“The roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd,” Morrissey quipped several minutes after taking the stage of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Thursday night, for the first of a string of performances. The reference to a 1964 Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse musical—which draws heavily on music hall tradition, sends up British class distinctions, and arrived on our shores after touring across the pond—seemed a fitting way for this very English singer/songwriter to mark his own Broadway debut.
Anyone expecting Morrissey to break into “Who Can I Turn To?” was, alas, disappointed. His show—set to be followed at the Lunt-Fontanne by “In Residence” appearances by Yanni, Mel Brooks and Criss Angel, with Regina Spektor also on tap—is a concert retrospective, though not the kind a certain chap from New Jersey delivered to soldout crowds last season. Where Springsteen on Broadway found its titular rock hero sharing detailed, revealing stories with the audience, Morrissey spoke very little between songs, letting his trenchant, often mordantly witty lyrics communicate for him.
This might come as a surprise, or a relief, as the infamously outspoken star has of late garnered more attention for his ongoing criticism of politicians and omnivores than his music. (A militant vegetarian, Morrissey has made equal-opportunity targets of McDonald’s burgers and halal meat.) He’s also earned a reputation as a less than reliable performer, in the sense that he’s canceled or delayed dozens of shows in recent years.
But Thursday’s performance started on time, and went off without incident. Morrissey’s arrival was preceded by a dizzying, extensive montage of videos, black-and-white film clips and photo galleries documenting his influences and flaunting his wide-ranging cultural literacy, including nods to American alt-rock icons from Patti Smith and the Ramones to the doomed cult performer Jobriath. Images of James Dean, Lenny Bruce and James Baldwin also turned up during the introduction and into the show, with a fabulous photo of a natty Baldwin dancing (with Lorraine Hansberry, whose face is mostly concealed) filling the large screen behind Morrissey and his band between songs.
The set kicked off with “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore,” one of several songs included here that Morrissey made famous as frontman of the Smiths, a band that in the 1980s funneled personal alienation and social discontent into chiming, muscular pop. Other Smiths classics such as the ironically buoyant “Is It Really So Strange?” and the soaring, pulsing “How Soon Is Now” followed, with the backing musicians providing sinewy support.
The majority of tunes were culled from Morrissey’s longer solo career, with just a pair of covers sprinkled in—another surprise, as one assumes these concerts are timed to promote the May 24 release of his new album, California Son, which consists of pop tunes from the 1960s and ’70s. Morrissey performed the opening track, Jobriath’s torch-and-twang-filled “Morning Starship,” as well as the Pretenders’ early-’80s gem “Back on the Chain Gang.”
A more natural showman than many of the posers and mopers who populated indie rock in its ’80s and ’90s heyday, Morrissey was in good spirits and fine voice throughout. His resonant baritone, with its fast-charging vibrato, sounded comfortable on a Broadway stage, and he wielded and twirled his mic with characteristic finesse, particularly when the material invited a more playful spirit. Mike Baldassari’s bright, aggressive lighting brought an arena-friendly theatricality to the relatively intimate setting, adding bursts of color and rhythmic throbbing.
There were sobering moments as well; during “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris,” a statue of a yellow-vested figure waving a French flag acknowledged current unrest in that country, as Morrissey sang, “Because only stone and steel accept my love.” A photo of a large crowd holding aloft a sign reading, “World Peace Is None of Your Business” materialized as he performed the song bearing that title, and photos of the Manchester United soccer team decimated in a plane crash nearly 60 years ago accompanied “Munich Air Disaster 1958.”
The evening concluded with something of a tease: A brief encore involved a clichéd rock-star move delivered with predictable cheek, then followed by an unsettling twist. As with any show, it would be unsporting to say more about the ending, but the faithful who filled the audience—many remaining on their feet throughout the night—plainly left satisfied.
Morrissey opened May 2, 2019, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and runs through May 11. Tickets and information: morrisseyofficial.com
