By Leah Victoria

Date / Venue: Wednesday August 10th, 2016 - Civic Theatre, Auckland

There are no end of tribute bands to the worlds greatest legends. You know the type, the replica costumes, the imitation hairstyles and the inevitable set list of Greatest Hits covers.

Through A Glass Onion, although a big salute to Beatles Front-man John Lennon, isn’t your run of the mill tribute performance!

The two-man show headed by Australian actor/musician John R Waters and accompanied by Bill Risby on piano plays out memoirs of the man held today as one of music’s greatest treasures.

The diverse crowd of all ages for the opening night, get settled as darkness engulfs the stage and the first sounds of the night ring out through the theatre. Gunshots in New York.

Commencing the show with the horrific event that ended Lennon’s life prematurely. The almost dream like narration follows title track Glass Onion.

Although a slightly more gravely voice, Waters does an admirable representation of Lennon and the anecdotal narrative based on real Lennon interviews, are punctuated with perfectly placed, almost biographical song choices.

Lennon had a way of writing himself into his songs, even if sometimes in hidden manners, and it really lends a hand with the simple story telling layout of Waters works. For an Aussie bloke, I have to give him credit for his dulled liverpudlian accent, which rarely wavered throughout the two part performance and even carried out into his song vocals.

Softly spoken, and comical, an accurate portrayal of a young boy in Liverpool attempting to cope with the pressures and social expectations forced upon him as he achieved international fame plays out.

Tonight was like a little insight into the mind of John Lennon. Both opening and closing with gunshots almost like quotation marks surrounding a bold statement.

In it’s 25th year, the music played by John & Bill is actually worthy of a concert in its own right, and the simplicity and the flow makes for a relaxed enjoyable family evening but has that little something personal and special that even the most die hard Lennon fans will love.

Through A Glass Onion is showing at The Civic Auckland 10-13 August only so don’t miss your chance to experience this out of the box collaboration!