I saw this production for the second time last night. After seeing the 1993 OBC (with Alice Ripley as Mrs. Walker) and then being a cast member of the German Tour, a lot of us, from all companies are disappointed. But I can only speak on my behalf. The score is brilliant and loud and everything it should be. So wonderful to hear it again in a theatre with a brilliant orchestra. I have some questions statements and questions below, please feel free to comment/ respond, would love your opinion.
But Des McAnuff basically tried to remount the 1993 original production with updated LED screens (not projections), cheap lighting and I cannot believe 1 real pinball machine or scrim/projection of it. They fact that there was barely any animatronics put a lot on the cast and gave us these black masked movers to be unseen, but still had "white piping and zippers" on their costumes, they were never hidden. Bringing on Tommy and lifting him and The Acid Queen up broke every illusion. And the fact that when these face covered cast members brought out set pieces, they would wait for a "whoosh sound" and drastically leave them onstage...it was Harry Potter 101 with the capes. Very unoriginal.
What was with the new "In the Future" element? Because we are never told what the masks/VR helmets are and before you know it, we are back 1941 (closer to where the original began). Then we speed from 1978 to "Into the Future" in 5 seconds flat. The future looks different than the entire show. The costumes are still dreary and drab, maybe a silver jacket and one girl has a selfie stick. The camera were always in every production.
The costuming has zero color. If you want to make the future cold and dreary, fully get that, but everywhere else is the same way? Tommy is about color that he cannot see. All the Pinball Lads and Lasses in their distinct colors for Pinball Wizard and dancing on real pinball machines, not just shaking their arms.
Why do the women in act 1 only have 1 wig. There's a girl that wears a blond ponytail wig through every character she is in act 1 and many more. She goes from swing dancer, to choir member to police officer to school girl to pinball lass all in the same wig. I can say that for at least 6-8 of the women. What happened to moving through time?
If you "YouTube" the 1993 Tony Awards Performance or "Sensation from the OBC, just watch the 45 second dance break that was originally choreographed by Wayne Cilento. Then watch what Lorin Latarro gives this extremely talked dancers to perform. 75% the same. Same style, same moves. They extended it since previews and it is so remedial it is sad. What makes it work for new audiences is what the dancers are giving, their heart and soul and making it look amazing. Latarro does the same thing with the Act 2 finally, even worse. We are simulating a live pinball machine; she does the exact thing down to amount of turns and hand motions of the flippers. It was disheartening to watch and see no mention of Mr. Cilento in the playbill. None of the choreography was original. I understand the direction because Des started it and Des is going to finish it.
What is with the Silver Masked people. First, I thought they were what young Tommy was seeing before he went into full blindness, but they just show up everywhere.
It is just me or do the Pinball Lads and Lasses look like JetBlue Flight Attendants? I used to work for the company and remember it well. A gray, white and black pair of pants/skirt with a blazer that has a pop of orange. Some looking exactly the same. Use the 1960's with those amazing fashion trends to give us something truly different, not something drab with the only color pop that ensemble has seen all act.
The Acid Queen, can we please tweak her out some more. She is so tame looking and even her dress is pretty with that nice perfectly placed fabric in the middle. She is a junkie whore in the 1950's, doing anything to get her fix, even having sec with a young boy. She looked pretty and like she slept in a bed every night. Make her crazy as a loon. Look how Tina did it in the movie or Cheryl Freeman in the OBC (the entire run) were costumed and made up. Yes, Christine Anjous is in the ensemble (first time I have ever seen that) and may have less time, but The Acid Queen is one of the most memorable characters from the Album.
Lastly, the bows. That ensemble worked their butts off for over 2 hours and you are going to make them bow in a jammed together bow?? That says exactly how much. they are cared about and the importance of their roles. Give them their 10 seconds. Let them breath. You need to put The Acid Queen back in her costume for "Listening to You". The audience mostly doesn't recognize her.
Ok, that’s my rant, but my heart will ever be with "The Who's Tommy." To see it morphed into something cheaper and less worth of excellence is a shame. For people you have never seen the first Broadway run, I am glad you enjoying what you are seeing and seeing this piece. The audience response has been crazy and bringing a brand-new audience to Broadway. But for us Gen X/Millennial/Boomer generations of Broadway, it disheartening you aren't seeing it at its best.
