The last time the mods came to Brighton 2,000 of them drove up and down the promenade on Vespa scooters, hunting rockers.

A wasp-like buzz and hordes of scurrying bystanders announced their arrival; smashed windows, blood-stained side-streets and strewn-about empty pill bags signalled their departure.

That was 1964. Forward to 2009 and Brighton is again all smoke and mirrors as humming Lambrettas hurl around New Street’s northern corner to welcome The Who’s touring rock opera, Quadrophenia, to its 14th, and most pertinent, location.

What began as an impromptu convention for all things fish-tailed, with old nostalgics in tailored Italian fabrics propped against buffed steeds while smoking roll-ups, soon became a full-blown love-in for misspent youth and memories of teenage crises.

Pete Townshend’s second film score, after the success of the tale of the deaf, dumb and blind kid Tommy, was written in 1973 and has now been brought to the stage for the first time. The main difference is that Jimmy – a young idealistic outsider – has had his four egos written as four separate characters.

He is supposed to be equal parts tough guy, romantic, lunatic and hypocrite – according to Pete Townshend, a distillation of Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, Keith Moon and the guitarist himself – and each aspect is given a life of its own, played by a different actor.

Jack Roth, the lunatic and bona fide Daltrey doppelgänger, has two fingers up at everything and everybody, but it is the romantic Ryan O’Donnell – another excellent lookalike, this time for Phil Daniels – whose yearning for acceptance proves most believable amid all the dry ice and bombast.

Along with Kevin Wathan as The Godfather, kitted out in fake-fur Union Jack jacket and silver winkle pickers, O’Donnell has a bellowing Daltrey-esque voice, which, after nearly two hours and 20 minutes, peaks on epic closing number Love Reign O’er Me, both vulnerable and angry, below a confetti-filled sky as the romantic Jimmy succumbs to his personal battles.

In truth, all the cast are strong vocalists. But given the production has absolutely no dialogue and is all music and dancing, that should be the case. And on that note, traditionalists be warned. Director Tom Critchley has created a new work in its own right which is a more challenging prospect than the film.

The narrative becomes muddled as extra Who songs are shoe-horned in to fill the gaps and provide singsongs which are rarely observed by a reticent Brighton crowd.

Moreover, The Godfather takes the lead too often during Act I which disturbs one’s sense of place as locations flip mid-song.

Act II leaves Act I’s unbalanced pace back in London with Jimmy’s violent father and solicitous mother. Here the young cast, liberated and by the sea (no doubt reminding many in the audience of a younger self or possibly offspring), honour Townshend’s original vision with a snappier tempo while the band deliver a tighter sound.

Moon might not have approved, but most here on Tuesday certainly did.

* Tickets £20-£29, call 0844 8717627