Lennon The Musical

[Sophie D.]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 4:55pm

After months of preparation and retooling Lennon The Musical finally opened. Despite what you might have read in the weeks of catty commentary leading up to the premiere, Lennon The Musical was a wonderful Sunday afternoon treat.
I'll have to say the audience agreed as they bopped their heads and tapped their toes along with the non-stop, 2 hour, Lennon fest.

While a single cast member holds our attentions as he leads us through John Lennon's life, any of the cast members might become Lennon and continue the narrative by donning a pair of Lennon's trademark wire rim eyeglasses.
Whether man or woman, black, white or asian, all of the cast members become Lennon, if only for the briefest moments, to illustrate the universal appeal of the musician and his message.

The play takes us from John's birth during the Blitz of London to his untimely death 40 short years later on New York City's streets, and does its best to compress a life so full of experience and insight into a 2 hour musical romp.

I wasn't disappointed that Lennon the Musical wasn't a remake of Beatlemania. I saw that show already. This show is something very different.

I'm not old enough to be angry at Yoko Ono for breaking up the band. I'm not too sure I can say the same about the many critics that have "piled on Yoko" with their scathing personal assaults disguised as "theatre reviews".
The Beatles broke up people, get over it.
Lennon the Musical takes us on a p-c magical mystery tour of Lennon's life, and I was entertained during the entire trip.

The multi-ethnic, and mixed-gender cast, was mirrored by the smiling audience that sat wide eyed in anticipation of the next energy packed scene. It's not BEATLEMANIA, RENT, HAIR, or THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, Lennon the Musical has elements that make each of those plays fun.
To sum it all up a great show.

If you remember Ed Sullivan introducing the Beatles, go see Lennon the Musical.

If you want to give peace a chance, go see Lennon the Musical.

If you lit your candle on Strawberry Fields, go see Lennon the Musical.

Sophie D.
Ling's Handcrafted Jewelry

[TBone]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 5:04pm

I am so glad that people are enjoying the show!!! There's a handful of us on this board who have really come to appreciate it and wish it only the best.

"I wasn't disappointed that Lennon the Musical wasn't a remake of Beatlemania. I saw that show already. This show is something very different."
I am very glad you brought that up - I've read a few reviews where people seemed upset that that was the case.

[Sophie D.]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 5:17pm

From what I've heard 90% of the people that have actually seen the show would recommend it to others.
Ling's Handcrafted Jewelry

[Thenardier]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 5:28pm

I would NOT recommend it to fans of the Beatles (not soley John Lennon)...well, maybe I would, but I would warn them the Beatles do not receive much credit.

[justme2]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 6:24pm

I would say the opposite...there's a handful of posters who hate the show. The rest seem to be enjoying the show.

Posted: 8/19/05 at 6:34pm

i think the people who actually post about it like it, so it seems that not many people dont like it. the people who dont like it have recently stopped posting in lennon threads. well thats my theory anyway

[Hank]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 7:04pm

I'm glad you liked it too, Sophie D. I grew up with The Beatles, and remember that day (Feb 7, 1964) when they landed at Idlewild like it was yesterday, and the Ed Sullivan Show 2 days later.
I don't blame Yoko for the break up at all, in fact, I find her very fascinating. Lennons best works were still to come, culminating with his masterwork "Double Fantacy".
And I don't expect everyone to aggree with me, but I hope there's enough of us Lennonites out there to give this show a decent run.

[My Name in Lights]

Posted: 8/20/05 at 1:35am

Yay Sophie! It's great to see thread that appreciates this show. I love it and have seen it quite a few times. I can't wait to go back again. Keeping my fingers crossed for the CD!!!!

If the skeptics would just give the show a chance...

[StarbuckQAF]

Posted: 8/20/05 at 1:39am

My Name In Lights: You don't have to cross your fingers TOO tight, there is definitely going to be a CD :)

And thank you SO much Sophie D. for the fantastic review. I'm also glad to see someone else appreciating the show for what it was intended to be. glad you enjoyed it.

[Sophie D.]

Posted: 8/20/05 at 10:09am

Glad you all have appreciated my review.
I'm happy to show my support of the show. All of the folks involved have obviously put their hearts into making the play something that will appeal to John Lennon fans both new and old.

I'm pretty sure those fans will ensure Lennon the Musical will be playing for a long time.
Speaking of CDs, I went out the next day and picked up the LENNON LEGEND: The Very Best of John Lennon cd, and listening to Lennon's music after seeing the show puts even more of the man's life in perspective.
Hard to imagine the critics and Yoko bashers had seen the same show I enjoyed.
A friend pointed out a review that criticzed the use of "projected images" behind the players, and my response was "that's a person that didn't see Beatlemania".

Its all silly really.

Fortunately we live in a time where working class critics can log on and tell those interested our opinions of the things we appreciate in life(thank you Broadway dot com, take a bow).

Here's a simple method of getting the word out there,

LENNON The Musical: YES.




Ling's(that's me) Handcrafted Jewelry