Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: John Power, Tom Connor, Kirsten Foster, Ross Higginson, Adam Keast, Jonathan Markwood, Daniel McIntyre, Mark Newnham, Nicky Swift.

It is impossible to thank somebody across the ages, to shake their hand and say cheers for bringing a story to life, even when that person is still such a force in Liverpool’s artistic and cultural society, you cannot go back to a day over 30 years ago and tell them thank you for telling the dramatic life of one of the true heroes to have come from a city in which salutes its champions harder than anywhere else in the country. However if you should bump into Bob Eaton then try your absolute best to thank him for taking the chance on a production at the Everyman Theatre just a few short months after the passing of John Lennon.

Lennon has been one of the categorical and supreme successes to be performed in Liverpool and in the last few years has gone from strength to strength. The Royal Court Theatre has had the privilege of hosting three productions of Lennon and each one has stood out as a piece of true theatre. Not just because of the man himself, a hero who changed the world and who was tragically taken from those who he loved, Sean, Yoko and Julian, but also from the many millions, on both sides of the Atlantic who loved him and the music he created with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

In this third production of Lennon since its revival in 2010, John Power, himself a legend in the world of Liverpool music reprised his role as the man who is perhaps arguably one of the city’s all-time favourite sons and again gave the type of performance that can have audiences weep with joy at the memory of the songs but also be moved to tears as they remember where they were on the day he was assassinated in New York City in December 1980.

Two hours in the life of John Lennon is never going to be enough for a man who lived more in 40 years than many could manage in a hundred, however with some exquisite songs from the Beatles and John Lennon catalogue, perfectly captured by the sublime Tom Connor as the young Paul McCartney, Mark Newnham as the fledgling star John Lennon, Daniel McIntyre as George Harrison,  Ross Higginson as both Pete Best and Ringo Starr and the inspirational Adam Keast as Stuart Sutcliffe and later as Brian Epstein, the story was told, a few warts and all.

If Tom Connor and Mark Newnham were exemplary in their roles, for which Tom Connor was the absolute spit of the master music maker, then John Power was immense and Jonathan Markwood was tremendous. Jonathan Markwood never seemed to be off stage as he played every other part going including a super version of American legendary host Ed Sullivan.

The mark of a great play can be seen as soon as the final dialogue is spoken and the house lights go up, when you witness a standing ovation start to take effect before the lights wake up from their two hour doze, then you know you have witnessed greatness.

For anybody who loves music, loves The Beatles, loves Liverpool and who adores John Lennon, there is no better play, no better played music and no better time to remember what humanity lost because of one man and a gun.

Magnificent!

Ian D. Hall