Having lived through the real-deal Beatles (Boomerdom is not without its perks), experienced half-a-dozen tribute shows (right-handed Paul/left-handed Paul… who can keep track?), and God knows how many Fab Four documentaries, my retro-tolerance level had pretty much reached its nadir – that is, until my critic’s curiosity pointed me to Lennon: Through a Glass Onion.

I’ve always had a soft spot for John Lennon. Even at the beginning, when he was shoehorned into skinny suits and “mop top” hair, he seemed edgier than his three cohorts, but it was his dry humor that won me over, musical brilliance notwithstanding. [At some point in my 20s, I stumbled on a book of his poetry and fell hard for the wistfully odd (and yes, short!) Deaf Ted Danoota and me, which totally zeroes in on Lennon’s absurd/savvy humor. (Below is a nifty filmed version with Lennon and Dudley Moore narrating.)]

And now New York is privy to a show that offers a resourceful etching of Lennon and his music — not only for seasoned Beatles lovers but those whose exposure to the man came later, even post-mortem.

The show was created and is performed – sans saccharine – by London-born Aussie John R. Waters (not to be confused with Baltimore-born John Waters of Pink Flamingos and Hairspray fame) and singer/pianist Stewart D’Arrietta.

Photo: Joan Marcus

Equal parts concert and first-person bio — Waters’ Liverpudlian accent is bull’s-eye evocative of Lennon’s speaking voice — the show is blissfully free of head-on mimicry. He channels Lennon’s words, yes, but his singing voice is clearly his own and his on-stage interactions with D’Arrietta are nothing like those of John and Paul.

“I was conscious of not being another Elvis impersonator version of The Beatles,” says Waters, adding that his initial impetus was to capture the Lennon’s attitudes. “I can’t be him, so I’m going to invite the audience to create their own John Lennon and I’ll lead the way through my monologues.”

Unwaveringly in sync, Waters and D’Arrietta read gritty, plugged in and quite possibly a composite picture of what Lennon might have evolved into (although probably not vocally), should he have made it to 2014. Still, Waters’ discourse has nothing to do with “what might have been.” His is a study – sporadically laced with revelation – of Lennon’s life, outlook, and historical imprint.

Lennon's take on Beatlemania: “We made the music, we didn’t make the rules about how it was perceived, or anything. We just knew we were suddenly, really big – that’s what the ‘Beatles’ were, and you have to be real bastard to ‘make it’ – that’s a fact...”

His feelings about rock-and-roll: “Someone once said that rock-and-roll is all about sex and automobiles… And it is… But I knew there was also more you could do… I had to branch out. I had to start experimenting. And in the end, I found out I wasn’t doing it to impress any so-called intellectuals. I was doing it for me….

…And the love… revealed within his music -- whether relating to his mum (“Julia”) or Yoko (“Woman"), or Sean (“Beautiful Boy.”)

Photo: Joan Marcus

The song list, incidentally, is both comprehensive and killer, thanks to no small part to the chemistry between Waters and D’Arrietta, who met in 1980 and clicked both personally and professionally. Lennon: Through a Glass Onion began its evolution in Sydney, Australia in the early 1990s (“Thrown together pretty quickly in a stream-of-consciousness way,” points out Waters), and the basic concept remains: an intimate, original party of two, with D’Arrietta assuming the role of “cowboy” producer.

And while the show has garnered international success over the years, its arrival in New York is significant because, despite the tragedy that ended his life in this city he called home, Lennon truly loved Manhattan. After all, it is a city that is — as Waters points out in his first short monologue — unpredictable, like Lennon himself.

Lennon: Through A Glass Onion is currently playing at the Union Square Theatre, 100 East 17th St. The setup is simple: piano, mic, and two guys, while the scenic and lighting design by Anthony “Bazz” Barrett elevates the production into a visual gem. As for the score: 35 works, 32 of which are Lennon’s. LennonOnStage.com