LOS ANGELES — Sometime well into Thursday night's multimedia performance of Star Wars: In Concert at the Nokia Center downtown, this reporter took a moment to marvel at what human beings can accomplish.
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C-3PO Actor Puts ‘Friendly Face’ on Star Wars Concert Tour
First, there's the constant wonder of seeing a symphony orchestra at work — scores of elite musicians synchronized with mathematical precision and dedicated wholeheartedly to the perfection of the music before them. Then there are the images from the Star Wars movies playing on the screen suspended above the musicians, with visuals crafted by massive teams of artists. And all of it — every note, sound and laser blast — originates in the human imagination.
Star Wars: In Concert, like the movie franchise that spawned it, celebrates that imagination while assigning a human face to the music so many movie fans identify without a second thought. The multiple-city tour extends into late 2009.
It would have been very hard for director and designer Steve Cohen to mess up a show featuring scenes from George Lucas’ movies while an orchestra plays John Williams’ unforgettable scores. Realizing that, Cohen lets the music and imagery speak for itself while adding just enough flair to remind the audience it's a live show.
It’s not exactly a tough room. Nobody but enthusiastic fans of the franchise are in the audience. And that audience has Anthony Daniels, the actor who portrayed proper protocol droid C-3PO onscreen, introducing the show and leading fans through the experience. A gentle, friendly soul with a naturally welcoming disposition, Daniels can simply be himself and fans will comfortably tag along for the ride.
Throw in a few frills and extras around the concert hall like a laser-light show, sound effects and costume and prop displays from the six films, and it becomes virtually impossible for Star Wars fans not to enjoy this show, which was produced by Another Planet Touring and Lucasfilm.
Fortunately, Cohen seems to have realized this and gotten everything out of the way that could've muddied the blue milk — letting the concert be what it should be. It’s a musical celebration of the franchise that lets audiences watch as a full orchestra and choir create the music most fans have only heard via recordings.
Daniels offers some vocal flourishes to punctuate his introductions, but he's up there as a human being (not as C-3PO), reminding the assembled masses that the show exists to celebrate the artistry of the composition and performance as much -- if not more -- than the franchise that spawned it. It is very much a symphonic performance.
In fact, if the show draws any minor complaint, it would be for an over-reliance on dialogue during the edited montages played over the stage. Occasionally, they detract from the musicians below. It would've been more interesting in some cases to see the imagery play against just the music -- sans words or sound effects.
However, Cohen more than makes up for any such concerns with the inspired handling of the concert's encore. After conductor Dirk Brosse sits his orchestra back down for a final selection, all lights and cameras focus exclusively on the orchestra.
The screen gives up its Imperial Walkers and Jedi Knights in favor of close-ups featuring the focused (and, in some cases, smiling) faces of Brosse and his musicians.
It's a perfect reminder of the very human element that makes this larger-than-life music possible.
WIRED Brings an immediacy and vibrancy to music now engrained in our culture.
TIRED Over-reliance on dialogue during video montages sometimes distracts from music.
Rating: 
Read Underwire’s ratings guide.
Image courtesy Lucasfilm
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