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Pork pie hats, Parkas, popping ‘blues’, chasing rockers on your Vespa! Remember the Mods? They’re back with a country wide tour of Quadrophenia the Musical. The new show is based on The Who’s famous album of the same name and will take in twenty venues across Great Britain during 2009. Live on stage for the first time Quadrophenia provides a fast moving insight into the changing lives of teenagers in sixties Britain.

Portraying the start of Youth Culture and rebellion Quadrophenia is set in Brighton and London but as a tour of British towns and cities ‘Quad’ reflects the countrywide explosion of the ‘Mods and Rocker’ phenomena. The musical features disaffected Jimmy, who is looking for a good time, a girlfriend and a place in society. In Jimmy’s world you don’t quite get anything right but when it all goes wrong you keep looking for the next piece of action.

Quadrophenia the musical is about the growing pains of teenagers at the start of the boom time sixties. Its backdrop is the lyrics and music of many previously unpublished songs by Pete Townsend lead guitarist and songwriter with The Who. Townsend’s original intention was to write a quadruple album but it never made the shops. ‘Quadrophenia The Musical’ contains several of the songs cut from his initial work.

Pete Townsend, now musical Creative Consultant to the show, will see its opening night in Plymouth and watch with anticipation as audiences around the country experience his interpretation of the movie, before the show’s last night in Coventry, home of ska band The Specials.

This is a musical for the young and describes the early days of ‘You’ve never had it so good Britain’ when young people had money, transport and freedom from the shackles of parents and post war regeneration. Of course, young people today can still relate to the issues Jimmy wrestles with. Today’s teenagers may have IPods, Student Loans, Unemployment and Asbos to deal with but they will quickly recognise, the Jimmy the Romantic, Jimmy The Tough Guy, Jimmy the Lunatic and the need to be different , to be part of the gang and to fit in, to know where the action is and move heaven and hell to get there.

This is the Sixties Generation and whether Jimmy represents the four members of The Who, or just the changeable moods of a young drug user, Quadrophenia will take you back to the days of your youth: gangs, girls, excitement the sounds of the crowd. You will remember the morning after, the comedown back at work and of course the battles with Mum and Dad.

Meet Ace Face, Jimmy, the mod girls and leave Dead End Street on your way to London, Brighton, and Beachy Head. Those were the days my friend and Quadrophenia the Musical gives you the chance to relive the swinging era of Mods and Rockers. And for followers of Quentin Tarantino , when you are at the show keep an eye out for Jack Roth, son of Tim Roth of Reservoir Dogs, Made in Britain and Lie To Me notoriety.
This is a night to see what Magistrate Dr George Simpson was talking about in 1964 when he described Mods and Rockers as ‘These long haired mentally unstable petty little hoodlums, these sawdust Caesars who can only find courage like rats in hunting in packs.’

Never heard your Grandparents described like that before – get down to the show and see for yourself. You won’t get fooled again.