With only Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr left, fans no longer hope for a reunion. What an amazing ride they had, but before they were the Fab Four, they were a different set of lads: John Lennon, George Harrison, Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe. Although billed as “Backbeat: The Birth of the Beatles” this stage play with music mainly focuses on the love story–the bromance between Lennon and Sutcliffe and the standard hetero-romance between Sutcliffe and German photographer Astrid Kirchherr. “Backbeat” is making its U.S. premiere at the Ahmanson and continues until March 1.
Sutcliffe (Nick Blood) is sometimes called the fifth Beatle ,and unlike Pete Best (Oliver Bennett) who was summarily dumped by the group (portrayed at the end of this play), his departure was voluntary. Sutcliffe met Lennon (Andrew Knott) at art school and they were roommates. While Lennon was a talented musician, he was not a first-rate artist. On the other hand, Sutcliffe was a gifted painter, but only an adequate bass player.
Lennon looked up to Sutcliffe and wanted to take his best friend along on a wild ride that would become the Beatles. To an extent, despite or because of the horrific conditions of their first Hamburg trip, the group became more cohesive. Yet the pull of art and Lennon’s affection for Sutcliffe took the focal point away from the creative center of Lennon and McCartney. Kirschherr (Leanne Best0 wasn’t exactly Yoko Ono, but she forces Sutcliffe to realize what’s important to him–art and love.
“Backbeat” is based on the Universal Pictures Films of the same name, written by Iain Softley, Michael Thomas and Stephen Ward. Softley and Stephen Jeffreys adapted the story for stage and the play is both concert and tribute band to the Beatles. Director David Leveaux with musical supervisor Paul Stacey begins and keeps the pace with a driving beat.
Don’t expect anything deep here. These are lads having fun, before the boys took on a more professional demeanor in dress and on-stage patter. There is enough to suggest what came later. Not just the success, but the sometimes contentious creative relationship between McCartney and Lennon as well as Lennon’s attraction to established artist Yoko Ono and McCartney’s insistence that Linda, negligible musician and singer that she was, be on stage with him.
“Backbeat” is meant to stimulate your intellect–not even in terms of the relationship between art, music and artists, but “Backbeat” want to motivate you out of your seat. This is theater meant to get your feet tapping to the beat and your hands clapping to the music. The show, a Kark Sydow production in association with the Glasgow Citizens Theatre, has a fun soundtrack and at the end, you’ll have the opportunity to do a little dancing. You might want to storm the stage, but it’s not that kind of show. “Backbeat” is making its U.S. premiere at the Ahmanson and continues until March 1. If you enjoy the music of the early Beatles and that general time era, definitely take time to feel the “Backbeat” of the Beatles.
Age of the Geek 
Seems like an interesting play. That was one of the great betrayals, what they did to Pete Best. He slogged it though all those seven hour gigs at German strip joints and the like, and just when they get a contract, they dump him.
My favorite band is The Who, But in my opinion, it ended when Keith Moon died, even if Pete and Roger still want to call themselves The Who after the deaths of the other members.
It is interesting to note that Zack Starkey is now their drummer and has been since about 1999. Ringo’s son does a fine job!!
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In the play, however, the sacking of Pete Best was used as a counterpoint to show that Stuart made the right decision. He wasn’t a good musician, but he was a great artist.
I agree that the other members (Lennon, McCartney and Harrison) could have done better for Pete Best.
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Sutcliffs early death was tragic. We’ll never know what he might have accomplished. And the suicide of Brian Epstein is incomprehensible. It’s surprising how many of these early musicians were art students. Pete Townshend was one. In the eighties he was also a book editor.
Hey, stop by my site when you get a chance. We have similar interests. Maybe, over time, we can develop a strategic alliance.
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Oops. I just read your About page. I don’t remember reading it before, if I did. Anyway, I didn’t know you were famous. I left the second paragraph of the above post because I went by the comments. I suppose lots of people enjoy reading more than commenting. For me, it’s a dreary day in Donald Land when there aren’t any comments.
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I wouldn’t say I’m famous, but in certain circles, I’m infamous.
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🙂
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