Zachary Franczak IS Tommy. Photo by Micah Hoel.

So who had a rotten childhood?  Well, in the rock musical The Who’s Tommy, the titular character sure qualifies.  And yet, in this tribute to life and music the worst of times (and upbringings) is overcome and sensationally celebrated.  This Ray of Light’s production, currently running at the Victoria Theatre, hits all the right notes with pulse-pounding rhythms, stunning voices, and heavenly stage pictures. 

Born in WWII-era London, infant Tommy witnesses the return of his long-lost soldier father and the murder of his mother’s “new” lover.  True to that generation, no one talked about such horrors, and young Tommy dutifully enters a catatonic state.  His parents try everything medically possible, and family members try more unconventional methods… but to no avail.  In Act II Tommy manages to re-enter the world with shocking consequences.  If you’ve only seen the movie, the stage version has several key differences.

Zachary Franczak stars as the adult Tommy, and he delivers a power-packed, charismatic performance that grabs and holds us from first song to last.  His gorgeous voice, handsome face and smooth moves keep us riveted.  Hearts will break as he plaintively sings “See Me, Feel Me.”  And he’s well supported by a strong cast.  Playing his beleaguered mother Mrs. Walker, Emily Wade Adams has a voice you wish would never stop as does handsome Cameron Weston (Captain Walker).  You’ll love Leanne Borghesi as she powerfully belts a mean Acid Queen.  Decked out in form-fitting, gold lame with matching gold fringe and cfm pumps, she takes centerstage with her show-stopping performance.  And bravo to both Deucalion Martin (Tommy age 4) and David “Kelii” Kahawaii (Tommy age 10) — these kids render performances suggesting that they’re “young” going on 40!

Director Shane Ray creates gorgeous visuals that hit the ground running.  Act I is packed with non-stop scene-changes that seamlessly transverse years within minutes.  It’s an amazing phantasmagoria of images and music!  Unfortunately, Act II slows the manic montage with less flying scenery and a bit more focus on characterization.  Ben Prince as music director (and on keyboards) provides non-stop music (it IS opera format with virtually no dialogue) that begs the audience to jump into the aisles and shake their booties.  And though it occasionally comes close, the music from the fantastic 6-piece band never quite overcomes the voices.  Excellent.  

Ellyn Marie Marsh’s choreography ranges from very good to fantastic!  She keeps the true-to-the-time dances thrilling.  The tech is all above par with stunning scenery (Angelo Benedetto) flying on and offstage, colorful costumes (Mark Koss), and flashy lighting (Dustin Snyder).

The unforgettable music and lyrics by Pete Townshend are legendary, and this musical is a vital sample of that career.  There are additional lyrics by John Entwistle and Keith Moon.  And Des McAnuff’s book provides a richly textured storyline that encourages multiple metaphorical interpretations on many levels.
Highly recommended for… well… everyone!  This is one of those rare theatrical experiences where all the elements work together wonderfully.  If you only see one musical this year, I’d suggest this one!  The Who’s Tommy… Wow!

The Who’s Tommy continues (Thur-Sun var. times) until Nov. 7 at the Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street, San Francisco.  Tickets are $25 to $36 at tommysf.com.