‘Tommy’ Review: Broadway Musical Revival is Strictly for the Boomers

variety.com:

Trish Deitch There are two kinds of people in this world: Those that love bone-shaking, ear-splitting spectacles, like fireworks and arena-sized heavy metal concerts, and those who want nothing more than to miss such events for a night on the couch with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate.

One such youngster had a seat in the orchestra during a Broadway performance of “The Who’s Tommy” and said as much at the top of his lungs. “I don’t like this!” the small child screamed during a rare lull in the overwhelming action. “Get me out of here!” The child’s upset was so understandable that the audience laughed for a good long while. “Tommy” is pure sensory overload, with lights flashing, scrims rising and falling, photographs carousel-ing across the back wall, and the chorus constantly running, jumping, goosestepping and swinging each other across the stage.

It’s like a machine: Once it’s switched on, it just keeps going, regardless of audience outbursts — there’s not a moment of stillness or silence until the lights come up.

On top of all that, there’s Pete Townshend’s music, beautifully overseen by Ron Melrose and conducted by Rick Fox, but sung here without the heart and soul that The Who brought to their album “Tommy” in 1975.