'Lennon' Musical To Close On Broadway

billboard.com/ ^ | Edited By Barry A. Jeckell. September 16, 2005, 10:25 AM ET

[InvisibleChurch]

Edited By Barry A. Jeckell. September 16, 2005, 10:25 AM ET

'Lennon' Musical To Close On Broadway

"Lennon," the musical about the life and music of John Lennon that earned dismal reviews, will close just six weeks after it opened on Broadway. Created with the help of the former Beatle's widow, Yoko Ono, the show had a troubled road to Broadway that involved major rewrites after it was first produced in San Francisco.

Critics slammed it for what The New York Times called its "Ono-centric" view of Lennon's life, and audiences have dwindled since its Aug. 15 opening night, falling to around 40 percent capacity in recent weeks.

The producers said in a statement "Lennon" would play its final performance Sept. 24, by which time it will have played 42 previews and 49 regular performances.

The show skipped through the early years of Lennon's career, when the Beatles revolutionized popular music, and gives little weight to his first marriage and son before he met Ono, and his split with the Beatles in 1970. It also glossed over a later affair when he and Ono lived apart for more than a year.

"This is John Lennon, the legend, as filtered through the protective, selective, up-with-people, later-life self-interest of Yoko Ono Lennon," Newsday wrote in a review in August.

[InvisibleChurch]

c-h-e-e-s-e-a-n-d-o-n-i-o-n-s ono!

[Cathy]

Now, that's a real shame.........

[Chi-townChief]

Imagine there's no Lennon; it's not so hard to do.

[john drake]

I don't think John Lennon's work after the Beatles was of much quality anyway. Maybe because Yoko had her grabby little hands and screechy little voice all over his creative abilities, thereby stifling them. Imagine that, Yoko.Obviously the same affect 25 years later on this crumby Broadway show. Regardless, Lennon's stuff belongs in the 60's and should stay there. R.I.P.

[Montfort]

Imagine there's no audience. It's easy if you try.

[dr_who_2]

"This is John Lennon, the legend, as filtered through the protective, selective, up-with-people, later-life self-interest of Yoko Ono Lennon," Newsday wrote in a review in August.

Even when viewed through that lens, you'd be left with another story about a dead celebrity. He was a funny, witty Liverpuddlian with problems both before and after he became wealthy and famous.

[digger48]

What it must be like to be talentless, brainless, hated, and friggin ugly.

[Roscoe Karns]

"Hmmmm, a play about John Lennon and Yoko Ono? Interesting!"

[dr_who_2]

...and rich...

[softwarecreator]

I am a huge Beatles and John Lennon fan, yet I never heard of this play and could not care less.

[tallhappy]

I am a huge Beatles and John Lennon fan...

You should maybe, like, try to go on a diet, loose a few pounds...just saying...

[softwarecreator]

You should maybe, like, try to go on a diet, loose a few pounds...just saying...

LOL!

[mtbopfuyn]

O no!

[Gay State Conservative]

Regardless of what one might think about his politics/lifestyle,he had real talent.

She's a lightweight.Always has been,always will be.

[LowOiL]

Wonder if they ever found that statue of Lennon that Castro had on public display in Cuba. Last I heard, it was stolen and Fidel was ticked his communist comrade was still lost.