It makes perfect sense that a former MTV veejay is starring in "The Who's Tommy", which opened at Kennedy Center last night. Completely aside from Steve Isaacs' fine performance, his casting is appropriate because this stage version of the 1969 British rock-opera recording is theatrical MTV.
Besides the usual credits for direction (Des McAnuff), choreography (Wayne Cilento), scenery (John Arnone), etc., the program lists credits for projections, video, special effects and technical supervision, among others. The accomplishments of these specialists are the highlight of a show that has been praised for revolutionizing musical theater.
Whether you agree will depend partly on your feelings about the content of Pete Townshend's song cycle, which tells the story of a traumatized child who -- despite losing his vision, hearing and speech -- becomes a pinball wizard. "Tommy" is a show you either love or avoid, and although this critic's personal taste places her in the latter category, the production's technical wizardry cannot be denied.
The MTV aspect surfaces as soon as you see the set's proscenium arch, which is made up of TV monitors that figure prominently later in the show, when Tommy becomes a media celebrity.
The music video-esque staging begins, however, with the stunning montage that opens the show. The montage depicts the meeting and marriage of Tommy's parents (Christy Tarr and Jordan Leeds), after which his father, Capt. Walker, goes off to fight World War II, is shot down, imprisoned in a German camp and reported missing in action. All of this takes about 10 minutes and is presented via projections, fast-changing scenery and fluid choreography. The effect is that of a series of quick cuts and dissolves, and it's the slickest part of a super-slick production.
After this hi-tech intro, however, the focus shifts to the characters, and they are a cold, unlikable lot with whom it is difficult to become involved. Tommy, of course, is, as the lyrics put it, "that deaf, dumb and blind kid" -- a condition brought on when Capt. Walker murders his wife's lover and sends 4-year-old Tommy into a catatonic state by admonishing him: "You didn't hear it,/You didn't see it,/You won't say nothing to no one/Ever in your life."
Impressively, Isaacs' performance does earn a degree of empathy for a character who, by definition, can't express emotions. Part of the credit, however, belongs to Townshend and director McAnuff, who co-adapted the text. They came up with the device of having Tommy portrayed, at different ages, by two children as well as Isaacs, who takes the part of a spiritual guide for his younger selves, singing the feelings they are unable speak.
It's considerably more difficult to care about Tommy's child- molesting Uncle Ernie (Stephen Lee Anderson) or his cruel cousin Kevin (Michael Arnold). And yet, the softened ending that Townshend and McAnuff have stuck on this show asks us to do just that, as the cured Tommy embraces what he calls "normality" and forgives his family. To borrow some other lyrics, "Tommy" may not touch you or heal you, but being wowed may suffice.
"The Who's Tommy"
Where: Kennedy Center, Washington
When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, matinees at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, except Dec. 24 and 25 at 7 p.m., and Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; through Jan. 22
Tickets: $42-$60
Call: (800) 444-1324
** 1/2