Stereophonic

Duke of York Theatre

The most natural acting on the West End, a unique concept and 3 hours long?! Take a peak into the 70's music industry, it's a recording studio on stage.

One of the most exciting shows of this year is 'Stereophonic', there has been so much buzz for it over the last few months. Does it live up to the noise? Was it worth the build-up?

This is a piece of theatre art! It's an intriguing concept and it explores the 70's music scene. A time where music was in its most artistic form, the music was as colourful and loud as the fashion. The Tony nominated show 'Stereophonic' has come over from Broadway and is playing at the 'Duke of York's Theatre'. The piece follows the growth of a band, their relationships, dedication to music, their highs and lows. It's not a musical, but it is a show with music. The audience are essentially given a slice of what goes into making music, the hard work and what obstacles could get in the way. The only downside is you are watching a very long process, 3 hours long! Strap in for a process.

A cast of five and each character brings issues to the table, a troubled married couple, long distance marriage, drug/alcohol problems and a controlling relationship. What's that got to do with making music? Each cast member gives a fantastic performance, the most natural acting and it does give you a sense of watching a documentary or that you are sat in the room spectating. Lucy Karczewski plays 'Diana' one of the most prominent band members, her character has potential to create her own career out of the band, but stays with them because she lacks the confidence to spread her wings. This show marks Karczewski's West End debut and it's safe to say this is a great start for her! She clearly shows the character's development, not only in herself, but also development as a music artist, her vocals develop as the show goes on. This is admirable, as everyday she goes from playing through her vocals a character that lacks self-confidence and blends into the background, into her a voice that stands out from the band and breaks free! It's such an interesting journey, her relationship with Peter played by Jack Riddiford is difficult to watch. The controlling nature is so real and the negativity he throws at her in his lines is piercing. The toxicity of their relationship changes their characters and by the end it is clear that their characters can't get back in tune with each other.

On the stage is recording studio setting, the design is created by David Zinn. The desk of numerous switches for the sound engineer, a glass window to create the wall between the recording studio and operating desk. This gives the audience visuals from each angle, whilst also showing how there is a barrier between the engineers and the music artists. The smell of smoke fills the theatre, as the band use props to show the frequent use of cocaine, cigarettes and alcohol throughout the piece. This presents the crazy ways the characters keep themselves awake, when their characters are clearly very over tired and push themselves to some difficult limits. The set is designed by David Zinn. The characters frequently flick between the two areas; there is a stop/start nature of them making the music and this makes the audience feel the band's overpowering joy and how proud they are of each other for making a piece of music they feel excited about! It's a beautiful moment to create on stage and it feels unexpected/spontaneous. It's impressive how they create this realistic plot and show a process of birthing music. It doesn't just magically happen, the band members have put work into each element of their album.

3 hours is little bit too long for the piece to feel groundbreaking, whilst you can appreciate the authenticity of the piece... There are moments of the show that feel repetitive and unneeded. There are a lot of long conversations between the band members that don't seem to add anything to the story and prolong the scenes, breaking the bond between the audience and the show. The transitions between acts and scenes also feel too sharp/quick. This makes elements of the piece feel fragmented and the journey of process lacks flow. Cutting down elements wouldn't take away the naturalism of the piece and would help the audience stay strapped into the journey.

Regardless of the downsides, it's still a unique and creative piece of theatre, that deserves a lot of credit. It will be a popular show with music lovers and if you are a lover of the 70's this will be your jam. It explores the music industry then with such a realistic presentation. There are elements of comedy, conflict and a performance of such real issues dealt with in a realistic manner. You will believe the actors are the characters, the performances are very well done, and nothing is over-exaggerated/over dramatised. This is what keeps you focused, because there are so many embedded storylines and subtle feelings. This one will get you thinking and focused, whilst tapping along to the snippets of their songs. Whether it's your kind of show or not, it is a must see and you will appreciate how it is a true piece of theatre art.