STEREOPHONIC - Golden Theatre (07/11/24)

If we never knew we needed a play about sex, drugs and rock & roll, this exponent of David Adjmi and Will Butler, the latter a former member of Arcade Fire, will have you wondering where it’s been all your life. Stereophonic, which shares striking similarity with the recording by Fleetwood Mac of their album “Rumours”, follows a fictional band from the years of 1976/1977, and the friction and personal contention that often arises when a group of musicians spend so long together.

The cast of Stereophonic (credit: Julieta Cervantes)

The recording studio can be an isolating, almost maddening environment, as clashes of creative visions often have tensions running high, and personal relationships consequently being affected by this. For the most part this is very much the synopsis of the play in a nutshell, however the way in which it’s presented, almost like a “rockumentary” style, not unlike Spinal Tap or The Commitments, is what makes it such an intriguing piece of theatre. And the sheer scale and functionality of David Zinn's scenic design is some of the best I have ever seen.

What this play does so well is a lot with very little, we are treated to some fantastic musical numbers throughout, with the whole company of actors doubling as supremely talented musicians and singers. And they give a distinctive sense of this band’s musical style, for which Butler deserves a huge amount of adulation. Musical performances aside, the cast present the story in a patently natural manner, Daniel Aukin’s directorial style gives them a great deal of freedom of expression.

The cast of Stereophonic (credit: Julieta Cervantes)

Will Brill in particular is a perpetual delight, presenting a raw, real portrayal of loose cannon Reg, all whilst executing a pretty spot on English accent. Amy Forsyth as Diana was another major standout, her tumultuous relationship with guitarist Peter (portrayed magnificently by Benjamin Anthony Anderson) had us hooked, wondering what was going to happen next. The acting and relationship building in this piece is what keeps us engrossed, as the over three hour runtime seems to simply breeze past.

The narrative is a touch sluggish at times, however I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, as the "fly on the wall" theatrical style calls for a degree of breathing space, and were it presented with more of a sense of narrative flow, more akin to your standard play, this would perhaps hamper the drama of the more tense moments in particular. This is a refined piece of theatre that doesn’t hold back, giving us an unabridged deep dive into the lives of recording musicians, and you know what? This play rocks!

★★★★☆

"Stereophonic" plays at the Golden Theatre until the 12th of January