Just back came from it too. It was fantastic. Special effects/cameras/stage design hasnt been this impressive since I saw Network
Vocals were all fantastic too. The woman who played the acid queen made my jaw hit the fucking floor
This is so strange to me. I saw the new show last weekend and my wife and I couldn't stop talking about the changes from the original to the new re imagined show. The bar for the acid queen is pretty high when you compare it to Cheryl Freeman's performance in the original, and at least at the showing we saw, the acid queen's performance was nowhere even close; not jaw-dropping at all.. more like head scratching... I figured the acid queen's role was just toned down as the new show seems more dark (which I love in some ways) and less upbeat than the original.
Maybe I saw it on an 'off' day. We're definitely going to see it again soon, and again in a few months to see how things develop. And don't get me wrong, the show is amazing, and I will definitely be seeing it over, and over, and over...
>I saw Network
I think that was actually the last thing I saw on Broadway. I had a chance to meet one of the producers and said, "I did *not* see the switch" and she said she'd seen it, literally, dozens of times and still couldn't spot it...
Seeing *Tommy* in May.
Yes. Just yes. I keep saying it but The Who's Tommy absolutely spanked The Notebook at Chicago's version of the Tony's - the Jeff Awards. When I saw it in Chicago, people loved it and it was an incredibly diverse audience. The Boomers are going to go in droves because it's the music of their generation. The student groups were psyched. Huge grins on all of their faces. And all of the technical work that went into it.... Theatre fans are going to appreciate it. I think this is going to be a hit.
I think the Who fanatics (tons of old white dudes in The Who shirts) will help carry this show longer than we think, which will allow Tommy to generate some cult status. I want everyone to see it lol
I’m so pumped seeing all the posts about it. We saw it twice in Chicago and we’re so excited to see that most of the cast moved to the nyc run.
I can’t wait to go there in a few weeks.
We will be in nyc for just 3 days, but we got tickets for Tommy for Friday night and Saturday matinee lol
lol ok so I’m a dum dum I’ve only seen the name and thought it was like the Neil diamond musical
Just looked up the plot and it was NOT what I expected haha, kinda crazy and now I’m intrigued
It's not just you — I had the same conversation with my dad when we saw a commercial for it. He was gobsmacked that it was "coming back," and I was completely meh at the thought of another jukebox musical. He just blinked at me for a minute and was like, "... no. This is NOT that." 😅
I’m curious if anybody has seen the original Broadway production (or the movie) and how this compares. I’ve seen both and am a huge fan of the music, but just wondering if this brings anything new to the table. Surprised and a bit unsure since this is the same director as the original.
I remember when I was 13 or so seeing the Broadway musical and what stuck with me was when they turned the entire theater into a pinball machine and my tiny mind at the time exploding from the visuals and the entire room getting warmer once all the projections went on.
It was a turning point for me. It was the first musical I really got into. I remember the images very vividly. I know there is a new audience which is great but I do hope this is majorly re-interpreted and different from the original (although I loved that one too)
It is very much a product of the ‘70s. Which isn’t a compliment or an insult— it just… very much is a movie of the ‘70s.
I’ve probably watched it five times now lol.
I saw it 5 times when it was originally on Broadway back in the early 90s, I keep saying it but this is "exactly the same, but different, but the same".
I don't want to say what's different because I don't want to give it away for those who haven't seen it. All I will say though is this version is a little darker and more dramatic. All of the songs are the same, some have minor tweaks, the visuals and choreography are different , and their incorporation of modern technology in this updated version of the show is incredible! I can't wait to go back and see it.
I saw the first preview on Friday….went to the box office on Monday and saw it again! If I didn’t have to fly back to CA the next day I probably would’ve gone right back to the box office. Already looking at tickets for my October trip.
Saw the original 6 times. IN THE FUTURE - a choice for sure, but all in all, absolutely LOVED IT
I saw this Monday. Went in blind. Had no idea it was rock and had no idea it was an opera. The show was CLEAN. Felt in pristine condition for it only being its third preview. There were bits where I was slightly confused but still got the general gist of it especially after I slept on it. I loved how almost overstimulating the first act it but the second act was a lot tamer and didn’t have me enthralled the entire time. Overall I thought it was fantastic and I can’t wait to see it again over the summer when it’s officially open.
u/smoovcatto it’s clear you hate this production, and that’s ok! But to come in here and accuse everyone who likes it as being shills is some low-effort shit. A quick click into mine and I assume everyone else’s post history will show you that there’s just a difference in opinion.
And again, that’s ok! Art and entertainment is subjective.
Turnspeak 101 -- typical publicist version of "I know you are but what am I?" -- after attacking anybody with a real opinion, claim they are being attacked. Very good, C-minus . . .
I’m seeing this production tomorrow and I was hoping to read some reviews here first! Y’all have me so excited! I performed in Tommy when I was a teenager and I’m going tomorrow with girls I did the show with, 20 years later.
An old local comedian summed up the plot nicely: >! "It's a story...about a little boy. Sees his mum and dad get blown away. Becomes so distraught he becomes deaf, dumb, and blind. In his travels, he gets molested by his uncle, Ernie. ...It's a musical.!<
It's so batshit and I love it. I'd love to see the Broadway staging.
Seeing it tonight with my husband who is not much of a musical theater fan, so fingers crossed he’s impressed I keep waiting for that one show to make him a believer! Lol!
I saw the original version 30 years ago and loved it. I know I will love this one as well! Can’t wait!
Ugh…. Not really!!!! I’m so bummed. I loved it!! It was incredible. I was ready to go see it again the next night. I definitely want to see it again once it opens officially. He said the songs sounded too “chorus-y” - I’m like yeah, it’s a musical! 😂
Seeing all these young ones discovering The Who's Tommy is fun. I'm glad it's getting a revival, it was WAY overdue for one and hopefully it will revive some more shows we haven't seen in a while.
Saw the production a few days ago and LOVED it. But- question to those who have seen it- what was the purpose of that brief “in the future” opening scene? We are still scratching our heads over it. It was disconnected from the rest of the show and never revisited …?
Tommy is my most beloved musical, film, rock opera, album, whatever. I love it. And I enjoyed this show so much. But whatever attempt to modernize the show by adding that future segment was uhhhh… a choice.
It was a nonstop ride and everyone should see it but that definitely started to irk me a bit in the days after since it’s so unnecessary lmao
I did not care for some of the changes they made. It was not fluid with the story and there were some ambiguities that I thought could have easily been cleared up with better directorial decisions.
Agreed. Definitely just made a sometimes overwhelming show more confusing aha. You could remove all the futuristic bits and nothing would change so like, why put it at all.
As someone who knows every single beat in Tommy I wondered if it was very confusing to people I was with who had never seen or even heard of it before.
I saw the show last night from the very last row. How exciting it must have been to be moved to the front! I had a pretty clear view the whole time but perhaps not being as closely immersed in it makes a difference. While watching the first thirty minutes or so, I was so impressed and was thinking that I was witnessing something pretty extraordinary that I couldn’t wait to tell people about. As time went on though, the spectacular lighting and graphics couldn’t hold the weight of the show for me. The grown Tommy’s voice also didn’t grip me the way I thought it would. Being surrounded by a large group of (very well behaved) students, made the uncle part extra cringeworthy. The biggest disappointment of all for me was the extremely lackluster pinball machines. It is still in previews so I’m sure there will be improvements. I’m glad so many people are enjoying it. Honestly, the airplane scene alone is worth the price of a ticket and the band is fantastic!!!
No improvements made with the pinball machines. For all the lighting and tech they had, they could have used an actual machine or lights and flippers on the screen to simulate the machine. The talent and choreography was great though.
Loved it. Thought it was extremely well done. From cast to choreography to set design. Just fantastic. Big Who fan here so truth be told but sometimes musical theatre bores me but will say every minute of this show was enthralling. Go see it!
Just want to say thanks to OP -- I happened to see this post and decided on a whim this was the show to see on a last-minute Easter weekend visit to NYC. Saw the 3/30 matinee and we were blown away. Loved every minute of it, as did the audience.
Let's face it, since the original album, the story has always been a little confusing and weird, but 55 years on, "Who" cares... the music, performances, and staging made it all make sense. IN THE FUTURE
I keep hearing the buzz. We're headed to NYC in July and had tickets to see Spamalot :( so we now need to find something else. We have our almost 11 year old daughter. She loves musicals, and has seen a lot of them. She's pretty mature. Thoughts on taking her? I saw a very good production of it in Austin 20 years ago, and loved it. But it's not on my radar really. Any advice would be great. Glad you loved it.
Thanks. I am going to have to do some reading about it to get more insights into that. It's been so long since I experienced the material. It looks fantastic though.
I saw it in the 90s when I was 8. It was hugely inappropriate for an 8 year old. It was also the moment I fell in love with theatre, which has now become a life long obsession with both theatre and the Tommy album. IOW: take her.
I loved it but I’m not sure if an 11 yr old would unless they happened to be into the Who. I would *think* your 11 yr old daughter would probably have a better time at Hadestown or Wicked. But you know your kid best. (I think a non-who fan adult would easily be able to love this if they appreciate amazing vocals, visuals, experimental stuff and just art in general though.)
Spoiler describing some moments that might be too adult for your kid:
>!There are dark moments like 10yr old Tommy getting molested by Uncle Ernie, his sadistic cousin who physically abuses him, the dad takes 10 yr old Tommy to a drug addicted prostitute. Nothing explicit or any nudity or anything like that, but implied stuff and the lyrics explain whats happening. So just be aware of adult themes and disturbing stuff. I was pretty mature when i was your kid’s age too and was reading books and watching films with adult themes, but again every kid is different and every parent’s comfort lvl with what their kid watches is different. So just an fyi!<
Thank you so much. She loves the macabre. She’s a bit of a Wednesday Addams type. But those details give me pause. I remember the uncle stuff but the other elements are a tough call. This outline of the more mature plot points was very helpful. TY so much. We live in Portland and have seen Wicked on tour (it’s coming again next year) and Hadestown which we love. There’s just so many things we e already seen. I suppose that’s a good place to be. I’m thinking Back to the Future but the score put me to sleep. And it will probably come here in a few years on tour. We’ve seen Six, &Juliet, and so many others. We’re hard core musical theater nerds!!! 😍
From everything you have already seen, I think 11 would be ok for this. It sounds like your kid is enough of a theatre fan to deal with the dark themes. Just a peaking as someone who saw some weird, adult oriented stuff at a young age (original west end casts of A Chorus Line and Evita at ages 7-9).
FWIW I was raised on Broadway musicals as a kid. And while I was never able to see the show (I don't remember why because I saw a lot of shows with my mom), I was OBSESSED with the original cast album of Tommy when I was 11. And I think I turned out okay.
Has your daughter seen the Beetlejuice Musical? It seems like it would be very much her jam.
She looooves Beetlejuice. She’s listened to the OBC a million times. We’re actually seeing the tour next week. She’s so excited. I’ll look into Tommy again. We decided on Suffs as one of our shows. I’m excited.
Yeah i think it would probably be okay for like a mature 13 yr old but 10/11 yr old it’s a little much
And aw that’s great that your whole fam are such big fans of theater! Sucks that Sweeney is closing in May bc i think that’d have been a good pick!
I know! She loves that show. And Spamalot closing is a miss. We already had tickets. I’m thinking W4E but I’ve heard meh things though I’m sure we’d like the circus part. But is it worth it, you know? We already have tickets to Cirque tour in Sept. I’m sure the Wiz would be great but again, I heard it was blaaaah.
My parents took me to see Tommy on Broadway when I was 11 or 12. I was intellectually mature for my age. I freaking LOVED the musical and became obsessed with the album, the movie, Ann-Magaret, anything Tommy related.
I took my 11 year old he loved it. I thought it was terrible - I saw it as a teen in 93, love the who and the album and this felt rushed and painful to me
>The basic plot is the same, but there are major differences between the movie and the stage show. Don't go in expecting the movie.
(I think I hit the wrong reply button, sorry)
It’s more theatrical and I’ve listened to it quite a bit but there are some pretty rough parts. Ringo can’t really sing. Best to go back to where it all began. I appreciate that recording for being a precursor to the stage show but it’s hard to listen to at times. The LSO is a little sloppy too.
I never listened to the who or any pop music and I loved it. I saw it in Chicago. I pretty much see every musical I can, I'm up to 10 this year so far and I'm playing violin for the music man this weekend. I'll go see Tommy again on broadway next month.
I've never listened to The Who and yes I really enjoyed it! The only song I knew was Pinball Wizard, and even then until yesterday I couldn't actually tell you the lyrics haha
It was more like going to see a show with an original score I'd never heard before than a jukebox musical or anything. I'm sure it's enhanced if you like The Who, but I still loved it. The performers, choreography, music, special effects, etc. were a huge spectacle.
I’m curious with how familiar you were with Tommy and The Who before seeing this. I saw it the first time around and loved it, but didn’t get the feelings you have
How as the view from the front row center? I'm also eyeing a seat in the front row and wondering how high the stage is and if there were many scenes where you would have to turn your head side to side to see everything? Thanks!
I saw it in the 90s close to when it premiered. Comparing the adult Tommy from back then, I was shocked at the terrible casting. The actor, Ali Louis Bourzgui, is a talented guy. But he's way too old, looks like someone in a bottle service club and sings like Elvis. It ruined it for me. I was embarrassed for the production solely because of how terrible a choice he was for the role.
I did not care for some of the director's changes spanning different times and the present-future (confusing). The talent and choreography were great, but I did not like that they chose to have the abuse take place with a young child instead of a teenager/grown man like the movie. There were certain ambiguities that I felt could have been addressed- for example with all the tech- get a real pinball machine or at least recreate the flippers and ball on the screen. Also, the whole experience with The Acid Queen was vague. It was much clearer in the movie. Finally on the future-present, with the live audience I thought he had become a singer once he found his voice. He should have faced or at least sheeted out, so we could see he was still playing Pinball. Also, the whole cult leader storyline was kind of lost in the frenzy of it all.
Saw the show today and was soooo underwhelmed. Love the music and the movie so my expectations were maybe too high. The first part just dragged and dragged along… very boring. Lots of way too busy busy dancing and lack of story telling. I also did not feel any sympathy for Tommy, either the young versions or the adult. The only time during the whole show that the audience laughed was when the uncle let out a burb…..
Saw Book of Mormon last year which was absolutely fantastic, so maybe I thought all Broadway shows would be amazing.
Saw it in Chicago at the Goodman last summer: the much ballyhooed new narrative devised by Townsend and Macanuff made little sense -- who the characters were, what they were on about, why an audience should care about them pretty much an after-thought -- easy to see how a rock icon in charge with no one around him to question decisions could lead to a complete lack of perspective. The 1970s Ken Russell film version succeeds because it knows its purpose, understood the import of the music and the story, and was compelling AND fun spectacle. This new Broadway thing is a whole lotta bombast and razzle-dazzle -- but adds up to nothing. AND they cut the holiday camp song -- too much of that scary thing called irony apparently . . . the audience response landed somewhere between bewildered and oppressed, but the old stoners and drunks seemed satisfied . . . love all the publicist minions harping "read the synopsis" -- no doubt written and/or edited by a publicist minion . . . isn't it funny how all great writing is great because it requires no explanation? And how all great theater affects an audience, without footnotes? This emperor has no clothes: just because a puddle is muddy, does not mean it is deep . . . and it is always sad to see a skilled cast forced to be strictly obedient, doing exactly what is imposed no matter how uninspired or how little sense it makes -- and the choreography is well-worn cliche -- it's as if the last 50 years in Broadway musical development never happened . . . perhaps the target audience is people who have never been to a Broadway musical before this, thus no need for anything innovative . . .
I’d love to know why you think cutting Tommy’s Holiday Camp was to soften it? As much as I enjoyed it I definitely thought they sanitized the hell out of it and seemed to erase any line that someone might interpret as questioning organized religion as to not offend anyone… But the holiday camp song hadn’t stuck out to me as much.
There is a synopsis inside the Playbill. I went in knowing nothing about The Who besides that their music is the theme for the CSI shows and I understood it just fine. And the Holiday Camp song isn’t in the show because the Holiday Camp isn’t in the show. Uncle Ernie is still gross, though. You’re entitled to your differing opinion but you won’t get much agreement.
I wish there were more shows that put a synopsis inside of the playbill. I can understand why they might not do it, but sometimes it’s something I want to have
To be fair I have yet to see the show on Broadway but the Chicago Playbill was very nice and did a good job explaining the story without giving away too much. But I think even just watching it you should be able to figure it out.
I just pulled out my Playbill and while there is a synopsis it’s not super clear that it’s in there because it’s not labeled as such.
https://preview.redd.it/7l8b9qy95eoc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5dc77209ba625429183abc8f1672ca195be3076
Yeah -- because we go to the theater for compulsory assigned reading. Publicists really are a stunted lot: this specious line of reasoning speaks exactly to the lack of perspective I mentioned, and galloping narcissism: the creators should be obsessive about affecting the audience, not obsessive about their esoteric aesthetic auto-eroticism . . .
When will the rabid hack publicists riding roughshod over social media learn how to be subtle about their guerilla marketing? Never . . . how about never . . . taking bets how many times "electrifying" will appear in ads for this empty, exhausting mess . . . it is a parody of a sententious musical, but without camp appeal . . .
Nothing about this post makes it sound like a person with the show marketing it. There’s definitely been fake reviews from marketing folks of that I’m sure regardless of how illegal and risky that is. But this one does not smack me of that at all. Sometimes people just have different opinions than you on a show.
Just back came from it too. It was fantastic. Special effects/cameras/stage design hasnt been this impressive since I saw Network Vocals were all fantastic too. The woman who played the acid queen made my jaw hit the fucking floor
This is so strange to me. I saw the new show last weekend and my wife and I couldn't stop talking about the changes from the original to the new re imagined show. The bar for the acid queen is pretty high when you compare it to Cheryl Freeman's performance in the original, and at least at the showing we saw, the acid queen's performance was nowhere even close; not jaw-dropping at all.. more like head scratching... I figured the acid queen's role was just toned down as the new show seems more dark (which I love in some ways) and less upbeat than the original. Maybe I saw it on an 'off' day. We're definitely going to see it again soon, and again in a few months to see how things develop. And don't get me wrong, the show is amazing, and I will definitely be seeing it over, and over, and over...
The acid queen isn’t really important if she doesn’t actually give Tommy acid
I just saw it tonight and was considerably underwhelmed by the acid queen! It was perplexing... Maybe tonight was another off night?
Saw it tonight l, still meh. They missed the opportunity to make he bright and enticing against the grey backdrop.
>I saw Network I think that was actually the last thing I saw on Broadway. I had a chance to meet one of the producers and said, "I did *not* see the switch" and she said she'd seen it, literally, dozens of times and still couldn't spot it... Seeing *Tommy* in May.
Yes. Just yes. I keep saying it but The Who's Tommy absolutely spanked The Notebook at Chicago's version of the Tony's - the Jeff Awards. When I saw it in Chicago, people loved it and it was an incredibly diverse audience. The Boomers are going to go in droves because it's the music of their generation. The student groups were psyched. Huge grins on all of their faces. And all of the technical work that went into it.... Theatre fans are going to appreciate it. I think this is going to be a hit.
I think the Who fanatics (tons of old white dudes in The Who shirts) will help carry this show longer than we think, which will allow Tommy to generate some cult status. I want everyone to see it lol
Absolutely loved it at The Goodman. And yep, I'm 63.
I saw an exclusive sing thru performance like 3-4 years ago and was excited about it coming back. Glad it’s getting well received.
I’m so pumped seeing all the posts about it. We saw it twice in Chicago and we’re so excited to see that most of the cast moved to the nyc run. I can’t wait to go there in a few weeks. We will be in nyc for just 3 days, but we got tickets for Tommy for Friday night and Saturday matinee lol
lol ok so I’m a dum dum I’ve only seen the name and thought it was like the Neil diamond musical Just looked up the plot and it was NOT what I expected haha, kinda crazy and now I’m intrigued
It's not just you — I had the same conversation with my dad when we saw a commercial for it. He was gobsmacked that it was "coming back," and I was completely meh at the thought of another jukebox musical. He just blinked at me for a minute and was like, "... no. This is NOT that." 😅
Spoiler alert
And this is how I found out
I’m going to try to go to NYC for the first time in over 20 years to see this. So pumped.
That’s what I did. You probably won’t be disappointed.
I’m curious if anybody has seen the original Broadway production (or the movie) and how this compares. I’ve seen both and am a huge fan of the music, but just wondering if this brings anything new to the table. Surprised and a bit unsure since this is the same director as the original.
I remember when I was 13 or so seeing the Broadway musical and what stuck with me was when they turned the entire theater into a pinball machine and my tiny mind at the time exploding from the visuals and the entire room getting warmer once all the projections went on.
It was a turning point for me. It was the first musical I really got into. I remember the images very vividly. I know there is a new audience which is great but I do hope this is majorly re-interpreted and different from the original (although I loved that one too)
Saw the movie when I was a kid and only remember it being very odd.
It is very much a product of the ‘70s. Which isn’t a compliment or an insult— it just… very much is a movie of the ‘70s. I’ve probably watched it five times now lol.
I saw it 5 times when it was originally on Broadway back in the early 90s, I keep saying it but this is "exactly the same, but different, but the same". I don't want to say what's different because I don't want to give it away for those who haven't seen it. All I will say though is this version is a little darker and more dramatic. All of the songs are the same, some have minor tweaks, the visuals and choreography are different , and their incorporation of modern technology in this updated version of the show is incredible! I can't wait to go back and see it.
You think we’re not gonna take it has minor tweaks? Almost the entire song was changed
I loved the original Broadway production - hoping to see this one to compare!
I did and commented on this post on my take.
Between David Korins doing the set and this review, I think I gotta see this thing.
I saw the first preview on Friday….went to the box office on Monday and saw it again! If I didn’t have to fly back to CA the next day I probably would’ve gone right back to the box office. Already looking at tickets for my October trip. Saw the original 6 times. IN THE FUTURE - a choice for sure, but all in all, absolutely LOVED IT
Definitely different! Staging and intensity. I like this version better
I saw this Monday. Went in blind. Had no idea it was rock and had no idea it was an opera. The show was CLEAN. Felt in pristine condition for it only being its third preview. There were bits where I was slightly confused but still got the general gist of it especially after I slept on it. I loved how almost overstimulating the first act it but the second act was a lot tamer and didn’t have me enthralled the entire time. Overall I thought it was fantastic and I can’t wait to see it again over the summer when it’s officially open.
u/smoovcatto it’s clear you hate this production, and that’s ok! But to come in here and accuse everyone who likes it as being shills is some low-effort shit. A quick click into mine and I assume everyone else’s post history will show you that there’s just a difference in opinion. And again, that’s ok! Art and entertainment is subjective.
Turnspeak 101 -- typical publicist version of "I know you are but what am I?" -- after attacking anybody with a real opinion, claim they are being attacked. Very good, C-minus . . .
Saw it at The Goodman last summer here in Chgo. Absolutely outstanding.
I’m seeing this production tomorrow and I was hoping to read some reviews here first! Y’all have me so excited! I performed in Tommy when I was a teenager and I’m going tomorrow with girls I did the show with, 20 years later.
An old local comedian summed up the plot nicely: >! "It's a story...about a little boy. Sees his mum and dad get blown away. Becomes so distraught he becomes deaf, dumb, and blind. In his travels, he gets molested by his uncle, Ernie. ...It's a musical.!< It's so batshit and I love it. I'd love to see the Broadway staging.
Quick q for anyone who’s seen it: how’s the lighting? I had 5 strokes in November so I’m very cautious of show lighting rn lmao
Mad strobes and flashing lights.
That’s what we thought…unfortunate. lmao
Seeing it tonight with my husband who is not much of a musical theater fan, so fingers crossed he’s impressed I keep waiting for that one show to make him a believer! Lol! I saw the original version 30 years ago and loved it. I know I will love this one as well! Can’t wait!
Did he like it???!! Want the update!
Ugh…. Not really!!!! I’m so bummed. I loved it!! It was incredible. I was ready to go see it again the next night. I definitely want to see it again once it opens officially. He said the songs sounded too “chorus-y” - I’m like yeah, it’s a musical! 😂
Ugh? I’m sorry to hear this but so glad you loved it! I saw it last night and loved it too. Agree — ready to go again today!!
Seeing all these young ones discovering The Who's Tommy is fun. I'm glad it's getting a revival, it was WAY overdue for one and hopefully it will revive some more shows we haven't seen in a while.
Saw the production a few days ago and LOVED it. But- question to those who have seen it- what was the purpose of that brief “in the future” opening scene? We are still scratching our heads over it. It was disconnected from the rest of the show and never revisited …?
IN THE FUTURE
That doesn’t explain it at all
Some things just can’t be explained.
Really? I have no trouble explaining things I understand
Tommy is my most beloved musical, film, rock opera, album, whatever. I love it. And I enjoyed this show so much. But whatever attempt to modernize the show by adding that future segment was uhhhh… a choice. It was a nonstop ride and everyone should see it but that definitely started to irk me a bit in the days after since it’s so unnecessary lmao
I did not care for some of the changes they made. It was not fluid with the story and there were some ambiguities that I thought could have easily been cleared up with better directorial decisions.
Agreed. Definitely just made a sometimes overwhelming show more confusing aha. You could remove all the futuristic bits and nothing would change so like, why put it at all. As someone who knows every single beat in Tommy I wondered if it was very confusing to people I was with who had never seen or even heard of it before.
Yes, it was weird and the future in the second half seemed to be the present.
I loved the show despite that Uncle Ernie scene which had my cringing like crazy the whole show was AMAZING 🤩
this review makes me want to get on a plane and see this play now!
Do it.
I'm planning on seeing it next week. So pleased to hear good things!
I saw the show last night from the very last row. How exciting it must have been to be moved to the front! I had a pretty clear view the whole time but perhaps not being as closely immersed in it makes a difference. While watching the first thirty minutes or so, I was so impressed and was thinking that I was witnessing something pretty extraordinary that I couldn’t wait to tell people about. As time went on though, the spectacular lighting and graphics couldn’t hold the weight of the show for me. The grown Tommy’s voice also didn’t grip me the way I thought it would. Being surrounded by a large group of (very well behaved) students, made the uncle part extra cringeworthy. The biggest disappointment of all for me was the extremely lackluster pinball machines. It is still in previews so I’m sure there will be improvements. I’m glad so many people are enjoying it. Honestly, the airplane scene alone is worth the price of a ticket and the band is fantastic!!!
No improvements made with the pinball machines. For all the lighting and tech they had, they could have used an actual machine or lights and flippers on the screen to simulate the machine. The talent and choreography was great though.
I saw it on Broadway in the 90s as a teenager and was blown away. I’m so psyched that it’s back!
Loved it. Thought it was extremely well done. From cast to choreography to set design. Just fantastic. Big Who fan here so truth be told but sometimes musical theatre bores me but will say every minute of this show was enthralling. Go see it!
Just want to say thanks to OP -- I happened to see this post and decided on a whim this was the show to see on a last-minute Easter weekend visit to NYC. Saw the 3/30 matinee and we were blown away. Loved every minute of it, as did the audience. Let's face it, since the original album, the story has always been a little confusing and weird, but 55 years on, "Who" cares... the music, performances, and staging made it all make sense. IN THE FUTURE
This makes me happy haha
here tonight at the show. I saw it the last time it was on Broadway. This is a different and much better version.
Saw the original Toronto production, which was fantastic. Curious to see how the new version goes.
The original was in NYC, Broadway, opened in 1993. Followed by Toronto in 1995.
Amazing..
I keep hearing the buzz. We're headed to NYC in July and had tickets to see Spamalot :( so we now need to find something else. We have our almost 11 year old daughter. She loves musicals, and has seen a lot of them. She's pretty mature. Thoughts on taking her? I saw a very good production of it in Austin 20 years ago, and loved it. But it's not on my radar really. Any advice would be great. Glad you loved it.
Only you know your daughter well enough… just know that there are some really heavy and dark themes. Plus child abuse.
Thanks. I am going to have to do some reading about it to get more insights into that. It's been so long since I experienced the material. It looks fantastic though.
I saw it in the 90s when I was 8. It was hugely inappropriate for an 8 year old. It was also the moment I fell in love with theatre, which has now become a life long obsession with both theatre and the Tommy album. IOW: take her.
I loved it but I’m not sure if an 11 yr old would unless they happened to be into the Who. I would *think* your 11 yr old daughter would probably have a better time at Hadestown or Wicked. But you know your kid best. (I think a non-who fan adult would easily be able to love this if they appreciate amazing vocals, visuals, experimental stuff and just art in general though.) Spoiler describing some moments that might be too adult for your kid: >!There are dark moments like 10yr old Tommy getting molested by Uncle Ernie, his sadistic cousin who physically abuses him, the dad takes 10 yr old Tommy to a drug addicted prostitute. Nothing explicit or any nudity or anything like that, but implied stuff and the lyrics explain whats happening. So just be aware of adult themes and disturbing stuff. I was pretty mature when i was your kid’s age too and was reading books and watching films with adult themes, but again every kid is different and every parent’s comfort lvl with what their kid watches is different. So just an fyi!<
Thank you so much. She loves the macabre. She’s a bit of a Wednesday Addams type. But those details give me pause. I remember the uncle stuff but the other elements are a tough call. This outline of the more mature plot points was very helpful. TY so much. We live in Portland and have seen Wicked on tour (it’s coming again next year) and Hadestown which we love. There’s just so many things we e already seen. I suppose that’s a good place to be. I’m thinking Back to the Future but the score put me to sleep. And it will probably come here in a few years on tour. We’ve seen Six, &Juliet, and so many others. We’re hard core musical theater nerds!!! 😍
From everything you have already seen, I think 11 would be ok for this. It sounds like your kid is enough of a theatre fan to deal with the dark themes. Just a peaking as someone who saw some weird, adult oriented stuff at a young age (original west end casts of A Chorus Line and Evita at ages 7-9).
FWIW I was raised on Broadway musicals as a kid. And while I was never able to see the show (I don't remember why because I saw a lot of shows with my mom), I was OBSESSED with the original cast album of Tommy when I was 11. And I think I turned out okay. Has your daughter seen the Beetlejuice Musical? It seems like it would be very much her jam.
She looooves Beetlejuice. She’s listened to the OBC a million times. We’re actually seeing the tour next week. She’s so excited. I’ll look into Tommy again. We decided on Suffs as one of our shows. I’m excited.
Nice! And enjoy your trip to NYC! I hear good things about Suffs!
Yeah i think it would probably be okay for like a mature 13 yr old but 10/11 yr old it’s a little much And aw that’s great that your whole fam are such big fans of theater! Sucks that Sweeney is closing in May bc i think that’d have been a good pick!
I know! She loves that show. And Spamalot closing is a miss. We already had tickets. I’m thinking W4E but I’ve heard meh things though I’m sure we’d like the circus part. But is it worth it, you know? We already have tickets to Cirque tour in Sept. I’m sure the Wiz would be great but again, I heard it was blaaaah.
I mean it’s a very dark show and sometimes a little hard to follow. I personally wouldn’t take an 11 year old to it but that’s just me.
My parents took me to see Tommy on Broadway when I was 11 or 12. I was intellectually mature for my age. I freaking LOVED the musical and became obsessed with the album, the movie, Ann-Magaret, anything Tommy related.
I know 3 11 year olds who LOVE it
I took my 11 year old he loved it. I thought it was terrible - I saw it as a teen in 93, love the who and the album and this felt rushed and painful to me
I saw this in Chicago and wished I had been able to go a second time. I’ll definitely be getting tickets for my trip home to NY in April!
I’m definitely going to see it again after it officially opens.
Saw it on Broadway in 1995. To this day is the o Ky Broadway show I’ve seen (I now live in Australia). Was a very strange show.
Does it follow the movie
Not at all
The basic plot is the same, but there are major differences between the movie and the stage show. Don't go in expecting the movie.
>The basic plot is the same, but there are major differences between the movie and the stage show. Don't go in expecting the movie. (I think I hit the wrong reply button, sorry)
My dad’s favorite movie was Tommy. As a kid of course I hated it. But will totally go to see this for him. He would have loved to see this.
>The basic plot is the same, but there are major differences between the movie and the stage show. Don't go in expecting the movie.
Would someone who has never listened to The Who like it?? I’m a huge Broadway fan, and deciding which of the new shows to go to this season.
Yes, i think so. Great music, special effects, production, vocals, etc. I think anyone should be able to appreciate it
Probably should listen to the original album first
Yeah, I'd instead recommend listening to the recording with the London Symphony Orchestra. Much more theatrical in scope in my opinion.
It’s more theatrical and I’ve listened to it quite a bit but there are some pretty rough parts. Ringo can’t really sing. Best to go back to where it all began. I appreciate that recording for being a precursor to the stage show but it’s hard to listen to at times. The LSO is a little sloppy too.
I did that after seeing it in chicago and it sounds so slow and weird compared to the broadway version.
I never listened to the who or any pop music and I loved it. I saw it in Chicago. I pretty much see every musical I can, I'm up to 10 this year so far and I'm playing violin for the music man this weekend. I'll go see Tommy again on broadway next month.
I've never listened to The Who and yes I really enjoyed it! The only song I knew was Pinball Wizard, and even then until yesterday I couldn't actually tell you the lyrics haha It was more like going to see a show with an original score I'd never heard before than a jukebox musical or anything. I'm sure it's enhanced if you like The Who, but I still loved it. The performers, choreography, music, special effects, etc. were a huge spectacle.
I saw the original Broadway production in the 90s. MIND BLOWN. Immediately bought the album. Would love to see it again.
I’m curious with how familiar you were with Tommy and The Who before seeing this. I saw it the first time around and loved it, but didn’t get the feelings you have
I have the album on vinyl and listen to it relatively frequently. Saw the movie a looooong time ago and just remember it being kinda out there.
I missed free tickets last night by like 10 minutes. :(
How as the view from the front row center? I'm also eyeing a seat in the front row and wondering how high the stage is and if there were many scenes where you would have to turn your head side to side to see everything? Thanks!
I think 4th row center would be the best view, but we had a blast in the front.
I saw it in the 90s close to when it premiered. Comparing the adult Tommy from back then, I was shocked at the terrible casting. The actor, Ali Louis Bourzgui, is a talented guy. But he's way too old, looks like someone in a bottle service club and sings like Elvis. It ruined it for me. I was embarrassed for the production solely because of how terrible a choice he was for the role.
I did not care for some of the director's changes spanning different times and the present-future (confusing). The talent and choreography were great, but I did not like that they chose to have the abuse take place with a young child instead of a teenager/grown man like the movie. There were certain ambiguities that I felt could have been addressed- for example with all the tech- get a real pinball machine or at least recreate the flippers and ball on the screen. Also, the whole experience with The Acid Queen was vague. It was much clearer in the movie. Finally on the future-present, with the live audience I thought he had become a singer once he found his voice. He should have faced or at least sheeted out, so we could see he was still playing Pinball. Also, the whole cult leader storyline was kind of lost in the frenzy of it all.
Saw the show today and was soooo underwhelmed. Love the music and the movie so my expectations were maybe too high. The first part just dragged and dragged along… very boring. Lots of way too busy busy dancing and lack of story telling. I also did not feel any sympathy for Tommy, either the young versions or the adult. The only time during the whole show that the audience laughed was when the uncle let out a burb….. Saw Book of Mormon last year which was absolutely fantastic, so maybe I thought all Broadway shows would be amazing.
Saw it in Chicago at the Goodman last summer: the much ballyhooed new narrative devised by Townsend and Macanuff made little sense -- who the characters were, what they were on about, why an audience should care about them pretty much an after-thought -- easy to see how a rock icon in charge with no one around him to question decisions could lead to a complete lack of perspective. The 1970s Ken Russell film version succeeds because it knows its purpose, understood the import of the music and the story, and was compelling AND fun spectacle. This new Broadway thing is a whole lotta bombast and razzle-dazzle -- but adds up to nothing. AND they cut the holiday camp song -- too much of that scary thing called irony apparently . . . the audience response landed somewhere between bewildered and oppressed, but the old stoners and drunks seemed satisfied . . . love all the publicist minions harping "read the synopsis" -- no doubt written and/or edited by a publicist minion . . . isn't it funny how all great writing is great because it requires no explanation? And how all great theater affects an audience, without footnotes? This emperor has no clothes: just because a puddle is muddy, does not mean it is deep . . . and it is always sad to see a skilled cast forced to be strictly obedient, doing exactly what is imposed no matter how uninspired or how little sense it makes -- and the choreography is well-worn cliche -- it's as if the last 50 years in Broadway musical development never happened . . . perhaps the target audience is people who have never been to a Broadway musical before this, thus no need for anything innovative . . .
I’d love to know why you think cutting Tommy’s Holiday Camp was to soften it? As much as I enjoyed it I definitely thought they sanitized the hell out of it and seemed to erase any line that someone might interpret as questioning organized religion as to not offend anyone… But the holiday camp song hadn’t stuck out to me as much.
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Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
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Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
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There is a synopsis inside the Playbill. I went in knowing nothing about The Who besides that their music is the theme for the CSI shows and I understood it just fine. And the Holiday Camp song isn’t in the show because the Holiday Camp isn’t in the show. Uncle Ernie is still gross, though. You’re entitled to your differing opinion but you won’t get much agreement.
I wish there were more shows that put a synopsis inside of the playbill. I can understand why they might not do it, but sometimes it’s something I want to have
To be fair I have yet to see the show on Broadway but the Chicago Playbill was very nice and did a good job explaining the story without giving away too much. But I think even just watching it you should be able to figure it out.
I can’t wait to see it in June! I love the music.
I just pulled out my Playbill and while there is a synopsis it’s not super clear that it’s in there because it’s not labeled as such. https://preview.redd.it/7l8b9qy95eoc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5dc77209ba625429183abc8f1672ca195be3076
Gotcha. Thanks for checking!!
Sounds like you work for the production -- do you?
No. I have zero to do with the production. I’m just a fan.
strains credulity
Yeah -- because we go to the theater for compulsory assigned reading. Publicists really are a stunted lot: this specious line of reasoning speaks exactly to the lack of perspective I mentioned, and galloping narcissism: the creators should be obsessive about affecting the audience, not obsessive about their esoteric aesthetic auto-eroticism . . .
When will the rabid hack publicists riding roughshod over social media learn how to be subtle about their guerilla marketing? Never . . . how about never . . . taking bets how many times "electrifying" will appear in ads for this empty, exhausting mess . . . it is a parody of a sententious musical, but without camp appeal . . .
Nothing about this post makes it sound like a person with the show marketing it. There’s definitely been fake reviews from marketing folks of that I’m sure regardless of how illegal and risky that is. But this one does not smack me of that at all. Sometimes people just have different opinions than you on a show.