Milling About at Lennon:Through A Glass Onion with John R. Waters

John R. Waters brings his own imaginings of John Lennon through music and stories to the stage in Lennon: Through A Glass Onion. He joins host Robin Milling backstage at the Union Square Theater to discuss his inspiration for the show that began 22 years ago in a pub in Australia. Waters, who was born in London, tells Robin how he got his first theatrical break playing Claude in the original Sydney production of Hair, leading to acting gigs that have made him a famous name down under. The steady work drew him to raise his family there. Waters tells Robin he first discovered the Beatles listening to pirate broadcasting from Radio Luxembourg under the covers when he was a teenager.

Waters doesn't claim to be a Beatles scholar, admitting he didn't do much research on the Fab Four to tell the stories in the show; which he says are his own interpretations of Lennon, and of course Yoko. Her greenlighting the show meant it could come to New York where John says the show belongs. Don't expect to see a Lennon look-alike with the round glasses. Accompanied by Stewart D'Arrieta on piano, John re-imagines Lennon. He says, 'I put a figure up there that represents John Lennon and the audience projects their own John Lennon onto me.'