Pinball wizardry makes a return to Melbourne with The Who’s Tommy, set to rock a new generation.
To a modern audience, the rock opera Tommy may be something of a new concept, however its beginnings go back to 1968, created as a concept album by British band The Who.
From its origins as a concert tour, Tommy transformed from rock opera to a film with Elton John and Tina Turner, and eventual Broadway musical in 1992.
Mat Verevis as Tommy
Written with The Who’s Pete Townshend at the helm, the story was inspired by himself and the Indian spiritualist Meher Baba, who took a forty-four year period of observed silence. The show’s title character is a psychosomatically deaf, dumb and blind teenager, who becomes a pinball machine prodigy leading to fame and fortune, and an unsettling cult status.
Having last played Australia in 1973 with Daryl Braithwaite in the lead, Tommy marks its return with Victorian Opera with a cast including Matt Hetherington, Amy Lehpamer, Vincent Hooper, Kanen Breen and Paul Capsis as the ‘Acid Queen’.
Amy Lehpamer and Matt Hetherington as the parents of Tommy
In his first leading role, Mat Verevis (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) had his casting approved by Pete Townshend himself.
“This is my first title role and it’s a huge honour, says Verevis.
“I’ve been reading about Pete’s life and how it so closely intertwines with the story of Tommy. I’ve also been listening to The Who’s live recordings of the show, which are seriously amazing. So I’ve been super inspired, especially by the lead vocals and trying to discover that tone in my own voice.”
Mat Verevis in a scene from the rock opera Tommy
For Verevis, the role also needs great physical preparation, especially given the amount of required singing.
“It’s a relatively big sing for Tommy,” he says.
“I’ve built up my stamina by making sure I sing the material every day, and have a vocal rest at night. There’s also the deaf and blind elements that come into play, so I’ve watched a lot of material online and worked closely with our director Roger Hodgman.”
“Tommy has increasingly been seen as a portrait of someone with severe autism.”
For Hodgman, who has won awards for directing Grey Gardens and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? this production is the chance to present an acclaimed and somewhat forgotten work.
“The New York Times described Tommy as “the first rock and roll masterpiece”, says Hodgman.
Women are suddenly attracted to Tommy! From the Rock Opera Tommy
“But it wasn’t until the Nineties that Pete Townshend got together with the Canadian/American director Des MacAnuff, that the material was developed into a coherent stage musical opera. This is the Australian premiere of that version, which won several Tony awards.”
The music and production is indeed unusual, but also relative to an era where the concept album was embraced by other bands including Pink Floyd and The Moody Blues. Townshend originally referred to his work as a Deaf, Dumb and Blind Boy who sees life through vibrations, which were translated through music. Daring for its time, its leading character was not the standard ‘boy next door’.
“As time passed, Tommy has increasingly been seen as a portrait of someone with severe autism,” says Hodgman.
“It’s a condition we are much more aware of now, than in the late Sixties. Townshend has talked about this and how the show riffs on the nature and pitfalls of celebrity. The story of the young autistic Tommy, sexually abused by his uncle and bullied by his peers is a terribly familiar trope,” says Hodgman.
A pin ball scene from the rock opera Tommy
“Tommy actually finds himself when he starts to play pinball and becomes a champion. It’s not a stretch to see that as a metaphor, for the guitar that brought fame to Townshend.”
Also set to return to Broadway, it will be interesting to see how today’s modern audiences will take to a rock opera inspired by themes of bullying, disconnection, fame and forgiveness, not to mention Sixties hard rock.
“Many will already be familiar with Tommy, but there’s a younger generation that doesn’t know it as well,” says Hodgman.
“I was struck by many young artists who auditioned and confessed they hadn’t heard the music, but had fallen in love with it. I hope the audience will be fascinated and moved by the story of the young boy who retreats into an autistic haze after witnessing a terrible event, but finally finds himself.”
“The New York Times described Tommy as “the first rock and roll masterpiece”.
For Verevis, the show and its story is a bold new experience, which he hopes will be embraced by others.
“I’ve done a few jukebox musicals now, but nothing as grandiose, abstract, metaphorical and spectacular as this,” he says.
“I hope people will leave this show with lots of nostalgia from hearing the music, but to also be inspired from its story, and larger metaphor of hope.”
Tommy plays at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre from 13 – 21 August
For more: victorianopera.com.au
