I have seen some great theatre in my lifetime, but the Goodman Theatre’s production of “The Who’s Tommy the Musical” is one of the top 20 in my book.
In 1969, the WHO released the album, “Tommy.” Guitarist Pete Townsend composed the album as a rock opera. In 1993, two-time Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff teamed up with Townsend to bring the story to the stage.
Thirty years later it has been brought to life on the Goodman Theatre Stage.
The plot, in the blink of the EYE – Tommy Walker is a young boy traumatized after seeing his father shoot his mother’s lover. He is told not to tell anyone what he saw. From that day, Tommy doesn’t speak, loses his sight and hearing. He is abused, bullied, and isolated even though his family tries everything to bring him back to the real world. One day he is put in front of a pinball machine and that deaf, dumb, and blind kid played a mean pinball.
The cast is phenomenal! The staging and choreography are out of this world, and the sound, lighting and projection are breathtaking.
The first thing that made my toes tingle was Tommy at the age of 4. I am not sure if it was Ava Rose Doty/or Presley Rose Jones, but they became the focal point of the show. As did Tommy at 10, Annabel Finch/or Ezekiel Ruiz–the way they were able to keep that blank stare and their body language was so impressive, and their voices were as clear as a bell.
Ali Louis Bourzgui as Tommy the grown boy is seen throughout the show and, for me, I loved the way he went from a narrator to Tommy. It was seamless.
I bought the album “Tommy” in 1971, while I was in college and loved the music. I could tell that in the audience on opening night at the Goodman, I wasn’t the only one, as we all tried hard not to sing the songs out loud.
The visuals were so striking, and the musicians had our heads bumping.
Would I go and see it again, you are damn straight I would.
I give “The WHO’S Tommy The Musical” 5 out of 5 winks of the EYE!
Until next time, keep your EYE to the sky!
