BWW Reviews: ADELAIDE FESTIVAL 2015: TOMMY Gets A Jazz Based Treatment

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Saturday 28th February 2015

Although it has always referred to as "The Who's rock opera, Tommy", most of the work was written by Pete Townshend. It says so much about the quality of the compositions that, after a half century, it stands up well under any criteria, including drawing the interest of Eric Mingus who saw the possibility of a completely new set of orchestrations.

Mingus begins the show with a brief monologue, accompanying himself on electric upright bass. He explained that he could not listen to the music that his father loved after the age of fourteen, when his father died. His father, of course, was the late, great jazz bassist and composer, Charlie Mingus. He continues by telling that, while idly flicking through the radio stations, he heard this work being played by The Who and it made a huge impact upon him. Many years on, with the blessing of Pete Townshend, whom he befriended, this production is the result.

The music falls into numerous categories, including jazz, jazz-rock, free jazz, blues and more. Mingus also sings in the production, and even turns the Sally Simpson number into a spoken monologue in the style of a southern Baptist minister.

A major bonus in this production is the sensational orchestra, the rhythm section on our left, and reeds, brass, and strings to our right. The group is made up of a good few of our local musicians, who always send overseas artists away greatly impressed at how good our people are, and how easy they are to work with. Even complex music such as this does not faze Adelaide musicians, who happily take it in their stride.

A couple of strange directorial decisions by Mingus change some of the relationships. The Gypsy, The Acid Queen, is sung by a man, Irish singer, Gavin Friday, in raincoat, dark glasses, and a red feather boa, flashing Tommy who, of course, cannot see him, which was rather odd. This is normally sung by The Hawker's wife, The Hawker's song, Eyesight to the Blind, was sung by Mingus in a Delta Blues version. Tommy is played by a female, Yael Stone, which again changes the relationships, the dynamics, as well as the exchange between Tommy and Uncle Ernie, also played by Friday, when he sings Fiddle About.

Another ill-considered move is to have Tommy appear at various times during the performance through the larger central arch of the backdrop, taking only a pace or two forwards. The two smaller arches on either side are blocked off. This upstage positioning means that, so often, singers have their backs to the audience, which is rather irritating. They also block our view of Yael Stone, who is busy wordlessly acting her reactions to what is happening. The impression was that of a work in progress, rather than a finished and polished piece. Pauses in semi-blackout between some numbers, and Mingus conducting the orchestra at the same time as musical director, Giancarlo Vulcano, further added to this feel. These are all technical and directorial problems that could easily be corrected, though, by an experience theatre director.

What is most important is the music and the performances of the singers, and there are no criticisms on any of that. Aside from the superb orchestra there are, naturally the singers. Mingus has a big deep rich voice, but also a considerably wide range, as well as the ability to change the timbre of his voice to cover the different characters that he plays and styles of the music that he sings. As well as bass, he also plays guitar, accompanying himself in Eyesight to the Blind.

Gavin Friday conveys a great deal of menace as The Gypsy, pushing drugs on the young Tommy, then he makes one's skin crawl as the sleazy paedophile, Uncle Ernie, preying on Tommy, realising that he does so with impunity due to the boy's disabilities.

Harper Simon also plays a few roles, and will be best remembered for the character in the song that he sings gently, as though butter would not melt in his mouth, Cousin Kevin, a sadistic boy who treats Tommy very badly when supposedly acting as a babysitter. He also appears as Tommy's mother's lover, whom she marries when it is believed that her husband, Captain Walker, has been killed in the First World War.

Robert Forster plays Captain Walker, Tommy's father, throughout the production, his fine voice eminently suited to the role. Camille O'Sullivan plays Tommy's mother and her extensive acting and cabaret experience showed, both in her understanding and interpretation of the lyrics and emotional delivery of the songs, and in creating a fully developed character, something missing in some of the other roles.

Yael Stone is an actor first, a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, and a singer second. This was vital in a role where she was on stage for a lot of the time playing a deaf, dumb, and blind boy. She gave so much fragility and sadness to the role, and then added her singing in the late stages, when Tommy regains his faculties.

Yael's sister, Elana Stone plays piano accordion in the orchestra, as well as singing some of the minor roles, and adding to Yael Stone's vocals. Stone was one of the two standout performers of the evening, creating and maintaining the very difficult and complex character of the psychologically damaged, and mentally and physically abused Tommy.

The other was O'Sullivan who, similarly, brought a strongly compelling character to the stage and found every bit of meaning in her songs. She also looked stunning in a black sequinned dress to which accessories were added and removed to imply different outfits over the years. This included a pair of red, and a pair of silver shoes that I am sure many women would have envied.

There were some minor shortcomings on the night, but nothing that could not be remedied, and this was far outweighed by the marvellous score, the excellent orchestra, and the superb performers. This was a world premiere and it will be interesting to follow the work and see what changes and development might occur in the near future. Let's not forget that the original Tommy underwent s few revisions before being released.

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