The Who’s “Tommy” is a British Rock Opera created by Pete Townshend and The Who’s. Originally created in 1969 as a concept album it was later made into an odd experimental film in 1975 with Pete Townshend portraying the “deaf dumb and blind boy” title character Tommy with a star-studded cast including but not limited to Elton John, Tina Turner, and Jack Nicholson among many others. The version of “Pinball Wizard” that came from this iteration was a major hit.
24 years after the concept album had originally been released Pete Townshend and director Des McAnuff came together to bring the psychedelic album and film to the stage. The track list stayed faithful to the previous 2 incarnations with the addition of one new song “I Believe My Own Eyes” made to express the straining feelings of Tommy’s parents as they reach the end of their ropes. The original production won 5 Tony awards for the 1993 season and closed in 1995.
Modern sensation
Now, 31 years later, “Tommy” has finally returned to the great white way with reinvented visuals and fully utilized lights and effects. Returning to this project was of course the creator Pete Townshend and the original director for the 93 musical McAnuff. They made a show that stayed true to the original message and ideals of the play while modernizing its visuals and choreography.
“Tommy” is Ali Louis Bourzgui’s Broadway debut and the first time he’s ever performed in New York. The story of the musical is one very personal to Townshend as he’s expressed many times in the past.
The show is electric in its pace. With a runtime of 2 hours and 10 minutes with one intermission, the cast is nonstop. Being a rock opera there is practically no spoken dialogue. Everything is constantly moving forward and progressing the plot through purely songs and choreography. Lorin Latarro’s choreography matched with David Korin’s inventive set design creates a spectacle currently unmatched on the great white way. You don’t spend a second feeling like something is dragging on.
With the brand-new set design, cast, choreography, and soundtrack. Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff recaptured what they had accomplished in 1993. But elevate it into a moving experience of a performance. the praise for this show is not exclusively from me. It’s been nominated as best revival for a musical for the Tony Awards.
