From: deleon@adobe.com (Michael de Leon)
Subject: Tommy-Comments
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 02:29:22 GMT

During a recent visit to San Diego I had the chance to see a
performance of the La Jolla Playhouse World Premiere production
of Tommy. For those who are unaware Tommy is a "rock opera" 
written by Pete Townsend of the rock group the Who and which
was originally recorded in the late 60's. It was later made in
to a movie starring Roger Daltry of the Who and Ann Margret(!).
The story concerns itself with Tommy, who is born in England
during WWII. His father is thought to have been killed during
the war but unexpectedly turns up after his wife has found 
another lover. Tommy is traumatized when he watches his father
kill the other man. Tommy is in a period of sensory shutdown
and his parents try everything they can to "wake" their child.
It isn't until he is an adult that he becomes "Free" and soon
has a cult following. In the end he is raised and then rejected
as a new messiah.

With that said I'd like to offer my thoughts on this production
which is expected to make its way to Broadway. 

First of all this show sounds great. It you liked the original
music you will like the current score. Pete Townsend worked
directly with the La Jolla Playhouse in creating this show and
it shows, I think, in the sound. Tommy retains much of it's 
guitar and drum rock sound and is added to by a pit orchestra
in a way that is not disruptive or demeaing to the score. 
That said, the show as a whole is just not good theatre. 
Much of what Tommy is about is freeing one's self to experience
what is already before us. To be willing to take an "amazing
journey" while still bound by our everyday senses. That's a 
pretty tough theme to get across to an audience who probably
just wanted an evening of "old tunes". The director has resorted
to a swinging a person around on cables and visuals images
projected against nine screens which are downright distracting.
Another problem is that the score has not been rewritten very
much from its orignial form which would have been helpful to
bring it's characters in to focus. At present the characters
a drawn in such broad strokes as to seem secondary to theme.
The role of Tommy's mother could  have been greatly expanded
into something really great. As it is, she doesn't have one
song which expresses her feelings. Indeed, she only has one
complete song.

As usual for the La Jolla Playhouse the production values are
quite high. The sets and lighting are imaginative and the 
performers top notch. The one exception is the actor in the
role of Tommy. (Yes, that's one big exception!) He simply 
does not command the stage, in either voice or presence, to 
pull off the second act of the show. He isn't helped by the
choreography either, which has him wandering around the stage
mindlessly during the song "Free" when he finally regains his
senses.

For those who have seen the movie, this show follows pretty
much the same story. The major differences are that Tommy's
real father is the one that kills the other man, not the other
way around, and that the ending is much smaller and more 
personal than the film. The musical has Tommy embracing 
his family in forgivness. This includes Uncle Ernie for those
who know who that is.

In the end I must admit that several people I have spoken to,
as well as the sold out house, and the LA Times loved the show.
It is currently sold out for it's extended run through mid-Oct,
though some SRO tickets are available, which is how I got in.
Hmm. Maybe my feet were just tired...

Michael de Leon
deleon@adobe.com