When the magic happens the theatre throbs
It was noteworthy that in the week he died, Brian Wilson featured heavily in the programme notes for Stereophonic, David Adjmi and Will Butler’s musical about a band putting an album together as the group falls apart, writes Michael Holland.
The whole play is set in a California studio and starts with sound checks as the band drift in and demand a pick-me-up of either coffee or drugs. The stereo sound in the title is what goes on between the two engineers at the mixing desk, and the ups and down of the five-piece band, comprised of English and American musicians, two of whom are women and in relationships with other band members. Drummer Simon (Chris Stack), the leader, has his family in the UK so keeps out of the problems that various partners have with each other. There seems to be an easy, loving relationship within the group but with creative differences and the constant, 24/7 togetherness between home and studio, faults begin to show.
Compromise is key with so many creatives wanting input, but finding a happy medium gets harder and harder and lengthens the recording process, leading to arguments and relationship problems.
As the musicians debate the lyrics or a riff behind the glass, the engineers, Glover (Eli Gelb) and Charlie (Andrew R. Butler) talk about nothing much. They do sometimes lurk in the vicinity of old Cheech & Chong skits but when it gives us a wonderful piece about the Doobie Brothers I don’t mind the resemblance – Or is it a homage? It is in these times while they wait for the band to sort themselves out that we discover that Glover has actually lied about his experience to get this job; the tension of whether he gets found out is hovering in the air along with the cannabis smoke throughout the play.
Over twelve months of recording we watch Diane (Lucy Karczewski) and Peter (Jack Riddiford) fall in and out of love over songs and egos through seen or private conversations overheard on the many microphones in the studio; Holly (Mia Towle) and Reg (Zachary Hart) to and fro as he gets stoned or gets clean or goes vegan in equal measure, and all the while Grover and Charlie are trying their utmost to get an album made. We watch them all shrink with low self-confidence or soar with self-belief when they know they created something beautiful in a song.
And when the magic in the music does happen, the theatre throbs with drum and bass and guitar and beautiful voices as these actors play live. Audience heads nod in rhythm beneath the glow emanating from the stage.
Stereophonic could easily have an hour lopped off its 3 hour 15 minute length. But would it have been better? No, it only would have meant the audience got an earlier train home. That extra 60 minutes took us deep into the recording process and down with the mundane minutiae of music-making that would have been lost to us.
The set is perfect (David Zinn), as is the directing (Daniel Aukin) and anyone who lived through the 70s will know it was an awful decade for fashion – They get that dead right too.
For me, though, Eli Gelb’s Grover is the best thing. He is one of the three actors who transferred from New York so can play that stoner role in his sleep.
Stereophonic is a beautiful thing to be part of. It has broken records on Broadway and could do the same now it has opened in the West End.
Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4BG.
Booking and full details: https://www.thedukeofyorks.com/stereophonic
