Review Quadrophenia
The mods came to play at Leeds
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It would be perfectly understandable to go to the stage adaptation of Quadrophenia with expectations of seeing a reproduction of the film. However, it would also be very wrong. There are similarities to be found via the sense of teenage anxiety underlying throughout the film which is also present on stage; yet now it is so much more prevalent that it completely changes the tone of the story.
This is very much a reworking of the Quadrophenia album, and any blithe representations of the 60s counterculture offered by the film are totally played down here. The narrative is played out mainly through interpretative dance and brooding, pensive acting, though there are some choice mod moves and mandatory mod attire thrown in for good measure to remind all that it wasn’t all doom and gloom; there was escapism to be found in the subculture.
Indeed, much of the audience seem bemused by the abstract style of the show and reduction of the original soundtrack, reflected by their rapturous cheering during a more spirited performance of a more infamous mod track (‘My Generation’). The second half does pick up pace though, and begins to show more optimism through signs of redemption for the protagonist, Jimmy (based, of course, on Pete Townshend). The soundtrack of the show is heavily based on The Who’s concept album of the same name, which Townshend felt should have been more dominant in the film. He was apparently dissatisfied with how the film didn’t follow the song-cycle structure, hence why the stage version delves much more deeply into Jimmy’s psyche; there are some near-disturbing scenes of domestic violence and a constant anxiety shown in the four characters who play out Jimmy’s opposing egos. Townshend is evidently determined to show the world what was occupying his youthful mind besides Vespas and parkas, or at least justify the reasoning behind his introspective album while he still can.
Quadrophenia was on at Leeds Grand in August
Rebecca Ryder
Posted on Wednesday 2nd September 2009
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