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Part gig, part drama, part soliloquy, part whimsy, Lennon: Through A Glass Onion – which is currently running at The Epstein Theatre, Liverpool – is, if nothing else, difficult to categorise. Crucially, however, and despite being given the go ahead from the “great” man’s estate (IE: Yoko Ono), one thing that it most certainly isn’t is revelatory.
This is Liverpool and if any audience is going to know about John Lennon, what he did, his legacy, his standing, it is going to be this audience. Yet with that said, the point of view upon which writer John Waters has decided upon – taking things semi-backwards from the night he was shot in New York – does provide a sort of quirkiness to proceedings that are well done and engaging.
As Lennon himself, dressed in battered denim jacket and jeans, armed with a trusty acoustic guitar, some ideas and a voice, Daniel Taylor is extremely convincing and gets the nuances of the man down to a tee. Taylor’s singing voice too, which let’s be fair is pretty important, is chillingly similar and particularly when it is accompanied by a soulfully played piano, supplied by Stewart D’Arietta.
And it is here that lies the rub. Dressed in all black, with a brown felted trilby, D’Arietta may be able to play – and nobody here is questioning his ability – but this nevertheless begs the question as to why he has to be so visible. This is “Lennon” telling his own life story as he sees it – both real and imagined – so what else is needed and what does the “second man” add?
Then there are the number of songs that are packed tightly into 2 hours of show. 36 of them might be good for the gig aspect, but as to the drama this turns Lennon: Through A Glass Onion into more of a part Let It Be, part eponymous – and much better crafted – Lennon, but without any of the drive or motivation behind what made the Working Class hero tick.
There is also the God-like reverence behind which lies the whole show. Lennon may be considered to have been a genius by some, but without the input of McCartney and Harrison and Starr, would The Beatles have been what they were and so provided JL with the platform to have become what he became? To elevate his iconic status higher than necessary and not to cast at least some light on his flaws seems pretty deceptive at best and downright lazy at worst.
Lennon: Through A Glass Onion runs for the best part of two weeks and is worth a visit, but don’t expect too much depth or substance to the proceedings. Instead sit back and enjoy what are some beautifully delivered songs that remain as timeless as ever.
Lennon: Through A Glass Onion
Epstein Theatre, Liverpool
April 18 – April 29
Author / Director: John Waters
Musical Director: Stewart D’Arietta
Cast: Daniel Taylor, Stewart D’Arietta
PR Rating: ***
For Tickets: http://epstein.ticketline.co.uk/lennon-through-a-glass-onion#bio