first blasted onto the pop scene with the rebellious
My Generation, but the only act of
rebellion here is the disregard for storytelling. The show follows the same
(loose) ‘plot’ as the concept album, using the same songs in mostly the same
order (with plenty of repetitive reprises). It follows the life of the
eponymous pinball wizard: traumatised into a state of psychosomatic catatonia
after witnessing a family murder, molested by his uncle, and bullied by his
cousin, Tommy discovers a talent for playing pinball. Soon he finds fame which
evolves into a bizarre cult. It’s understandable that in album form this story
would be told in an abstract manner, but theatre audiences expect more. Here,
the plot is hinted at through strange lyrics, stunted dialogue, elaborate dance
routines and (of course) music, but it’s mostly left for the audience to
decipher any form of meaning or feeling towards the characters – if indeed
there is any at all.
One of the major criticisms of the album is that whilst the
songs may work individually, the overall narrative arc doesn’t always flow. The same
can be said here. Translating the plot from one artform to another requires
more than has been offered here – the story deserves to be fleshed out and
visual spectacle would provide aesthetic interest beyond the barebones staging,
simple lighting and white-washed costumes. Equally, the abstract storytelling
proves more enticing than a standard jukebox musical, it’s just underdeveloped.
Settle into the groove of the show, though, and there are
some intriguing individual numbers. That’s largely down to the talented cast
who perform with the high energy and strong vocals the music demands. It’s
certainly better suited to male voices than female, but the impressively
piercing tenors of Ashley Birchall (Tommy), Giovanni Spano (Cousin Kevin) and
Danny Becker (ensemble) in particular more than fit the bill. The choreography
is sometimes frantic but always exciting.
The cast are let down by the band, however. The Who are
known for the high volume and distorted guitars that since became standard
practice for rock bands, with guitarist Pete Townshend and drummer Keith Moon
regularly smashing their instruments. Here the on-stage band sound far too
polite. Sure, they aren’t meant to distract from the performers, but the music
fails to live up to the band, lacking flair and bite. Watching the guitarist
mime smashing his guitar at the very end post-bows sums up the show – this is
The Who, but not as we know them.
3/5
Watch: Tommy runs
at the Greenwich Theatre until 23rd August.
Photos: Claire Bilyard