Stereophonic is a play with music. A group–rumored to be based on Fleetwood Mac–is in California recording an album. But the progress is slowed by the daily disagreements and friction among the five band members.
The play is set in 1976 and the set is basically a recording studio. “The drummer, Simon (Chris Stack), does not want to use a click track, but it’s been 36 takes and he’s still dragging. Diana (Sarah Pidgeon) sings beautifully and has songwriting chops that get stronger by the day, but she’s fragile and defensive and feels constantly under attack from her lead-guitarist boyfriend, Peter (Tom Pecinka), who’s brilliant, creatively domineering … and also fragile and defensive and convinced that he’s constantly under attack from, well, everyone. The wry, aloof vocalist-keyboardist, Holly (Juliana Canfield), has, for the moment, reached a détente with her philosophizing, self-pitying, cocaine-and–Jack Daniels–fueled husband, the bassist, Reg (Will Brill), but hostilities could resume at any moment. The engineers, Grover (Eli Gelb) and Charlie (Andrew R. Butler), just want Simon to use the fucking click track so that they can get the fucking take and everyone can go the fuck to sleep.” Vulture
I thought Stereophonic was a bit too long. How many spats between this group of dysfunctional people can an audience endure? But, if you’re interested in how an album got made in the Seventies, this is the play for you. GRADE: C+
Not in my wheelhouse.
Jerry, I’ve always been fascinated by the recording process and this play presents a realistic view of how albums got made back in 1976.
This would be a hard pass for me, George.
I don’t care how dysfunctional the musicmakers are as long as the music is wonderful.
Beth, I found the recording process presented in STEREOPHONIC fascinating. The arguments and spats…not so much.
Yeah, that rundown of the events would be close enough for Fleetwood Mac to consider using, if anyone wanted to make the effort (and they probably would not). I had heard about this play sometime back, wasn’t aware it was still playing. Sorry it wasn’t more about the process…
Todd, I’m beginning to believe the arguments and conflict was part of their recording process…
Sorry I missed you yesterday but we were on the way to Arizona and I forgot Jackie’s American Airlines password and couldn’t get on the wifi.
This did sound interesting – what fan of RUMOURS wouldn’t be interested? – but despite a positive NYT review, it seemed way too much inside baseball, and Jackie was just not interested, so we never did see it.
I do miss Christine McVie, though.
Jeff, my favorite member of the group in STEREOPHONIC was the Christine McVie musician. Have fun in Arizona!
I loved it. I thought the music was good enough to carry the story and it was about the story. It’s not a musical. And the staging was so innovative. I would give it an A.
Patti, Katie’s friend, Amber, accompanied me to see STEREOPHONIC (Diane, Patrick, and Katie saw it in September when Diane and her sister Carol visited NYC). Amber gave STEREOPHONIC an “A” too!