Quadrophenia makes North West return

Pete Townshend’s legendary rock opera Quadrophenia visits Liverpool’s Empire Theatre this month as part of a six month UK tour.

An adaptation for the stage by Jeff Young, John O’Hara, and Tom Critchley, 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.

Led by four young actors who will share the role of Jimmy – Ryan O’Donnell (Jimmy – Romantic), Jack Roth (Jimmy – Lunatic), George Maguire (Jimmy – Tough Guy) and Rob Kendrick (Jimmy – Hypocrite) and Sydney Rae White who will play ‘The Girl’, the cast also features Kirsty Malone (Mum), Dawn Sievewright (Guardian Angel) Iris Roberts (Guardian Angel), Lillie Flynn (Guardian Angel) John Schumacher (Dad), Kevin Wathen (The Godfather), Ryan Gage (Ace Face), Tom Robertson (Gang Leader), Daniel Curtis (Swing), Sean Croke (Swing) and Brennan Reece (Swing).

Speaking before the production went on a tour of the UK, Pete Townsend said: “It’s taken a long time, and a lot of wrangling to accept that Quadrophenia is probably never going to work as conventional music theatre. So I hope for a grand and chaotic explosion of music and chorus that revives the memories of being young in the ’60s, but also brings those memories to life in the 21st century.”

The album Quadrophenia was released by The Who in 1973 followed by the iconic film in 1979 starring Phil Daniels and Lesley Ash.

Quadrophenia appears at the Liverpool Empire on 25-29 August.

Read the Whatsonstage.com review of the show when it appeared at Manchester’s Opera House in June this year by clicking here