I hated THE WHO'S TOMMY on Broadway | ★★ review of the 2023 musical theatre revival

[@oliviahamilton8654]

Thank you for shouting out the pit orchestra! Reviewers seldom do this for musicals and it is so sad. We are actively co-creating and storytelling with the actors and it is great to see a review recognize that participation and contribution

[@nickkostopoulos8127]

Tommy” is my favorite album of all time, specifically because as a 13 year old boy with Cerebral Palsy, I deeply related to its story of a young man struggling against the limits of his own body, desperately seeking real human connection...and, let’s be honest, the fairy tale cure and rise to megalomaniacal celebrity really appeals to an angsty, hormonal teenage boy. 😂 The reality is though, approached first on the original record, the broad strokes allow the listener to project their own yearnings onto the story in a way that, in my opinion, Townshend and McAnuff’s revised book doesn’t permit. The original 1969 record is a fairy tale about the effects of postwar trauma & specifically the denial of the effects of its violence (the murder of the Lover, and Tommy's parents insisting "You didn't see it, hear it...”), and it is by turns psychedelic and gauzy; you hear Tommy’s abuses and trials described lyrically, and the distancing allows you to remain safe (or, in my case, to relate to Tommy, not as a literal victim of abuse, but as someone who feels a great deal of sympathy for how the world is stacked against those who are disabled...) I've never seen the show, but as an amateur "Tommy" scholar, I have serious reservations with how the book tries to change the tone into a more realist drama. In my opinion, the vague definition of the album, and the sheer over-the-top-ness of the 1975 film allow the story to maintain its fable quality,.

[@erikabojarczuk5758]

This is really interesting to me. I have also not seen the modern versions, just the movie, but I think I agree, the over-the-top-ness of it all is what lead me to have positive takeaways. I actually think the film taught me a lot at the time. I feel like the psychedelic fever dream of it all points the viewer/listener to an understanding of how absurd the way society views and treats disability is. I haven’t watched the film in a while, or through my current lens of disability inclusion work, so I am sure there are more issues with it than I recall, but from my memories, that is what stuck out to me.

[@nickkostopoulos8127]

@@erikabojarczuk5758 Having rewatched the film just last month, I am surprised by the number of negative reactions I find on the internet now. Maybe from a more enlightened perspective, it seems terribly excessive…but I still think it’s the only adaptation which actually tried to honor the concept album’s impulses: it knows that absurd, crazy, upsetting things happen all the time in fairy tales.

[@drkatel]

@nickkostopoulos8127 I appreciate hearing your take on this. Interesting & well said.

[@leahjennings9181]

Fun fact: pinball wizard wasn’t originally on the album! Pete Townsend was going to have Tommy be a musician, but his friend who was a critic thought that was overdone. The critic was a pinball fan, so Townsend wrote Pinball wizard to appease him. I think he wrote it in one night!

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

I’m pretty sure that the second the idea of Tommy being a musician who became a cult leader was scrapped for him being a pinball wizard, Roger Waters felt a shiver of inspiration run down his spine

[@tassysings]

Greatly appreciate and value the honesty on your thoughts and I truly think the question of "what did they see that I didn't" can be best summed up in those two words - "rock opera". There is simply no category for this animal on Broadway and so it's shoehorned into what we generally call "a musical" and, as a result, we have no other choice but to assess it as such. Generally, the expectation is that characters will be - at least - reasonably developed, relationships will be extensively explored, and storylines would be elegantly transitioned between scenes with songs complementing the emotion and physical journey to an end. With you having no previous experience with this work, my assumption from listening above is that this expectation here was clearly anticipated and as it normally would and should. Tommy, on the other hand as you now know, has 8 spoken lines in the entire show. Character depths are veneer and are almost suggestion - asking the audience to infer the rest. It moves at a break net pace, where a single moment can convey an entire thought and can easily be missed (for example the parents are married immediately after they meet and dance and Tommy's father sees him fly because the Acid Queen blows dust (drugs) in his eyes a moment or two before). Scene transitions can be very choppy and sensitive content is brazenly presented (the Acid queen is sold to Tommy’s dad as a “healer”, not a prostitute - although this number is a metaphor for one turning to sex, drugs and rock and roll to escape). All this to relay a two hour story entirely through song and movement. So from one who has now seen this show over 10 times (full disclosure my daughter is in the ensemble and has been since the Chicago run), there's a brilliance here in it’s true self and design.

[@fabiobaldaccini1427]

Brava, brava!!!! This right here. This articulates how I feel about this show. Well said.

[@edwardryan1107]

why don’t you feel that this is how children and people were treated and acted in the 1940’s through the 60’s! Children were institutionalized when they had downs. You might take some psychedelics and open your mind to the art of metaphor and if you had a disability and this is how it was dealt with. oh forget it

[@edwardryan1107]

this is the dumbest review ever. nothing ever bothers me, but you are really showing your immaturity and age and lack of imagination

[@edwardryan1107]

this is the dumbest review ever. nothing ever bothers me, but you are really showing your immaturity and age and lack of imagination this is not a jutebox musical jeez the whole was British dumbass

[@robynlevinson1756]

The parents are married, the montage in the beginning shows them getting married. It’s more obvious in the original production where she’s wearing a wedding dress. I saw the original production when I was a kid and fell in love with it. Interestingly enough, there’s only one original song in the stage show - I Believe My Own Eyes - which many consider the weakest song in the show. I don’t know, I quite liked it. In the movie, The Acid Queen was pumping Tommy full of LSD. Of course, by that point in the movie, he’s Roger Daltry. I personally think it made more sense to keep Tommy completely in white until his mental block breaks because it shows that he’s a ghost, he’s pure, he’s not of the world. And then in the end, he loses his jacket and there’s a fear that he’s going back to his former being, but he’s not. He reaches out to his family and they keep him from turning in. And remember, Tommy isn’t “deaf, dumb and blind” it’s as the doctor says, it’s all in his head. He witnessed a horrible trauma that his parents try to convince him never happened so he’s turned into himself and is practically catatonic and the mirror represents that trauma so when it’s broken, the block is broken too.

[@robynlevinson1756]

Also, it’s important to know that this show was written as a catharsis for Pete Townsend to deal with the abuse he suffered as a child from family members. That’s the point of the Uncle Ernie and Cousin Kevin characters, although interestingly enough, he didn’t write those songs because it was too triggering for him. The show is about trauma and how people deal. I mean, look at the beginning, when Ernie was this pretty good guy who became a drunk and a creep because he was told his brother died. Not excusing him of course, just mentioning it.

[@emmaweiks]

I consider myself a very woke gen-Z person who had never heard of Tommy before I saw the show and was unfamiliar with the Who before I saw it and loved it. My friend who is the same also loved it. I think there is value more than nostalgia. As to what there is to get out of the show, personally I found Smash the Mirror very cathartic. It is about letting go of the trauma from your past and choosing to return to yourself. As someone with childhood trauma, this was very moving to me. I think where people get lost is they think this story is a metaphor for disability and it’s not and never claimed to be. Tommy is actually about trauma and how it paralyzes us and how to overcome that. His behavior is a trauma response. What he is depicting are signs of trauma similar to hysteria. He’s not actually “deaf, dumb and blind.” I also think it’s important to add context to the point that calling him “deaf, dumb and blind” is insensitive, however probably similar to how people in the time period the show is set in spoke, and he is called that by people who take advantage of him. Is it necessary to have a disclaimer of “bad people say mean things?” or should we trust people to figure that out themselves? I think a lot of the confusion comes from the show’s ambiguity and that’s why I have seen a lot of very different takes. But I love ambiguous theater, so I don’t mind it.

[@erikabojarczuk5758]

I think that although at the time it was made, it wasn’t meant to be a story about disability, viewing it in a modern context where long term mental health issues can be considered a disability changes things. I think the question of whether this is a disability story or not is a valid one and I think yes and no are both correct answers. I actually feel like the story accidentally does a good job of illustrating the social model of viewing disability which say that disability is the social consequence of having a functional limitation. It puts the emphasis on society to fix disability rather than on the individual with the functional limitation. There are messages in this story whether intentional or not about the dangers of trying to “fix” someone’s disability, as well as the absurdity of “inspiration porn”. It depends on what lens you are looking at it through. I can see how a production of this show could make powerful statements about this if it wanted to. The movie comes close to achieving in a lot of ways even without the intentionality of doing so. It definitely has problematic points when you look at it through the lens of disability, but the material could definitely allow a lot of that to be fixed if certain choices were made.

[@caroles5502]

Thank you. You make really good points.

[@megwestfox2481]

Look, I love Tommy, but your plot recap had me ROTFL because you are completely not wrong.

[@foreignparticle1320]

I just saw this on Broadway too, and like you I went in knowing very little about the show. I wasn't familiar with any of the music, nor had I read the synopsis - I only knew that it was based on a 1960s concept album by The Who that had something to do with pinball. I found the whole thing utterly sublime! By the time the last sequence blasted through the speakers I was experiencing some kind of visceral ecstasy. I've never been on my feet so fast to give a standing ovation; I nearly wanted to burst. Every aspect of the show was compelling to me, including the story. I'm not woke, so I don't frame everything I see in pre-prescribed terms of "acceptable" vs. "problematic". I saw Tommy's parent's make decisions (rightly or wrongly) that resulted in his trauma. I saw his uncle and cousin exacerbate his trauma, but then the latter unwittingly unlocking the key to Tommy's creative fulfillment. I saw Tommy's mum smash the mirror in anger, which inadvertently stopped Tommy from continuing to close-focus on himself and instead start looking outwards at what he could contribute to the world. I saw him scale the heights of fame and adoration; I saw the once-charitable public turn on him in a second. I saw him yearn for the simplicity of home. I think the lyrics of that final song sum the whole thing up (as far as I read it) beautifully: Listening to you, I get the music Gazing at you, I get the heat Following you, I climb the mountain I get excitement at your feet Right behind you, I see the millions On you, I see the glory From you, I get opinions From you, I get the story It's all very spiritual, cosmic, abstract, and symbolic. But somehow in the context of the show's presentation everything just makes sense... to me anyway. So much I could relate to. The music was also terrific - a perfect vehicle for the story and incredible staging. And I totally agree with your praise of Ali's performance. I'm SO glad I got to see this show, and I hope I get to do so again. (I also live a long way from NYC... so maybe on tour, or a transfer...?!)

[@dawdlerific7071]

A lot of others have already said, but you should consider watching the movie. I'm not sure that it will actually give context to story, because the story is basically just a bunch of stuff that happens, but it does give you a better idea of the timeline and the Who's vision of the story. Also, Tina Turner's twitching face at the end of Acid Queen lives rent free in my head to this day

[@allisonbergh4429]

Hardly a day goes by that I don’t think about Ann-Margaret’s tv and champagne breakdown 😂

[@msmacavoy7764]

I think you're a great reviewer and extremely knowledgeable of material coined many decades before you were so I'm going to cut you some slack here. The Who's "Tommy" is one of the greatest rock concept albums of all time. The 1990s stage revival was outstanding. Roger Daltrey's solo tour of the album in 2011 had me in tears. However the crowning jewel is British director Ken Russell's film version from 1975 and I would strongly urge you to watch that (the current revival of Cabaret under Rebecca Frecknall is strikingly similar to much of Russell's work). I've looked at some online clips here of this new version and I suspect what you've seen is a Glee-ified version to meet today's mannerisms.

[@tatianahochrein1858]

I had no expectations. I am obsessed with this show. Saw it two weeks ago front row. The set, the story, the dancing the music. It was amazing. Second act was confusing though but overall the energy dance acting and music exceeded expectation.

[@jamesperies7446]

Tommy's parents are married. At least, in the original Broadway/West End staging their marriage is included in the (brilliant) direction establishing the story that whips us through the action wordlessly to the 'Overture'. In the West End we saw a figure working in munitions using a metal cutting machine with sparks flying (for real), they take off the visor and blonde hair spills out - it's the woman who'll be Tommy's mother. She meets Captain Walker, there's a NAAFI style dance, then the marriage (we hear the pastor "the union of man and wife....and for the procreation of children"). Not surprised you were surprised later that she's only 21, and four years have passed. This is due to an awkward wrestling with the song from the original 1969 concept album. The song is called '1921' and the year is 1921. For the original staging (Broadway/West End) it made more sense for the show to start at the end of the 2nd World War instead, as then the subsequent years take us into the era of rock'n'roll - meaning the music fits. So it was changed to '21' being Mrs Walker's birthday, and the lyric tweaked to "now you're 21 you're ready for a new year" and Tommy speaking (for perhaps the only time before he is silenced by shock at the shooting), saying "happy birthday mum". There's no doubt the original production was often lurid, and Tommy pushed (by shock) into a sort of catatonic autism isn't subtle and could offend (perhaps why Townshend has never firmly named what Tommy's ailment is, but that generalism may just seem uncommitted to a serious depiction of disability). It's the parents' repeated warning/haranguing about what he witnessed that robs him of these senses: "You didn't hear it, you didn't see it, you won't say nothing to noone ever in your life, you never heard it, how absurd it'll seem without any proof" then he's subjected to standing in court to prove he heard and saw nothing, so can't say anything. However, I was moved by the depiction of the parents, their terrible mistakes, effect on their child, and yes including their often ugly battle to 'make him normal'. I've heard the Broadway revival is even more high octane, so I wonder if that's taken away some of the humanity (flawed) that I did get from the original. Have a look at Kim Wilde and Paul Keating in the original West End cast. She comes in horribly off the beat at one point, but everything else about it feels rather good and real to me. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGWlfmaiotKkbJo

[@toddjfeldman]

Another great review Mickey Joe. I liked "Tommy" considerably more than you did (and enjoyed the original production even more), but your comments, as always, were intelligent and thought-provoking. You asked if there's anything important you might have missed and I think there is indeed one thing. Tommy is made unresponsive by his parents repeatedly warning him that "you didn't see it, you didn't hear it, you won't say nothing to no one ever in your life". That's an interesting plot point in its own right, but for me it explains their reasons for wanting to "cure" him. They did this to him. So it's out of guilt, not because their disabled son is a bother to them. For me this makes it somewhat less offensive and ableist. I'd love to know what you think about that. Thanks!!

[@anthonygalvan3750]

agreed with this here. I kinda knew the premise but this is so subjective in how someone interprets the story. I did find myself somewhat lost but now I cant stop listening to the original cast album and I am seeing it all with new eyes. the deaf dumb blind caused by the parents the parents constantly trying to "fix" him and at the end when he is instantly cured which u just have to let go he had all these followers and they wanted him to be their savior and he was like no face your own demons you dont need me

[@user-yq8zb1fx5n]

Just wanted to process what you said before reacting - and please know that I'm not being critical of you or your opinions. As a person who was actually alive when this album 1st appeared and then saw the original production years ago, I feel as though I have some familiarity with its content and intent. First and foremost, I'm not sure why you are taking the plot so literally - Townsend has repeatedly shared how the inspiration for this work was for him to personally address the trauma that he suffered as a young person, leading him to turn to destructive behaviors and eventually the need for fame to squash these negative experiences. And that is what Tommy is about - not a "deaf, dumb and blind kid who plays a mean pinball." It's symbolically about how we deal with trauma as children and he purposely chose some of the most outlandish images to convey this trauma and its aftermath. You, as a true theater person, understand that not all theater is realistic and sometimes the most powerful is the most absurd. Uncle Ernie represented the physical abuse he suffered at the hands of his parents, the Acid Queen his experimentation with sex and drugs - not about a father taking his son to a prostitute to "cure" him. And the end result - that human connection and love are the real cure, simply means that he came to realization that this is how we can be no longer "blind, deaf and dumb" to the world around us. Plus, it's a rock opera, not Shakespeare! And on a final note, as a production it was most definitely inferior to the one I saw 30 years ago but for me, it doesn't diminish the power of the material.

[@arilgato]

I’m good friends with Jeremiah and Haley who you shouted out (yayyy), and had the chance to see the show a couple months ago! I missed the first two minutes of the show because I was running late and was so utterly confused for the rest of the show, it was kinda funny. That being said, when I sat back and realized the show is best when you accept that it’s really just a spectacular rock concert, I had so much fun. I’m typically of a similar mindset to you; that a broadway show should be something with a book you can follow and good music, but the energy in the room that is shared between the performers and the audience at Tommy was able to pull me out of that and just accept that the show wouldn’t make sense no matter how hard I tried to make it make sense, but there were still plenty of things to enjoy. Singing was phenomenal across the board, the choreography and staging were fantastic, and the lighting was awesome. I think the show ON PAPER is bad, but the REVIVAL as it was performed, especially in comparison to its last iteration, was actually very good! I think there is plenty of space for this kind of show on broadway, and I think most audiences are feeling the same, but it’s definitely (and maybe purposefully) quite odd !!!

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

You make a great point, thank you!

[@dylansmith1833]

Why did I think that you would say “Tommy We Have So Much in Common”! 😂

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I am nothing if not predictable 🤣

[@dylansmith1833]

@@MickeyJoTheatre FACTS!

[@blakjaxx]

If you haven't seen it check out the 1975 movie also a musical starring Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed with cameos by Elton John, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and Jack Nicholson... one of my favorite movie musicals

[@AnthonyBoccone]

“It has to be more than about the music.” That’s kind of true, I suppose. But there’s a reason they call these things musicals and not plotsicals. Whether it’s a score by Cole Porter or Sondheim or Miranda, I can forgive a musical just about anything if there are lots of great songs performed by top-notch singers and dancers. I’ve never left a musical humming the plot.

[@mattm8895]

It's ok to be sad that Shucked closed. I'm sad that shucked closed. I went to Tommy. The music was amazing. Unfortunatly I won lottery tickets and the seat was horrible and I didn't see much of anything.

[@JohnFix]

I also won lottery tickets and the sight lines were terrible, we were seats 23 and 25 in left orchestra. No wonder those seats don't sell on the normal market. Definitely a show that benefits from sitting dead center.

[@JNThompson72]

I really enjoy your reviews. Even this one, because I really enjoyed Tommy. It makes sense to me that you were confused. The story is bizarre. That’s the show. It was conceived at a time when everything was a trip. What I kept getting from you during your review is that your displeasure with the show actually came from you wanting the show to be something other than what it was - because you described it and your experience very well. That’s Tommy, though. I was there seeing a bunch of shows at the same time as you and was hoping I would come across you somewhere. Maybe next time!

[@tapdancer4327]

This current production of Tommy is my delusional obsession... all of your critiques are true, and every single criticism I've heard has been perfectly accurate and yet.... I absolutely adored it. it made no sense and I loved every minute.

[@anthonygalvan3750]

I LOVE THIS REVIEW Im now obssessed with the music lol

[@calliemyersbuchanan6458]

I first saw the movie as a young child (probably too young if we're being honest) and watched the crap out of the vhs! I just loved all my mom's generation's trippy 60's/70's/80's musicals (godspell, hair, yellow submarine, etc). So i'll admit it's a guilty pleasure from pure nostalgia for me! Looking through my current lens the narrative is actual garbage but god damn the actual production was impressive! That whole opening sequence choreography had my jaw on the floor! The vocals were amazing! I could listen to her sing that high note "Rise!" on endless loop! The use of the live camera feed was pretty cool! Im shocked you didn't mention the youngest performers though! They were the real mvps for me! As an elementary teacher you have no idea the amount of impulse control those kiddos have! I was sooo impressed with the acting talent and discipline!

[@MichaelLehrman-ht1go]

Read the NYT article about the show and interview with Pete Townsend. The show is not about disability. It's a metaphor and a commentary on the effects WW2 had on Britain's children.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I love when shows come with homework 😅

[@LynnHermione]

Exactly. Tommy's problem is 100% a result of trauma and parental manipulation. It's a metaphor.

[@MidwesternDiva]

How does family sexual abuse (set to music!!) have anything to do with WW2?!

[@amandastumpff5252]

But see, that’s the problem because if it’s not made clear, or it’s not explained, not many people understand. You would have to go read that article or know it from the past or something to get that the whole thing is a metaphor. The thing is, when we do allegories or when we make theater out of a metaphor, you need to be able to understand it on a literal basis, and on a metaphorical basis, like the crucible being a metaphor or an allegory rather for the red scare. You can understand it on two different levels, so if you don’t know the backstory, you get it. That’s where I think this missed the mark

[@elizabethm937]

Okay but. The show has portrayals of disability in it. Whether it’s a metaphor/analogy or not, that does make it in part about disability by nature and the show then has a responsibility to portray disability accurately and respectfully, and this show does everything but. Couldn’t even be bothered to have a single disabled person in the cast or crew.

[@vintagerose2563]

So interesting tid bit, Tommy wasn’t originally a pin ball prodigy in the original work by Pete Townsend, he was written as a rock star, but one of Pete’s friends that he shared the original work with said rockstar had been over done and pin ball was popular at the time so Pete wrote pin ball wizard and the rest is history.

[@alobo9937]

I remember seeing this at the Universal Amphitheater (Los Angeles) with the original National Tour and...it ROCKED! We didn't care much about the story we just rocked out to the singers, orchestra and set. It would be interesting to see it now. 🤪🤘🏽

[@crimsoncrow]

The book is such a burden for this show. The concept album is so singular and sparce with anwsers. Too much "fleshing out" removes the psychedelic nature of the experience. Nothing is literal.

[@AnthonyBoccone]

That's it. It wasn't written to be a slick Broadway-style musical, where all the loose ends are tied up in the second act. Anyone expecting that kind of traditional storytelling is bound to be disappointed.

[@m-b-s-1-8-3-2]

The only production of this show that I’ve seen was a production at my college my freshmen year. In all four years that I attended that college, the college’s production of this was my favorite show they did. I’ve had an attachment to it ever since. But of course, all opinions are valid and theatre is a subjective. However, I will add a few comments (and this is all based on the one college production I saw and how clear they made it), but the story was set in the UK because The Who is a British band. Second, it was clear that Tommy’s mother and father were meant to be married. They get married in the opening montage, which the revival could have easily removed. Third, the importance of the mirror is that it’s what Tommy is looking into when his father kills his mother’s lover, and the trauma of seeing it is what leads to him being disabled. Tommy keeps looking into the mirror and seeing the younger versions of himself and was basically in a dream-like state. Then, after being at her wit’s end and realizing Tommy’s attachment to the mirror, his mother smashes it and Tommy miraculously recovers. Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t parts of this story that are bat-shit crazy, there are, especially the Acid Queen scene (and in the production I saw, the father was horrified by what she intended to do both sexually and with the drugs, and pulled Tommy away before anything could happen), but I think the reason why people love this show so much is because of the nostalgic factor from the concept album, the movie, and the original Broadway production. I knew nothing about it as well before seeing my college’s production, but I also went in having read a basic synopsis of it. I’m still intrigued with seeing this revival just because it’s been six years since I last saw a version of it, but I’m also prepared to not love it as much as I loved it the first time I saw it. Just my two cents.

[@roxysantiago9745]

Tommy is the only musical on my “never again” list. So many things disturbed me that I won’t willingly pay to sit through it again.

[@jadasc]

As an older member of your audience, rest assured that this show was a wreck the first time, too. If you ever listen to the Forbidden Broadway material, their take on the show sums up the common opinion of it.

[@allisonbergh4429]

The whole time I was listening to Mickey Jo, my brain was singing “Des Macanuff went to La Jolla/Broadway, you can lament now!” Also how great would it be to watch Mickey Jo listen to Forbidden Broadway for the first time 😂

[@jadasc]

@@allisonbergh4429 We almost had it. Forbidden Broadway was scheduled to have a Broadway run this summer, but it got postponed.

[@fashionablechangeling1988]

All I know about this production is that it stars Christina Sajous who was in the original cast of American Idiot, another rock opera based on a concept album that is absolutely insane and I absolutely love

[@amychappo3897]

I was 15 when I saw the Tommy medly they performed at the 94 (?) Tony's. I was immediately hooked on the music and the whole style of the show. It transferred from Bwdy to Toronto, where I got to see it. I still consider it one of my top 5 fav musicals. If you want to learn more about it, I would recommend watching "Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who's Tommy" instead of the bonkers movie.

[@allisonbergh4429]

Why not both? The doco is fascinating and informative, and the film is iconically unhinged 😆

[@kathysees4177]

My first experience with this musical was the movie in my late teens and was just as baffled with the insanity. I think that it did click at the end (and this didn’t seem to be a part of what you saw or you would have mentioned it) when Tommy wanted his followers to wear a mask that made them “blind, deaf, and dumb” so they could understand what he went through and be transformed by it. When they didn’t want to experience the world in that state, they rejected him. I feel like it was the people that told him he’s just a regular human as they left him, but not totally sure.

[@GlitterCookie]

I was in a production if Tommy in high school (and yes, we did the whole show not a junior version). At the time the music was really fun to sing and the it felt so edgy and grown up to do a rock musical. As an adult revisiting the plot, I’m stunned anyone thought this was ok 😂

[@mikaelamoody4005]

Commenting as a 33yo deaf/Disfigured/disabled person who has a bunch of issues with this show/the album it came from, but who also loves a lot of the Who's music (seen them live 3 times) and Townshend's obsession with attempted narrative, to the extent that I did one of my final undergrad pieces on the use of narrative in Quadrophenia. I do think Pete should just leave all the rights to Tommy and Quadrophenia to the disability theatre community at large, and I'm only really half-joking. The only staged production of Tommy I've seen live was at the Birmingham REP in 2017, co-produced by Ramps on the Moon, with a fully integrated abled/disabled cast, signing, creative captions, etc. Leaning into disabled actors and creatives taking ownership of it, to me, means that it's laid out in all its stinking, messy glory and offers the best chance to find whatever truth there is within (and one argument, that disabled actors need to be protected from being in a show full of ableist slurs, doesn't hold water for me - it actually means we can explore and confront it on our own terms). The only minus from that 2017 production that I remember was casting the Acid Queen as a drag role, which in the context kind of just made that part even worse. I've spent a lot of time thinking (and listening, and watching, and reading, and writing) about this!

[@callalily3994]

I have similar feelings about The Secret Garden. It has what I'd say is some of the most beautiful music ever written for musical theatre, and I can see a lot of potential ways to approach it from a disability-focused lens, but nearly every production has tried to gloss over those part (or edit them out entirely) rather than confronting them.

[@davewaring73]

I was at this performance too. Very good version. Interesting interpretation. It didn't all work for me. But for this show to last, it does need some revisions.

[@davewaring73]

I was also very glad that this version didn't do uncle Ernie for laughs

[@yankee04]

I enjoyed it. It was very good, and the music was excellent as expected. I liked the approach of using Tommy at different ages. Impressive lighting and choreography. I am pretty sure Tommy’s parents are married. Ali was outstanding. Can’t wait to see what he does next. I think when the music was written, it was a different time and the current revival didn’t choose to update to address today’s sensitivities.

[@erikabojarczuk5758]

I was young when I saw the movie living in a house with a parent with disabilities (using person first language here out of respect for my mom who never saw reclaimed the word disabled for her self) and as someone with mental health issues. I actually think it was profoundly impactful to me. I have never seen the it onstage so I can’t speak to the modern book and interpretation, but the movie was really something. The movie is so messed up and disturbing, that it was probably my first introduction to how problematic societal views of disability are. Maybe my personal memories are clouding my judgement but I actually think back on it as really profound satire on disability narratives in society. That may not be intentional, but it is how it stuck with me. To this day, I think it is something that has contributed to my understanding of disability, societal barriers, and stigma. I am currently working in the disability inclusion space and I genuinely think the lessons I learned from this film are something that helped me to lay the groundwork to see problems with disability representation in the media clearly. There is so much blatantly done that is over the top and messed up, that I learned to see the more subtle versions of these negative attitudes in everyday life. I would definitely watch the film, it is not what i would call enjoyable, but it is facinating. I mean has anyone really lived until they have seen Anne Margret swimming in a pool of baked beans😂. I would be so curious to see your reactions to that in comparison. I now need to go re-watch to see if my memories and current understanding still match up. Edit: I rewatched the movie today. I definitely see the problems with it, but I stand by my initial sentiments. This material could be a profound statement about disability in society if it wanted to be. As a person who has always cared about social justice, I took away positive ideas from a deeply f-ed up and strange piece of cinema. To me that is a glimmer of hope for this piece of art. I think that is what makes art so great, there may be one intentionality behind it, but it is also discursively constructed by the audience viewing it. I think the piece didn’t set out to be a disability story but it became one to a modern audience. That construction is valid, and because it is viewed that way means it could be remade in a way that leans into this and changes the messaging. It would take a lot of work, but it could choose to address ableism head on if it wanted to through creative directorial choices. I genuinely see how this piece could be reimagined in a truly profound way.

[@allisonbergh4429]

Extremely well put! 🤩

[@carlito876]

Not a Tommy aficionado but growing up when it first came out, i thought it was born out of the horror of the vietnam war, and what seemed like an assault on the values of the youth in the states and britain. There were huge social changes happening and i think Tommy reflected the difficulty people had navigating all that the world was throwing at them, There was a great sense of younger people wanting more freedoms and society trying to push back. I am not sure people thought deeply enough about what was being portrayed but rather just felt the emotions of living in a world were they often had no control over what was happening to them(such as being drafted and sent to war)

[@michaeladkins6]

I too saw the 1975 movie with Tina Turner and Elton John singing Pinball Wizard. Nearly, 50 years ago, I had the same reaction. That the music was great and story was baffling. Listening to you read the synopsis of story reminded me of it. I thought they might have changed some on the cringier aspects of it. They havent.

[@antonellamR2D2]

Yes, I rather listen to the album

[@aschmarkl]

I was in college when the album was released so this music is a part of my life. I actually bought a ticket for this yesterday for next week. I’m curious to see how older me relates to this bit of my youth

[@edgarfranceschi8338]

You deserve a special award for being able to summarize the insane plot. Very cool black and white jacket!

[@Shichman]

Just saw it in one of its final performances. The crowd, and I LOVED It. You called the music a guilty pleasure?!?! What?

[@karamichelle129]

My dad saw it in Chicago and raved about it. We went to NYC this spring and this was one of the shows we saw because he had loved it so much he wanted to see it again. He says it’s in the top 2 shows he’s ever seen (and he’s seen a LOT.) I wouldn’t say I disliked it as strongly as you did BUT I share your feelings about the plot and I left the theater being like “what did I just watch?!?” Idk if it’s a nostalgia thing for him or what, but it didn’t move me the way it clearly moved him. (He is a white man in his 60s which seems to be the demographic that loves this show the most.) I definitely think there were elements of the show that were well done, but the plot was so strange and honestly disturbing, and I didn’t quite understand the futuristic thing either, like if it started in WWII how can it end in the future??? The music & lighting & choreo were good though, and it was still an enjoyable night at the theater but definitely not a favorite show for me

[@lorencappelson6475]

He's very attached to the music, of course it would move him more. It would for my father, who is a similar age and demo. It moved me partly bc I thought about how much it would move him!

[@ceciwynne4154]

I saw the show at the Goodman last summer, and even coming from a relatively younger perspective than most of the audience (had no connection whatsoever with the material coming into it), I thoroughly enjoyed my evening. The story is yes, very crazy through the whole thing, but I think that it lends a certain charm. I can agree that the direction of the show was great, you anticipate moments before they happen and come to the correct conclusion, regardless of how wild that conclusion is. I was shocked when the Tony noms came out and it only got Best Revival, which it won’t win with Merrily and Cabaret battling in that category. After seeing the Chicago production, I was hoping to see and lighting and/or sound design nomination, as well as one for Ali as Tommy, who was phenomenal, working well with a somewhat restrictive role, so not seeing any nominations for those categories made me sad, because while it’s not a 5-star show, it deserves recognition for the good that it does give audiences each night. Plus, even with a story that can be hard to follow, the music makes it a fun night at the theatre.

[@sarathompson-hall8027]

I saw Tommy during the original Canada run at the much too young age of 10. I grew up listening to bands like The Who, so I loved the music and to my childish mind, enjoyed the fever dream feeling. Maybe because of my age, I also didn't question the whole mirror curse aspect, because as you said, it felt very much like a Disney princess trope. All this to say, I would probably still generally enjoy the music, but now that I fully understand the meaning of things I didn't then, I would struggle with the story. In terms of the movie, the only thing I remember from it was Tina Turner's Acid Queen.

[@amychappo3897]

I saw the Toronto production in 1994 (ish) with Tyley Ross as Tommy. I absolutely loved it! I think I was 16 at the time? Still remember it fondly 😊

[@sarathompson-hall8027]

@@amychappo3897 that's the same production I saw, so maybe I was 9! Lol

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

I mean like in terms of being an exploration of British postwar trauma, The Wall is definitely the superior rock opera Now I just wanna listen to The Wall again

[@amandastumpff5252]

OK, a few things. After seeing some comments about how they should have cast a disabled person, I 1,000,000% disagree. As someone with a disability, who is confined to a wheelchair and used to do theater, I think casting someone with a disability would actually be insulting. And may be a detriment to that person. Because they are going to have to listen to the terms they are called and how they are treated night after night after night. it was hard enough for the man who played the original Pippin, I can’t remember his name at the moment, to be isolated so much and told to end his life over and over and over each night, he finally started to suffer depression and had to get some help. so, I think it would be very tricky and detrimental and wrong to cast someone with a disability. I think it would be really hard for the other people on stage to also use terms and words that are so unkind nowadays. Also, without the nostalgic fact and kind of the name of the show that so many people know, I don’t feel this musical would ever get produced. It is incredibly dark and problematic and confusing, and it would never get past any previews. Actually, it would never come to Broadway in the first place in my opinion. I’m not saying it’s wrong or bad and I know plenty of people like it, I just , think that off Broadway might be a better fit if that makes sense. And my dad absolutely loved The Who. So I say, just listen to the actual music or the cast album. Someone equated it with Movin’ Out, saying that if that show could be produced with all of Billy Joel‘s music, so could this one. But I just can’t accept that comparison. I saw movin’ out on Broadway, and I saw the national tour and to me, it was phenomenal. And I was able to understand the entire story, even though no words were spoken, just dancing from Twila Tharp. If you like it, that’s awesome. Opinions are opinions, none are right or wrong, and this is just one.

[@emergingmuses]

I like 2 songs from The Who's Tommy but the whole show is a fever dream, especially the film version 😅

[@sunnymartinez331]

Problematic storyline aside, I found a very intriguing neurodiversity perspective in Tommy's character. Going through social therapy myself for several years, I came to understand a neurological condition known as psychosomatic illness, when mental or neurological stress CAN influence the physical body's condition to some degree, a concept that seems to fly over the majority of people's heads. People have trouble believing that the mind can change the body, but it can. I myself have substantial reason to believe that I have some physical qualities that were influenced by my mental development over the years.

[@carolcohen527]

Thank you for this review. I am of "that" generation and I would say seeing the movie damaged me for life. I would NEVER go see it on stage so your review validated my decades-long creep-out.

[@randikaplan5659]

People run out of shows to catch a train. While the subways come countless times an hour, suburban trains run less frequently and sometimes you run out so you don’t have to wait an hour for the next one. I loved this Tommy production. I know the story is insane, but it is not meant to be a documentary on childhood trauma. The story hangs together in its absurdity. The music is great. The performances were excellent. I loved the choreography and staging. Your reaction baffles me. As for accents,the way you felt about these, I felt about the Guys and Dolls accents in London. Despite not agreeing with you, I look forward to hearing your reviews so keep them coming.

[@lorencappelson6475]

I had to catch a train but stayed longer to listen to the outro after curtain call, and to buy some merch for my father!

[@user-kv2tj4du8p]

the production in '94 was excellent. it was clear, strong, amazingly staged, and very exciting. it also introduced most of us to Michael Cerveris, Alice Ripley, Norm Lewis, Jonathan Dokuchitz, Sherrie Rene Scott, Michael McElroy, and it was amazing to see all of them at the start. it sounds like they have watered it down and screwed up what the show is saying. too bad. it was very clear before. thank you for your honest review.

[@ricksagan5890]

When I was a kid and saw the movie, hated it but loved the music. I think I just didn't follow the story. Saw this production a couple times at The Goodman, absolutely loved the show. Rewatched the movie, enjoyed that as well. It is an odd story, but love how Townshend explains the story and how story/songs were developed. I understand your thoughts, I've felt the same about some of the more modern mega shows (Wicked for example).

[@itskatharinequinn]

Tommy was not for me, but it *was* for a lot of the folks in the audience with me. Definitely felt like a you-had-to-be-there situation, but it was a legitimately religious experience for some of the folks in the house with me. And honestly: good for them! And good for Tommy.

[@haiderodes]

Damn. I’ve been a fan of The Who’s Tommy (1992) production since I heard the original cast recording at around age 12 (1996). The character of Tommy always resonated with me and the show, overall, is why I fell in love with theatre even though I wouldn’t see it on stage until its US tour in 2001. After being literally obsessed and wearing out the cast recording 2 disc CD, I discovered the fever dream that was the movie! The movie is even more outlandish than the broadway production tho, but I still like that as well. I mean Tina Turner as Acid Queen, Elton John, Ann-Margaret??? Tommy was always the one role I wish I could play if I was a musical theatre actor.

[@andreagrossman9878]

You seem to have neglected the fact that this is written by The Who, which is really why people go to see it

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Have I neglected that fact or is it in the title of the video? 😅

[@bbcbbc1717]

I have seen around 3 productions of Tommy but missed the original one on Broadway. Hoping to get to see this revival as die hard Who fan and love the Tommy album.

[@jspihlman]

"And at some point we flash forward into the future. There's no clear reason as to why other than just, you know, vibes." 😂

[@Lisapsullivan123]

Felt the same way, and I am the target audience at 58 years old, knew the music, knew the story….. couldn’t wait to get out of there….

[@Marcel_Audubon]

hunny, your days of being anybody's target audience are behind you

[@Lisapsullivan123]

@@Marcel_Audubon that was u kind of you and uncalled for. @MickeyJoTheatre channel has been so much fun for me, please don’t tarnish that with nasty comments. Thanks.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

@@Lisapsullivan123 what's "nasty" about accepting reality?

[@littlelizzyann]

@@Marcel_Audubon May you live long enough to regret what a useless young twerp you once were.

[@morganj426]

y'know, i had been vaguely curious about this show cause my friend loved the album when i was a kid. thank you for reminding me how ableist it is! i think i would've had to walk out! for anyone curious, deafblind people CAN communicate, and in fact, have developed their own language, Protactile. anyway, excited for the rest of your reviews from the new york trip, particularly illinoise!!

[@callalily3994]

That's disappointing. My family had tickets to the original run of Tommy in the nineties, when I was a teenager. As we were walking out of the house, my mom double-checked the tickets and realized that they were actually for the previous night. We weren't able to exchange them, so I never got to see it. (A couple years later, my summer camp was the first non-professional production of it. Looking back, I have no clue who decided that it was an appropriate show for kids ages 9-16 to perform.)

[@callalily3994]

I think that also the cult aspect is very much of its time in the late sixties -- my parents were born in the mid-forties, and I can think of a few of their friends and relatives of a similar age who I know were in cults. Like, when I was a kid and looking at old photos and asking, "Who is this?" there were a few people where the answer would be like, "Oh, that's my friend Judy. I went to high school with her. Then she got a boyfriend, and they joined a cult for a while, and I think they're living in California now." Even as a kid in the eighties, I can remember seeing people trying to hand out books or start conversations on the street, and I was told to watch out for them, because they were recruiting for cults. It's been years since I really saw or heard about anything like that, but there was definitely a lot of motivation to examine the psychology of things like that. I think Godspell and JCS were coming from similar motivations.

[@MarcusMartn]

I’m upset this show didn’t get nominated for lighting, and set design, and other categories, this show is GREAT my only issue is the sound which is very loud

[@samanthahelmstetter5982]

This production revived my love for musical theatre. I was beside myself with enthusiastic joy by the end of Act I - so much so that the women seated next to me asked if I knew someone in the cast. As a disclaimer, I will say that The Who is one of my favorite bands and that I played Mrs. Walker in my high school production. As I told ALL my friends who didn't have the same history with the show but were curious about it: "Manage your expectations." As you said, the show is all the about the Music. The music serves as the lead character, and the characters themselves merely archetypes for a larger fable. The original 1969 album was ahead of its time, and I think it's important for audience members to know a bit of historical context before seeing it. That being said, I think this production masterfully achieved what it set out to do - which was to LEAN IN the "rock opera" of it all. Sure, the story makes little sense, but it's not meant to. As many comments stated before me: the story serves as a fable/cautionary tale/fantasy - an utterly unrealistic romp through the brilliant mind of Pete Townshend (who has mentioned that the creation of Tommy helped him through his own childhood trauma). I've always thought that Tommy demands the audience bear witness and surrender to the madness of the show rather than hold up an analytic magnifying glass. I do, however, agree with your critique of the actors' dialect work. Why not just reset the show in America? Besides a couple of lyrics, there's nothing inherently British about it.

[@CinnamonQuills]

The plot was unfortunately created during an era that I like to think of as "1970s British Film Weirdness" and that is...the plot. Yeah. At least they didn't have the mother being deluged in a sea of chocolate and baked beans or the Pinball Wizard on platform Doc Martens that were several feet high. I think it's clearer in the movie that it's supposed to be just a total psychedelic trip and by putting the same plot beats in a more "realistic" musical they really don't read the same way with just completely 1970s whackadoo drug logic. I liked the original run of the musical back in the day because I watched the movie a lot as a kid (1980s! Let 'em watch anything!) even though it was odd to face down Uncle Ernie when he was just a regular tormented dude in a plaid shirt and khaki pants instead of a seething weirdo caricature, but that's mostly due to the music because yes, Pinball Wizard absolutely slaps.

[@momo-yi9qh]

I worked FOH at the Goodman for this run. It had the worst audiences. They were drunk agressive people who threw insults at the staff. Not a fun time.

[@lorencappelson6475]

oh thats awful. I saw the show last night and the audience was one of the most respectful Ive encountered on Broadway, where audiences are becoming increasingly rude imo. Everyone last night was quiet, which was great bc there are moments of pause and stillness in the show, no dialogue and the music cuts out, and you could hear a pin drop in the theater. Everyone was quiet and respectful, but rly enthusiastic at appropriate moments.

[@1ericamat]

Not surprised that you were lost at the overture. This incarnation is the greatest production rock musical adaptation ever to hit the stage. The music itself is legendary

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Jesus Christ Superstar would like a word 😉

[@elizabethallen3279]

As someone who isn’t old enough to have firsthand nostalgia for the show but has always been peripherally aware of it culturally, I feel like you can’t discount that it’s not just Tommy, but specifically THE WHO’S Tommy. That association is a huge part of its identity, and The Who is a British band. I think that might be why there would be reluctance to set it in America. There may be no reason within the story it wouldn’t work, but in the larger context of where the show exists in the culture it feels like a more significant choice if that makes sense.

[@matejadjedovic]

So they didn't do the bit with the cult worshipping a giant statue of Marilyn Monroe?

[@fs8820]

lol ! No they did not, but that would have been good :)

[@chelsea_withan_a618]

Okay, this is going to sound bad, but I have a major soft spot for Tommy, because I was in a production when I was 10 … lol. (This was approximately 2002) I was one of 4 total kids and had very little understanding of the plot outside of the few vanilla songs we participated in. Every single thing you said is fair - looking back it’s a strangely inappropriate show. But I can’t help but love it because I absolutely loved being involved. If I saw it today and didn’t have the emotional connection to it, I’d probably be horrified. I remember overhearing my mom talking to the guy playing Uncle Ernie and him being really uncomfortable with the role and saying he felt awful after leaving every rehearsal (he was in his early 20s at the time and I didn’t understand why “Fiddle About” referenced). Weird side note - I think it’s super common for Cousin Kevin to look like an adult. Ours was too - we had two children playing the younger Tommys, and Kevin didn’t age the same way (he was the adult version the entire time). It always seemed super weird to me even as a kid.

[@dennisburton4282]

I grew up listening to the Who. I really liked some of their songs. I saw the movie when it came out and hated it. I then saw the Broadway Musical at the St. James right after it had just opened. I hated it too! I agree with everything you are saying. It was just as crazy and impossible to follows or understand as you are saying. I was there during the Tony Awards staying at a hotel right by it. KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN was playing across the street at the Broadhurst. I had seen and loved it the day before. The day after the Tony Awards I ran into a person who was standing in the street between the two theaters screaming how TOMMY was cheated out of the Tony. We got into an argument because I was a big fan of the winner, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN.

[@citywoof]

The score and the songs definitely grow on you if you listen to it more…I love the music in this show!

[@jesekreanne]

I saw Tommy for the first time in a regional Chicago production, knew absolutely nothing about it going in (somehow I didn't even know Pinball Wizard, not sure how I accomplished that), and have never been more confused. I hated it because I genuinely didn't know what was going on. Now I feel like if I'm gonna see anything classified as "rock opera", do some research first. But my fun fact now, is that the production had Sam Pauly playing Sally, not too long before Six happened!

[@josephst.george7841]

Glad to hear your thoughts, I love this album and the movie but I wasn’t gonna spend money on tickets to see this if it wasn’t good and frankly I haven’t heard such great things about it. Probably why it’s closing already. Growing up I had no idea what the story was about or what it was trying to say, now as an adult, I think it’s about the cycle of trauma and how it affects people. I don’t necessarily think the story works that well but I enjoy it nonetheless in the same way that I enjoy rocky horror picture show. I think maybe it could’ve worked better had Tommy become a literal rockstar and not a “pinball wizard” cult leader. The cult leader thing would’ve been more appropriate if they had done that, but again that’s an issue with the material and not with this particular production. The music is really fun and memorable, the story starts off making sense but it loses its way and gets kinda confused trying to mesh two different plots into one that didn’t really end up having much to say. I’d say that even American idiot handles its plot better and there’s way less of a plot to work with. Maybe that’s for the best. The best example of a rock opera having amazing music and actually having a good plot would be the wall by Pink Floyd or even Jesus Christ superstar. Those two work really well, even if they kinda start to drag a little

[@LightningRound1st]

The original Tommy album was so iconic (yes, I'm old enough to remember when it was released. Lol.) The original Broadway show was wonderful. So. I was excited to see this recent revival., I even paid full price for an orchestra seat. I was very disappointed. I didn't connect with this, for me, clunky, aimless revival. I was most disappointed with the staging of the brilliant Pinball Wizard.

[@RobKruss]

I think that seeing the movie might have been some good background for seeing this show. The stage show clarifies the acid dream of a movie in a satisfying way that fulfilled those of us who grew up with this material. Despite this the book is still a mess but is informed by the intentions of Pete Townsend's original concept album. With regards to the story... It's no more cringey than Aspects of Love... but with much better music. 😊

[@gilded_lady]

If a show has required reading/viewing before you see it, its a failed show. IMHO a show should inspire you to check out the original instead :)

[@RobKruss]

@gilded_lady that's a fair observation. My comment goes to the "why" question that Mickey Jo poses. Why did they make these choices? The answer goes back to the DNA of the material. Why was "The Who's Tommy" stage show made? I say that in good part it was to clarify the story that the original story presented in the original concept album and movie. The original audience was people like me, but bridging in new people as well. In its original run, it was wildly successful. 30 years later, as a revival, the "why" question is reframed when you assume an audience ignorant of its history. Maybe this means a new book is required, but the cringe points, from the song lyrics and creepy uncles are inherent in the material, so do you remove them completely and craft something more "woke" that no longer resembles the source? It's not like a jukebox musical where a story is pasted over existing songs. I mean that you could do that... But call it "Pinball Wizard" inspired by Tommy.

[@clowchan]

I want to preface this by saying I am a huge Who fan and of the album so I was really excited to see this revival( as I was too young to see the 93 version LOL) but I left this revival a bit disappointed. A lot of it did not make sense, especially when it came to Uncle Ernie and the pinball wizard( which I feel like should not have been played by cousin Kevin and his friends and should have been his own entity). I can forgive the timeline jumps as this is a concept album/ Rock opera, but it felt really disjointed. I still feel like (other than the album) the Ken Russell film is the superior version compared to both the original and revival . And as crazy as that film is, it still makes more sense than the musical. No one will top Tina Turner as the Acid Queen, Paul Nicholas as Cousin Kevin, or Elton John as the Pinball Wizard (and Keith Moon as Uncle Ernie. Also it's wild to see Oliver Reed and him in the same room IYKYK). The last thing that bugged me was making him into some sort of fascist cult leader when in the album he's read as a religious one, like the next coming of Jesus. As for the ableism conversation- I always took it as Tommy was so traumatised by the murder that he completely shut down and disassociated esp with his mom antagonizing him rather than him being disabled. He takes her directions of not seeing, hearing, or talking quite literally since kids are super impressionable. I will say that the lead actor who played Tommy was really good and I actually liked the choreography and was shocked that wasn't nominated or the lighting. Misc: in my audience we had high school kids and during the Uncle Ernie scene one of them yelled "WTF?!". So yeahhhh

[@thequeenn00b]

Is it me or is the sound quality a little fuzzy

[@JoshAragon]

I'm surprise that you had never seen the famous Ken Russell movie

[@raymonddigiacomo3072]

When I first started watching this video, I disagreed w. you so strongly (which hardly ever happens). But as I watched further, I realized that you were simply seeing the show from the perspective of someone from a different generation who doesn't like rock music & doesn't know how groundbreaking Tommy was in its time. Tommy (the album) literally invented a new form: the rock opera. No one had ever written/recorded a rock album that attempted to follow a complete narrative. Is the story smart/woke/timely? - No, of course not. But then neither are the plots of just about every opera from the 18th & 19th centuries. But you don't go to the Metropolitan Opera for riveting story-telling; you go for the music, staging & performances. And that is why you go see Tommy. I think Ken Russell knew how silly the story of Tommy was, which is probably why he chose to make a very surreal, over-the-top film adaptation. You're a show-tune aficionado who (you've said yourself) doesn't know much about pop or rock music. So Tommy was not a good choice for you. You said "if you're going to to something in a Broadway house, it has to be about something more than just the music." So I think it odd then that you enjoyed The Heart of Rock & Roll: anyone seeing T❤oR&R knows 10 minutes after the curtain rises exactly what is going to happen in the rest of the show. It's not Eugene O'Neil, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams lol. But it's enjoyable for the music, staging & performances. Which is the expectation you should have with a show like Tommy. (My only criticism of Tommy is that they relied too much on videos & lighting, at the expense of any scenery, so the stage often seemed bare.) You don't know or appreciate rock music. And that's fine. Many (in fact, most) people don't appreciate show tunes. Tommy's not a bad show; it's just not a show for you, that's all. Peace!

[@RandomHouze]

I saw the show a few weeks ago. As a “techie” I was really inspired by the use of screens on stage in such creative ways to show history in little windows. At one point they also had live cameras from reporters being transmitted to screens on stage. The images had an old TV News broadcast affect to it. The LIVE band was also phenomenal. That score is not easy for most “rock” players. Sound, lighting, mix. All very well done and hopefully inspiring to future creators on how to use technology in story telling.

[@LKjqwo]

Concerns of 60's youth + Christ allegory + Drugs. It has no tangible interest in Tommy's disability as it's meant to be metaphorical.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Drugs doing a lot of heavy lifting here I feel

[@MidwesternDiva]

Identities shouldn’t be metaphors.

[@sydneyscrimpshire1]

@@MidwesternDivasay it louder for the people in the back!!

[@LKjqwo]

@@MidwesternDiva No arguments here. But in the 60's it was profound to say an entire generation of British youth was "blinded by conformity", etc. etc.

[@LKjqwo]

@@MickeyJoTheatre An interesting comparison would be Light in the Piazza. Both concern children with helicopter parents who tell them they can't take care of themselves. Both children have to break free.

[@brianfauth143]

Hi - Have just watched your assessment of The Who’s Tommy, and insofar as I have seen that production myself, have decided to obey the impulse to write and share my thoughts. Be advised that my relationship with Tommy goes back to the initial release of the concept album, so not only do I have a lot to say on the matter, I am inclined to be a tad wordy when I write, so settle in. If all you know of Tommy is what you experienced at the Nederlander then you do not know Tommy at all. No wonder you hated it. For me, I found it incredibly disappointing, but then again, I was disappointed by the previous Broadway version as well. I think the root of the problem is that the source material does not lend itself to being depicted in any way other than as an aural collage, best appreciated while stoned to circumvent pesky questions that arise when it is examined with a critical eye. If you search for a cohesive narrative within Tommy, even as originally conceived, you will not find one - it is rather more like a tone poem. Which is why, I think, I adore the Ken Russell movie version of Tommy, with its array of abstractions that help, somewhat, to hold together a plot that has so, so many holes in it. The current production of Tommy commits so many sins I do not know where to start. Yes I do - the most egregious being that at the top of the show the wrong man is killed. Unless it is Tommy’s father who is murdered as Tommy watches, the depth of the reason Tommy transforms into a sensory-deprived, damaged child makes no sense. He saw his father murdered right in front of him, is forced to deny what he saw, and thus spends years suffering the effects of that trauma. Which leads me to my theory as to why Tommy speaks to me like it does. When I was introduced to Tommy in my 7th grade music class shortly after its release, I was hitting puberty, at which point everything I’d heard all my life about what a sissy I was began to crystalize, and a lengthy struggle began, years before I could to come to terms with being gay. The small-town mindset I came up against involved daily bullying at my school and a withdrawal of support from my family. Perhaps more than any passage in Tommy, the line See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Heal Me gave voice to what I longed for at the time. Those scenes in the Nederlander version I found utterly poignant, the one moment the show gets absolutely right, and in the midst of so much I disliked, every time Tommy stood before his reflection and intoned that phrase, I wept. So, in my mind, Tommy is a story of abuse and its long-term impact. As well as the cluelessness of those who make the situation that much worse. Though I went on to watch the movie version of Tommy dozens if not hundreds of times, initially it disappointed me too, because having practically memorized the concept album, deviations taken by the movie, slight though they may be, made me bristle. Since you will be coming at the movie from the opposite direction, I believe you may find it illuminating or at the very least mind blowing in its dated way. True, Jack Nicholson is seen here in a role where he does not belong, but needless to say, Ann-Margret is the primary reason I encourage young people to see Tommy to fully understand why she received an Oscar nomination for her performance. So many star cameos, too, don’t get me started. It would be unfortunate if the dreadfulness on view at the Nederlander discourages you from widening your experience of Tommy. I don’t understand, it is almost as though the storyline for this new production was rewritten to make it exponentially more baffling. The reprise of Pinball Wizard is an embarrassing attempt to milk the show’s beloved pop single, and reveals how uncertain of itself this production is and why the ending is such a mess. It’s like they just gave up. To fully portray the scope of where the original story leads would have involved expenditures this production was not willing to make, so they mangled the ending in a way that defies comprehension. I could not draw any parallel between the way I understand how Tommy concludes and whatever in hell the show is trying to depict. So empty and misguided it is not worth discussing. I had idea what I was looking at. Sally Simpson was never intended to play a pivotal role in wrapping things up - a misstep that saps the story of the point the original was trying to make. Sally is introduced as an amusing digression, that’s all she was ever meant to be. For me, when Tommy regains his senses, the story loses a lot of momentum, with the sordid hijinks of the first act replaced by pious themes about introspection and evangelism, how the mirror-gazing way that Tommy achieves enlightenment is not something that can be packaged and sold to others. But at least that makes some sense given everything that has gone before. Oh, my husband just got home, so I must wrap things up and get ready for supper. If indeed you have read this far, I extend my thanks. If Charlie and I are in New York when we know you are in town, we will keep our eyes peeled in hopes we may glimpse you rushing to and from the theater. It would be nice if our paths crossed some day. My thanks again. Brian Fauth Philadelphia [e-mail]

[@LPM12]

Having been about 2 years old when Tommy was originally on Broadway, I was a bit too young to have seen it... but later in life, as a collector of cast albums and would be theater aficionado I gave the album a listen beginning to end, as ya do, and became obsessed. Mind you, I never read a synopsis and had VERY little concept of what the songs were REALLY about. Flash forward to the Goodman production and the announcement that it would transfer to Broadway, and it immediately became one of the shows I was most excited to see this season. I saw the show last week, my final show of this Broadway season, and I was NOT disappointed and when I saw your video's title, I Knew I had to come here and voice my opinion. Yes, the music is spectacular, and almost every song is a "bop" as the kids would say. (I Need a new cast recording like yesterday!) Did some aspects of the play shock me, and make me audibly gasp...i'm looking at you Uncle Ernie and The Gypsy (again, no idea what I was listening to, contextually, for all these years regarding songs like Fiddle About...where my prevailing thought was "oh cool, the guy who played Chopin in the Hunchback film is in this!") However, for a show that is basically sung through, the fact that I even COULD follow the plot is a testament to the Tony award nominated book co-written by McAnuff. I've also heard the rumblings of discourse on social media, and is the show perfect and a bit dated, sure. But I saw Tommy more as, someone who nowadays would fall on the autism spectrum vs him being "blind, deaf and dumb" and Tommy's mother "smashing the mirror" I read as more allegorical. A release of sorts. I also think the cast was mostly exceptional, and the finale rightfully earns the standing ovation it regularly gets. I had CHILLS! That sound, and the harmony. It will sit with me for a long time. I went into Tommy with no nostalgia glasses or preconceived notions, and had a fantastic time. I want to see it again, and plan to take my parents who I think will enjoy it for its sheer entertainment value, and counter to your point, no I don't want to see "54 Sings The Who's Tommy" I want to hear a full cast and Broadway orchestra perform this score with the fun choreography and some of the best projections I've seen on Broadway, and to that I say SO WHAT?!

[@palomafreitas3312]

The mirror goes with the pinball theme, because when you play pinball, you can slightly see yourself reflected in the table. So pertaining to the show, is he experiencing life through pinball? Are we experiencing his life because of its connection to pinball? I can say cause I don’t know the show, only the vague idea of Tommy the pinball wizard

[@allisonbergh4429]

🤯 OMG that’s a good point! Other places in the show it seems like he perceives things through reflections, and he would be able to play pinball through the reflection in the table! I know we’re imposing sense on nonsense, but it’s nice to have little “Aha!” moments like that 😆

[@davewaring73]

I saw a version of this a few years ago in Birmingham UK, by a cast of people with disabilities. There were rewrites.

[@redtowlie9]

Man how did you not do stage door?!

[@bjornbolinder7366]

Saw it last night and couldn’t agree more 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@alyzu4755]

I saw the original production many (many!) years ago, and I loved it. I haven't had the chance to see the new version.

[@duane_f]

Have you watched the 1975 film version with Elton John and Tina Turner? My ears are still ringing.

[@marissarae]

"Deaf" and "blind" *are* the respectful terms for those conditions! Obviously not "dumb" though 😆

[@KimberlyWatson-vd5wl]

I was disappointed in this revival as well. What was with that whole future concept? I didn’t understand that at all. The plot is very cringy & the timeline is full of discrepancies. Only performance that stood out to me was Adam Jacobs. Beautiful singing & acting. So sad because I enjoyed the original Broadway production in the 90’s.

[@mwmheps]

Oof I won a lottery ticket this afternoon but decided it wasn’t a top priority show for my last available slot of the trip and I’d rather try and rush something else instead, I’m soo relieved as I would have been devastated if I’d taken it and then saw you immediately release this video 😂 Torn mainly between The Notebook and The Heart of Rock and Roll for what to see instead!

[@rosebyanyname]

Having seen both, Heart of Rock & Roll! Outstanding show that I fear won't have a long life on Bway or in touring. Notebook will likely be open for a while and/or tour, and it's only OK as opposed to great.

[@mwmheps]

Awesome, thanks very much for the advice 😁

[@lorencappelson6475]

It's closing now, so I suggest you do go see it. Mickey Jo's is just one opinion, I had a wonderful time! Lottery seats are a bit crap tho, you are obstructed from some of the projections which are important, so seeing this show as dead center as possible is best. But I stil saw 95% of what I needed to and I loved it.

[@mwmheps]

@@lorencappelson6475 If I lived in New York I would have loved to check it out for myself! But I still feel it wasn't the right choice for me with limited slots, sadly won't be back before it closes! Glad you enjoyed though!

[@jacklightfoot1591]

I think that the trick here is that it has a plot that can maybe look like it's not abstract, but it's really as conceptual as The Wall or Cats or Starlight Express. The trick with the latter two is that the fact that they are non human characters makes the abstraction easier to swallow. I don't think the issue is in just blatant ableism. I think there probably is an issue in how it 'romantically' uses disability as an artistic represtentation of struggling to be heard and understood by others. The smashing of the mirror is a fantastic metaphor of release, but that doesn't change the fact that disability is little more than a storytelling prop that is now being discarded because they're done with it. The metaphor is very poignant for a lot of people, including plenty of disabled people. But it's still a metaphor, made by abled people, performed by abled people. Which can feel a little tired, after the few steps that have been made with shows like How To Dance in Ohio and that one production of Oklahoma... and not much else I can think of, actually? That Hunchback adaptation? IDK.

[@starlove7474]

I bought the Who album when it first came out and I tried many times to like the music but to this day, I still don't care for it. I saw the movie and it didn't move me an iota. The roles are all stock characters and I agree with you; I felt nothing, just like I feel nothing for the Marvel Universe.

[@Woofers617]

I saw it last night on Broadway, and 100% agree with your review. Not that I hated it, but I did check my watch a bunch. I loved the lead who plays Tommy, but overall felt very little connection to his character, or any characters. The mom’s vocals were excellent tho. Felt more like a cool rock concert than a Broadway show. I wanted those emotional nuances vs just exuberant loudness. That said, I’m not a Who Fan. I did like the songs( when I could hear the lyrics over the instruments), but overall the problems felt like in the writing of the musical book. Who is Tommy? An enigma. In “Across the universe” musical the characters still have motivations and wants, told through Beatles’ songs. What does Tommy want? I don’t know if any Director or production team could’ve made this show better honestly for me. But after I got an “acid queen” at the bar I will say I liked it better, lol.

[@JoJoKoKo1]

I haven’t even watched your video yet but i had to write one thing. This just proves that every human has their own opinion. I’m a fan of your videos and respect your option on theater yet we just don’t agree on this one because the ensemble in this show is one of the best I’ve seen!!! so much energy and amazing choreography/direction so much more to say but i get it.

[@repboy1]

“Listening to you “ at the end would have me on my feet love it . But full disclosure I kinda like Bad Cinderella

[@nettie607]

I was a teenager when the movie came out. I was confused and disgusted by most of it. The music was great - I mean, it's hard to beat Elton John singing Pinball Wizard - but the rest as we said, really turned me off. There are a lot of older musicals that I think need some serious reworking before they are revived, and this is one of them. Great review, MickeyJo!

[@allisonbergh4429]

What? Who wouldn’t like Roger Daltrey in a fringed leather vest and no shirt, running in front of a bluescreen? Or ending a biker war with a rainbow hang-glider?? 😅

[@martinboucher1305]

I'm not surprised you didn't like the Tommy revival son. I didn't like the movie apart from a handful of songs. It's nowhere near the Who's best work. It has very dark subject matter & is very much 'of its time'. Having said all of that, you are right in thinking I would probably enjoy it. I love a rock musical! Keep up the good work MJT ♥️

[@ChrisBiggs51]

I'm 59, have sat through the film a couple of times & that gives me no desire to see it in musical form. Always thought the scenes were creepy to say the least & my personal opinion is that Pete Townshend has some very strange ideas in his mind - perhaps the 2003 incident could be seen as indicative ?

[@antonellamR2D2]

Also, psychotropic substances were used as mind openers, in huge quantities

[@lisadickson1456]

So, I started off disagreeing with you about the plot, but realized I have put decades of effort into understanding it myself and then agreed whole-heartedly! The deaf, dumb, blind references are related to ones inability to perceive God, as Pete Townsend was taught through Maher Baba back in the 60s. Also, Pete Townsend's parents were entertainers themselves and traveled a lot. Pete was left in the care of a drunken grandmother that often brought men home from the pubs that were more interested in a young boy than a drunk old woman. This entire opera is an exploration of Pete Townsend as a person. Being a child of abuse and then ultimately lifted to the level of adored rock star was confusing for him. Pinball Wizard, as explained by others in this thread was completely thrown in at the last minute to please a music critic and it worked. Pete also started to write another rock opera called Lighthouse which was so inconceivable, it was scrapped for the album Who's Next. As Roger Daltrey said, it only made sense in Pete's brain. Quadrophenia was brilliant, but also a bit confusing plot-wise.