THE WHO'S Pete Townshend's Rock Opera QUADROPHENIA Comes to UK Stage in May

Pete Townshend's legendary rock opera Quadrophenia is brought to the stage for the first time for a six month tour of the UK, opening in Plymouth in May 2009. Full tour details are listed below.

Set in London and Brighton at the height of the Mod era, Quadrophenia is told through the eyes of Jimmy, a hedonistic style conscious teenager searching for a place to belong and a girl to love. Misunderstood by his parents and stuck in a dead end job, he sets off on a trip to Brighton that will change his life forever.

The compelling coming of age story is brought to life in this original stage adaptation of the legendary album. The evocative world of sixties Britain provides a colourful backdrop to Jimmy's journey. Pete Townshend's score captures the excitement of a nation on the brink of change.

Quadrophenia documents a culturally significant moment in Britain, the influences of which are still seen today in music and fashion. The story takes a snapshot of one of the most interesting and energising times for pop culture in Britain.

The album Quadrophenia was released by The Who in 1973 followed by the iconic film in 1979. Rolling Stone magazine and VH1 have named it one of the 100 Greatest Albums of all Time. The film which became a cult hit was directed by Franc Roddam and starring Sting, Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Wilcox and a young Ray Winstone, it captured the tense and at times violent atmosphere in the UK in the mid 1960s.

This brand new stage adaptation of the album is directed by Tom Critchley.

A young cast will be assembled by Casting Director Pippa Ailion, whose most recent credit Spring Awakening opened at the Lyric Hammersmith on February 3rd and also features a cast of exciting young performers.

Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (born 19 May 1945 in Chiswick, London), is an English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer, and writer, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for The Who, as well as for his own solo career. His career with The Who spans more than forty years, during which time the band grew to be considered one of the most influential bands of the rock era, in addition to being "possibly the greatest live band ever."

Townshend is the primary songwriter for the Who, writing well over one hundred songs for the band's eleven studio albums, including the rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia and the well-regarded rock radio staple Who's Next, plus dozens more that appeared as non-album singles, bonus tracks on reissues, and tracks on rarities compilations such as Odds and Sods. He has also written over one hundred songs for his solo albums and rarities compilations. Although known mainly for being a guitarist, he is also an accomplished singer and keyboard player, and has played many other instruments on his solo albums, and on some Who albums (such as banjo, accordion, synthesizer, piano, bass guitar, drums). Townshend has also written newspaper and magazine articles, book reviews, essays, books, and scripts.

Music, Lyrics and concept by Pete Townshend

Stage Adaptation by Jeff Young, John O'Hara and Tom Critchley

Written by Jeff Young

Director Tom Critchley

Musical Supervisor & Arrangements John O'Hara

Set Design Sophie Khan

Costume Design Carl Perry

Choreography Frances Newman

Lighting Design Ace McCarron

Fight Direction Kevin McCurdy

Sound Design Jason Barnes

Musical Director Elliott Ware

Casting Director Pippa Ailion

Creative Consultant Bill Schultz

General Management Kenny Wax Ltd

Tom Critchley (Director) has worked in theatre since 1980, variously as stage crew, stage manager, performer, director and producer, at the Crucible Theatre, Churchill Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, Bristol Old Vic and with Kneehigh Theatre, The Desperate Men and Public Parts. Directing includes Family Values and Dollsheart, also by Jeff Young. Tom gained a degree in drama at Bristol University in 1991 and an Arts Council of England Trainee Directorship in 1993, enabling him to train with Augusto Boal in Derry, Welfare State in Cumbria and Attakalari in Kerala, India. He joined Pete Townshend's Eel Pie Publishing in 1998, developing Psychoderelict in New York and producing Lifehouse with the BBC, written by Jeff Young. He established Industrial Language in 2000 to continue acting as a Creative Producer on other Townshend music Theatre Projects including Quadrophenia, which has become a labour of love for Jeff, John and Tom.

John O'Hara (Musical Director) is a graduate of The Royal Northern College of Music. Work includes performances with The Halle, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Rambert Dance Company. He was the resident Composter/Musical Director at the Bristol Old Vic for over a decade. Other theatre work includes: The National Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, Leicester Haymarket and The Royal Exchange. Television Commissions include: A Miracle on the River Kwai, History in Action, Nicks Quest (Wildlife series), Run With The Ball and Time and Tide. At the Royal Welsh College: Guys and Dolls, Threepenny Opera, Merrily We Roll A-Long and Quadrophenia. John has composed three children's operas for the Welsh National Opera, The Boy Who Went To The West Wind is being performed at the Smithsonian Festival in Washington DC in 2009 and The Mermaid King has been made into a short film. He plays piano and accordion in the band Jethro Tull and orchestrates and conducts Ian Anderson's solo concerts.

Jeff Young's (Writer) work includes over 20 plays, radio essays and drama documentaries for Resonance FM, BBC Radio 3 and 4 for whom he has collaborated with the likes of Simon Armitage and Skyray. Jeff previously worked with Pete Townshend on the BBC Radio 3 adaptation of Lifehouse. ‘Carandiru' recorded in a Sao Paulo prison was nominated for a Sony and he has been nominated for Prix Italia and Prix Europa awards. Jeff has written numerous large scale, site specific collaborations for places such as a drained submarine dock in Barrow in Furness, the Mersey Tunnel and a power station in Swan Hunter shipyard, Newcastle. He has written thirty odd stage plays and music theatre pieces for Liverpool Everyman, Unity, Northern Stage, Kneehigh, Bristol Old Vic and many other theatres.

Recently Jeff has been writing for BBC TV Drama on programmes such as Eastenders and Casualty. A film version of his radio play The Don is in development with music and songs by Pete Wylie. Future work includes the stage version of Pete Townshend's Quadrophenia and an opera with composer Joby Talbot and Improbable for English National Opera. Jeff also works with the artist Alan Dunn on sound art, spoken word and public art projects.

Ina Meibach (Producer) Broadway producing credits: The Little Dog Laughed (Tony Award for Julie White); Topdog/Underdog (Pulitzer Prize winning play of Suzan-Lori Parks); Steel Magnolias; and The Three Musketeers; Off-Broadway- Chris Durang's Adrift in Macao, The Neon Woman, Dirty Show Part Too and Bill Graham Presents. In her previous life as an entertainment attorney, her clients included The Who, U2, Queen, Monty Python,Labelle, Billy Joel and Patti Smith. She is on the Board of New York Stage and Film.

Bill Schultz (Producer) An innovator and pioneer in the world of sports medicine, surgical procedures, and clothing that affect anatomy. Bill's passion for music and theatre motivated him to produce a work shop of Quadrophenia in Southern California. An intense creative drive and love of The Who has led him through this incredible journey.

TOUR DATES

PLYMOUTH Theatre Royal
11 - 16 May
Box Office 01752 267222
www.theatreroyal.com

BIRMINGHAM Hippodrome
18 - 23 May
0870 730 1234
www.birminghamhippodrome.com

EDINBURGH Festival Theatre
25 - 30 May
0131 529 6000
www.eft.co.uk

GLASGOW Kings Theatre
1 - 6 June
0870 060 6647
www.theambassadors.com

BATH Theatre Royal
8 - 13 June
01225 448844
www.theatreroyal.org.uk

MANCHESTER Opera House
15 - 20 June
0844 847 2295
www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

SUNDERLAND Empire
6 - 11 July
0844 847 24 99
www.sunderlandempire.org.uk

CAMBRIDGE Arts Theatre
20 - 25 July
01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

CHELTENHAM Everyman
27 July - 1 August
01242 572573
www.everymantheatre.org.uk

LEEDS Grand
3 - 8 August
0844 848 2706
www.leedsgrandtheatre.co.uk

NOTTINGHAM Concert Hall
10 - 15 August
0115 9895555
www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk

ABERDEEN His Majesty's
17 - 22 August
01224 641122
www.hmtaberdeen.com

LIVERPOOL Empire
24 - 29 August
0844 847 2525
www.liverpoolempire.org.uk

BRIGHTON Theatre Royal
31 August - 5 September
08700 606 650
www.theambassadors.com

WOLVERHAMPTON Grand
21 - 26 September
01902 42 92 12
www.grandtheatre.info

COVENTRY Belgrade
28 September - 3 October
024 7655 3055
www.belgrade.co.uk

OXFORD Playhouse
5 - 10 October
01865 305305
www.oxfordplayhouse.com

WIMBLEDON Theatre
19 - 24 October
0870 060 6646
www.ambassadortickets.com/wimbledon

SOUTHAMPTON Mayflower
26 - 31 October
02380 711811
www.mayflower.org.uk

READING Hexagon
2 - 7 November
0118 960 6060
www.readingarts.com/thehexagon

 

 

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