‘Stereophonic’ review: Broadway play goes behind the music

Despite the fact that “Stereophonic” is not a musical, it’s straightforward to get swept up by the terrific initial rock songs that throb as a result of it. 

And as author David Adjmi’s perform, which opened Friday night time at the John Golden Theatre, is set in the course of the mid 1970s, Will Butler’s songs sounds authentically of that edgier era. Practically eerily so. 

The former Arcade Fireplace member’s remarkable jams are melodious and raw earthy instead than trippy the things of the ideal cross-country road outings.

Then, at the finish, comes a tragedy. The tracks, which we have watched be painstakingly rehearsed and recorded by a well known band more than the class of a yr in two California studios, do not even make it on to the final album.   

It’s an incisive instant in a perform that, when not itself great, has a eager being familiar with of what determined artists will do in pursuit of perfection. From time to time the excellent need to be killed in buy to make room for the great — implications be damned.

And “Stereophonic” is three several hours of consequences.

Imploding interactions, volcanic tempers, 4 a.m. get the job done nights and an all-you-can-inhale buffet of drugs and booze are listed here in this Broadway “Behind The Audio.”

The fictitious British-American team — 3 adult males and two women of all ages — bear an uncanny resemblance to Fleetwood Mac. Rumor has it that the dramedy is motivated by the making of 1975’s “Rumours.”

Could be. Who is aware of? But those who know almost nothing about Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks will not get dropped.

We meet alpha guitarist Peter (Tom Pecinka), the egotist chief, who’s dating singer Diana (Sarah Pidgeon). Oddball bass participant Reg (Will Brill) is with keyboardist Holly (Juliana Canfield), who desires of a calmer existence and great house away from her bandmates. And drummer Simon’s (Chris Stack) household is again in Britain. Uh oh.

The quintet spends 1976 to ’77 making infinitesimal modifications to tunes, bickering with every single other, chatting about absolutely nothing, slamming doorways, rinse and repeat. Their audio engineers, Grover (Eli Gelb) and Charlie (Andrew R. Butler), are the unusual voices of sanity as the undertaking will become far more and more heated and time consuming. The clearly show does, too, for that matter.

Adjmi’s play is long — also very long — because he’s making an attempt to accurately seize, documentary fashion, the frequently banal inventive system. Sizable scenes will be invested altering drum cymbals or obtaining a singer redo a portion about and about once again. Reg, when higher, has a frivolous speech about houseboats that goes on eternally.

That is all nicely and excellent, but all those slice-of-lifestyle bits never usually hold the audience’s notice. Some are basic indulgent. Other performs have been a lot more successful at discovering profundity in the ho-hum, such as Annie Baker’s “The Flick.” 

Nevertheless, “Stereophonic,” directed by Daniel Aukin, is undeniably transportive, and it’s a enjoyment to be immersed in this creatively sturdy ten years for a while. David Zinn’s neat established is the command room of a recording studio, with a soundproof booth upstage guiding glass. It casually evokes the ‘70s with out heading complete-blown “Brady Bunch” kitchen.

The actors, in boots and bellbottoms, lounge around and perch on cushions and carpeted measures in this sort of a comfy way that there is not a 2nd of question that these people have invested a 12 months of their lives in this claustrophobic house. They click like a band should — the enjoy and hatred are palpable.

And still the most fulfilling to character to encounter mature is, truly, not a musician at all, but Grover the engineer. Gelb, in subtle but affecting means, builds the guy’s self-confidence as he transitions from a no one to a producer. He’s the play’s heart.   

But I was most taken by Pidgeon, who, in addition to owning the elusive rock singing excellent in which grit fulfills tenderness, provides an desirable mystery and longing to her proficient character. Diana is of course the group’s star, but charmingly does not appear to be to know it — right up until the remarkable takes place. Pecinka’s Peter, who receives angrier and angrier as time ticks by, resents his on-once more-off-yet again girlfriend’s items.

If you search carefully, you may well just see Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s reflections in the snow-protected hills.