The Who reinvigorated mod culture when they released Peter Townshend鈥檚 ambitious rock opera Quadrophenia as a double album in 1973. Its story 鈥 of a young mod called Jimmy in 1960s London, who鈥檚 struggling with societal pressures, identity loss, and hates his job as a post-room boy 鈥 went on to become a cult 1979 Franc Roddam film: Italian scooters, amphetamines, Chelsea boots.
Over 50 years later, choreographer to the stars Paul Roberts 鈥 who鈥檚 worked with everyone from Harry Styles to Prince 鈥 has turned the material into a 鈥淢od Ballet鈥 set to an orchestral rendition of Quadrophenia by Townshend鈥檚 wife, the composer Rachel Fuller. The production is steeped in Sixties culture: dancers don sharp suits designed by Paul Smith, while archival footage of The Who鈥檚 heyday is projected throughout.
In 2025, Quadrophenia鈥檚 themes of identity crisis and masculinity are just as pertinent as they were 50 years ago. Ideas of the manosphere and Andrew Tate loom large. 鈥淭eenagers then and now struggle to find their place in the world,鈥 Roberts says. 鈥淲here do you place yourself in society now, with toxic masculinity being prevalent? Young men can learn a lot by absorbing Jimmy鈥檚 journey. He portrays this 鈥業 don鈥檛 care鈥 attitude, but he really wants to prove to the world that he can be somebody.鈥
Set in 1965, Quadrophenia sees Jimmy quit his job, clash with his parents over his drug use, destroy his Lambretta scooter, and contemplate suicide. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a story of young people trying to find meaning in the wrong places,鈥 says dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who plays the lead role and is having the time of his life doing so despite the dark undertones. 鈥淚 am wearing probably the nicest suit I鈥檒l ever wear, and I鈥檓 scuffing it every day,鈥 he says.
Townshend himself has been on hand, offering up his own memories of mod life to Fitzpatrick and the rest of the cast who pore over them like 鈥渁ncient myths鈥. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I鈥檇 listened to the album properly,鈥 Fitzpatrick admits. 鈥淏ut I鈥檇 have to say I鈥檓 a fan now. After getting to know the piece more 鈥 even since the first workshop I did 鈥 I rewatched the film and listened to the album, and I鈥檝e really enjoyed getting more intimate with all of its nuance and its beauty. It鈥檚 epic.鈥
The production came together quickly with eight weeks of rehearsals and two weeks of technicals before tour dates in Plymouth, Edinburgh and Southampton earlier this year. This month, it officially opens at Sadler鈥檚 Wells in London. For select London dates, Matthew Ball, the acclaimed principal dancer at the Royal Ballet, will guest star in the role of Godfather 鈥 a rockstar whom Jimmy idolises.
鈥淚鈥檓 lucky that I鈥檓 dancing to 鈥楳y Generation鈥,鈥 said Ball, in reference to the band鈥檚 early punk-powered hit. 鈥淢y part is quite small but I get to pack a punch in a short period. I鈥檓 playing a rockstar, so there鈥檚 a really strong sense of playing with the audience, feeding off their energy, asking for more, you know? It鈥檚 a little bit tricky because, of course, we鈥檙e still sitting in a theatre with a different energy of how a rock concert would be 鈥 but it鈥檚 been fun to try and bring that energy to a theatre stage.鈥
As both an album and a film, Quadrophenia garnered a cult following 鈥 many of whom are bound to be intrigued by any production that bears its name today, especially one involving Townshend himself. And while ballet can be an intimidating and increasingly niche art form, Roberts and Ball are encouraging mods from all over to see it for themselves. 鈥淲e read each other鈥檚 body language all day long,鈥 says Ball. 鈥淢aybe, you think you don鈥檛 know anything about dance and you don鈥檛 appreciate it 鈥 but if you like Pete Townshend, then trust me, he was dancing on stage when he was performing and it鈥檚 not all too different from that.鈥
鈥楺uadrophenia, a Mod Ballet鈥 is on at Sadler鈥檚 Wells Theatre in London from 24 June to 13 July and at The Lowry in Salford from 15 to 19 July