JOHN Waters regards his show Lennon: Through a Glass Onion like a favourite album audiences like to play every once in a while.
Although the singer and actor never anticipated to be performing the production, formerly called Looking Through a Glass Onion, more than 20 years after he and singer/pianist Stewart D'Arrietta created the theatrical tribute to John Lennon, his songs and life.
Nor did he foresee a sold out season of 122 off-Broadway performances in New York from November last year that received a 2015 Annual Drama Desk Awards nomination and the blessing of Yoko Ono and the Lennon Estate.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW"It was fabulous and a vindication of everything we're doing," Waters said.
"New Yorkers understood the style of our show very early on.
"It's not a happy, clappy sing-along Beatles show. Some people might think it is before coming to see it but then most, if they do think that, say they prefer this because it's more thought-provoking."
Waters said the two-man, 80-minute show did change slightly between each tour, but the latest adjustments for American audiences, which will remain in Regal Theatre performances this week, were more about streamlining and included the removal of an interval.
"Stewart and I have some good memories from our shows at Regal Theatre in Subiaco," he said.
"It was one of the first homes of the shows in our mind. It was very early days and we hadn't really had a big success on the road until we did our season at Regal in 1993.
"We had a long season and played there for four solid weeks, so pretty much sold out. It established us and gave us the capital to keep on touring."
Waters will continue the Australian tour to Scotland in August for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
"I am a Scot by birth. It's my father's nationality and although I was brought up in London, I feel it's very much my heritage taking the show to Scotland for the first time," Waters said.
"The New York season has made us internationally recognisable. Ill get a chance to do the show and also spend a few days in Amsterdam catching up with my son who lives there."
THE ESSENTIALS
What: Lennon: Through a Glass Onion
Where: Regal Theatre
When: July 17 and 18
Tickets: www.ticktek.com.au