Rain: The Beatles Experience

If you thought The Beatles were old news, pick up any tabloid and note that the McCartney/Mills divorce is rocking the world. (Note too that it's Paul's world — is anybody siding with Heather?)

by David Anthony Fox

theater

If you thought The Beatles were old news, pick up any tabloid and note that the McCartney/Mills divorce is rocking the world. (Note too that it's Paul's world — is anybody siding with Heather?) Yup, the Four are still Fab and tribute shows abound. But Rain has the edge, including a multimedia presentation that incorporates original footage. It's even got a stamp of approval from Sid Bernstein, the concert promoter who brought the Beatles to America for the first time. With curatorial love and accuracy, Rain offers almost 200 Beatles songs, including nearly every hit, and surveying everything through Abbey Road. Fashion buffs know this also means a survey from narrow black suits to ornate Sergeant Pepper ones to more mussed-up hippie-ish garb. (And the hairdos! They're a show of their own!) What no new show can bring back, alas, is the creative force of the original performers/composers. Maybe Rain cleverly proves the Beatles are beyond imitation. Well, why shouldn't the new year begin with a paradox?

Thu.-Sat., Jan. 4-6, 8 p.m., Sun., Jan. 7, 2 p.m., through Jan. 14, $34.75-$55, Academy of Music, Broad and Locust sts., 215-731-3333, www.kimmelcenter.org.