Multiple Tony-nominated (13) ‘play with music’ Stereophonic (written by David Adjmi, directed by Daniel Aukin) makes a long-awaited trip across the Atlantic, with three of seven cast members transferring with it.
A three-hour plus show in the West End may scream flashy spectacle, but that’s not the case. Stereophonic burns slowly, using stillness and silence a lot for a plot that revolves around a rock band in the studio (the sound is looped live, which is interesting to see).
The five members encompass two couples (Peter and Diana, Reg and Holly) and a drummer/manager (Simon). They have been recording and touring together for years, and it is now 1976 in California. Their last album is a bestseller, and they are here to work on the new one.
The setting (by David Zinn) is a recording studio, with a relaxing area and glass fronted work space. It’s beautifully detailed with period rugs and beanbags, dominated by a huge mixing desk and given atmosphere by lamps of various shapes and sizes.
Grover (a powerhouse turn from Eli Gelb) and Charlie (a laconic Andrew R Butler) have blagged their way into the job, claiming high-profile experience as engineers. They are our eyes on the dynamics of the band, apart from them but still involved for the week, month, year it takes to lay down the tracks.
Peter (an abrasive Jack Riddiford) is a control freak guitarist/producer who bullies Diana and has tunnel vision to the point he ignores his own brother’s achievement in the Montreal Olympics to “make a f**king album”.
Reg (an impressive Zachary Hart), full of cocaine and booze, is the bassist who huddles in the corner (“a sad man in a blanket”) while his marriage to singer/pianist Holly (a delicate Nia Towle) implodes. He is perhaps the closest to stereotype, but he makes a curious metamorphosis through the play.
Holly and Diane (a sweet and determined Lucy Karczewski), the only women in the show, are often sidelined and overlooked. Diane, a gifted singer/songwriter whose song races up the charts, is reduced to potential mother material by her unsupportive partner. Holly is the carer at home to a husband who can hardly function each night. She loses herself in the erotic space of films like Don’t Look Now.
Simon (a sardonic Chris Stack), English and a family man missing his kids, is the quietest but also a bit of a diva. He’s created and built the band only to see it dominated by Peter’s stubborn refusal to be a team player.
There are obvious parallels here with real bands Fleetwood Mac and The Beach Boys, but this character-driven piece gives every person on stage time, even Charlie, who is more laid back than anyone.
The songs (by Will Butler of Arcade Fire), some heard in snatches, are pointed pastiches of the period but stand up in their own right. Each of the actors play their own instruments, very well, offering a sense of a professional unity that only slips near the end.
This is a show that captures the attention in every moment. It has a lot of quiet movement and stage business to flesh out characters and dialogue to make us laugh, then gasp in shock. Stereophonic, being set in the 1970s, is misogynistic and wedded to gender roles and norms.
It’s a small-scale show that demands our silence and, at least in the performance I saw, got it. It looks richly deserving of its Tony nominations and awards and offers something new and fresh for discerning audiences.
Gelb, Butler and Stack are all excellent imports, while Karczewski captures the breakout star quality of her character. But there are no weak links in this sensational and committed cast.
5 stars from me.
Stereophonic runs at Duke of York’s until 11 Oct – details here.
Image credit: Marc Brenner