Look Who’s Back

For the quarter century since its arrival on vinyl, “Quadrophenia” has been known as Pete Townshend and the Who’s “other” rock opera--deep in the shadow of their earlier “Tommy.” The flashy production of “Quadrophenia” that came to the Forum on Tuesday (and continues its U.S. arena tour on Friday at the Pond of Anaheim) isn’t likely to change that situation.

Just as the ambitious tale of youthful anxiety and desire deals with the split personalities of a ‘60s British teenager named Jimmy, the rambling production suffers from its own identity crisis--its powerful music frequently neutralized by excessive embroidery.

The passion of the original recording was so distanced at times by the various video and other theatrical extras at the Forum that you almost expected lead singer Roger Daltrey to step from the proceedings and scream out, in the tradition of one of “Tommy’s” most famous passages, “Jimmy, can you hear me?”

Thrilled by the way “Tommy” has been embraced by ‘90s theater audiences, Townshend appears anxious to give “Quadrophenia” a similar life of its own--eventually, no doubt, as a musical play with actors and a story line. At the start of the encore Tuesday, he even joked about waiting backstage for scripts and suggestions from all the “movie folks” in the audience.

While this tour may well inspire some thought in that direction, the true inspiration for a successful “Quadrophenia” production is likely to come from simply listening to the album again or viewing director Franc Roddam’s excellent 1979 film version.

The Who’s Daltrey, Townshend and bassist John Entwistle were joined on stage by a virtual army of associates: lead guitarist Simon Townshend, drummer Zak Starkey, two keyboardists, two backup singers, a percussionist and five horn players. The production also used three overhead video screens to push the story of Jimmy forward via excerpts from the Roddam film and newly shot footage.

To add color, British rock singers Gary Glitter and Billy Idol acted out in song the parts of two “Quadrophenia” characters. Unfortunately, the two were little more than cartoonish turns that cut into the seriousness of Jimmy’s search for identity and purpose.

For most of the way, you didn’t feel the struggle of the characters as much as the strain of the Who members’ trying to pump life into this big concert vehicle.

While Daltrey seemed to have trouble injecting the lyrics with authenticity at times, Townshend reflected the inner turmoil of Jimmy in his brief turns at the microphone, whether sharing it with Daltrey on “I’m One”--a song about wanting to be accepted by your peers so badly that you are willing to conform to their ways--or taking over fully on “Drowned,” a song of spiritual transformation.

Though the audience was enthusiastic through the 90-minute presentation, the real source of joy seemed to be tied simply to seeing again on stage--perhaps for the final time live--the three surviving members of one of rock’s half-dozen greatest bands. The group, whose members are all in their early 50s, disbanded in 1982, but reunited for a 25th anniversary tour in 1989.

As the Who left the stage after a brief encore featuring such non-”Quadrophenia” tunes as “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Behind Blue Eyes,” it didn’t feel you were as much watching the rebirth of “Quadrophenia” as the final farewell of the Who. It was perhaps the evening’s truest moment of theater.

* The Who performs on Friday at the Pond of Anaheim, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 8 p.m.$35, $50, $75. (714) 704-2400.