STEREOPHONIC @Playwrights Horizons

[yyys]

Posted: 10/7/23 at 2:12pm

Anyone see the first preview last night? Thoughts?

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 10/7/23 at 4:42pm

We are also curious.  Seems to be selling faster than other PH shows.

Updated On: 10/7/23 at 04:42 PM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/7/23 at 5:04pm

I'm not going until next month, but David Zinn's set looks very cool:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyEqts-vXUE

 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/7/23 at 7:43pm

Also, the play is 3 hours long.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 10/7/23 at 8:36pm

I was supposed to see it last night but the show was cancelled, I am not sure the reason why. I’m now seeing it next Friday instead.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/7/23 at 11:52pm

TaffyDavenport said: "I'm not going until next month, but David Zinn's set looks very cool:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyEqts-vXUE

"

Reminds me of a show I saw there, a musical, about a band that could not sing? I forget the name, but I loved it at the time. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 10/8/23 at 12:11am

"Reminds me of a show I saw there, a musical, about a band that could not sing? I forget the name, but I loved it at the time."

The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World - from 2011?

 

Updated On: 10/8/23 at 12:11 AM

[theaterdude2]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 3:57pm

I hope that this message helps everyone thinking about going: 

Went to the Saturday evening performance. Knew nothing about it except the description in the listings and it sounded like something I'd love: story of an up and coming band making music in the 70's, and what goes on behind the scenes as they are on the verge of superstardom. 

Well...I was a little concerned when I read the sign entering the theatre saying that the show had a 3 hour running time. Not since Les Miserables have I sat through a musical that long. What were they doing that would require that much time? 

The answer is simple: talking. Lots and lots of talking. To say it's a slow burn is an understatement. But as the play unfolds you definitely get into the story. There are a lot of good things about the production, but boy does it need an editor. There's so much being said that can be cut without ruining anything. 

The best part of the show are the very naturalistic performances. The actors are really living these parts, and when they speak you don't think for a second that they are memorized from a script. The direction is great, set is cool and just right for the proceedings. And if you like Fleetwood Mac and Daisy and the Six, you'll like the music.

While I get that the director is going for a very real period look, for some reason they have chosen to make the men in this show so unappealing. Not only are they styled poorly but it looks like they have gone out of their way to make them look as bad as possible.

In the end, looking at the piece as a whole, I couldn't help but ask myself what the creative team is going for. Who is going to sit through this? Why do we care? 

And with all due respect to the talented cast, why didn't the director hire at least a couple of very good looking actor/musicians who you just can't take your eyes off? Where's the star quality? Regardless of the talent onstage, that is missing here, and I believe it would help to have both talent and handsome looks like those rock stars from the period.

In the end,  it's a very long evening without much of a payoff. There are no huge stakes, we don't really learn anything, and there's certainly nothing to justify the extra long running time. I'm hoping the director's plan is to throw everything they've got on stage in previews, and trim as they go along. 

Updated On: 10/10/23 at 03:57 PM

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 5:16pm

Calling it right now this will be like exactly what happened with The Flick. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 5:22pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Calling it right now this will be like exactly what happened with The Flick."

 

Which is,..? 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 5:34pm

People complained about the length, but nothing happening ect, subscribers walked out midshow and complained, the artistic director wrote a letter defending it, the length ect ...and then it won the Pulitzer (not saying the last part will happen here) but that review just snapped me back to when all that happened. 

[yyys]

Posted: 10/10/23 at 5:46pm

Wasn't WET BRAIN also 3 hours long during previews then cut back to 2 hours or so?  

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/29/23 at 5:49pm

By and large, I thought this was exceptional. Overlong, sure, but not by some insane margin - I strangely didn’t find it slow at all. It’s supposed to take us along on this band’s experience of recording an entire album - which in itself is often draining, arduous, stressful, and long. That’s the point. But it’s far from boring. I thought the ensemble was up there with the cast of THE COMEUPPANCE. It’s hard to pinpoint a single performer, but Will Brill (always so good), Eli Gelb (very, very funny and heartfelt), and Sarah Pidgeon (giving Marin Ireland with the voice of Adele) each killed it, in particular. 

The music is great, the direction is strong, and it’s a technical marvel (particularly the sound design and the set). Overall I thought this was a vibrant, absorbing, hilarious, and ultimately moving piece about all of the pain, joy, and growth that comes from creating art, particularly with other people. (I’d also suggest reading David Adjmi’s note to the patron in the Playbill.)

If you can’t handle three hours and ten minutes, skip it. But you shouldn’t let the runtime deter you if you’re a serious-minded theatergoer looking for some meat and potatoes instead of the candy and fast food being slung at the average ticket buyer nowadays.

I believe it’s opening tonight and I hope the reviews are strong!

Updated On: 10/30/23 at 05:49 PM

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 10/29/23 at 6:23pm

I don’t know if I would describe this as meat and potatoes. I was also there this afternoon, and there’s not really any big takeaway. It’s all about relationships, and each owns individual issues. There’s this girls vs guys thing and slight British vs American thing between the band, but it’s nothing important. I loved all the music, the cast is all great, the British girl sounded like Emma stone in cabaret. Was that erotic film she was talking about a real thing?  The time flew by which is always a good thing. And it was over three hours. 

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/29/23 at 7:13pm

Broadway Flash said: "I don’t know if I would describe this as meat and potatoes.”
 

I mean - it doesn’t particularly deal with any hot button issues or have any crazy coup de théâtre, but these days, honest, well-performed, and emotionally engaging plays are “meat and potatoes,” to me. I’ll take what I can get.

Updated On: 10/30/23 at 07:13 PM

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 10/29/23 at 9:45pm

I would absolutely consider that the end of Act One has somewhat of a coup de théâtre

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/29/23 at 10:20pm

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "I would absolutely consider that the end of Act One has somewhat of a coup de théâtre"

With all due respect, look up the definition. It’s not. Effective? Absolutely. But not a coup de théâtre. 

Anyway, great reviews so far including a Times Critic’s Pick!

Updated On: 10/30/23 at 10:20 PM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/29/23 at 10:21pm

Critic’s Pick from Jesse Green:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/29/theater/stereophonic-review-david-adjmi-will-butler.html

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 12:12pm

What a wonderful crop of raves! 

And TheaterMania calls it a "masterpiece."

Updated On: 10/30/23 at 12:12 PM

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 2:09pm

I have to believe with these kind of reviews that this production would extend. I’d say if there was some judicious pruning, they might even transfer this to the Main Stem. 

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 2:34pm

I think it might be happier at a decently appointed Off Broadway theater where it could keep its cast and maybe even make a bit of money. But do those exist anymore or do all well reviewed productions run lemming like to the Broadway cliff and jump off of it while trying to catch a golden Tony award?

Broadway is littered with the skeletons of dead productions clutching Tony Awards.

Updated On: 10/30/23 at 02:34 PM

[B212323]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 3:58pm

WiCkEDrOcKS said: "By and large, I thought this was exceptional. Overlong, sure, but not by some insane margin - I strangely didn’t find it slow at all. It’s supposed to take us along on this band’s experience of recording an entire album - which in itself is often draining, arduous, stressful, and long. That’s the point. But it’s far from boring. I thought the ensemble was up there with the cast of THE COMEUPPANCE. It’s hard to pinpoint a single performer, but Will Brill (always so good), Eli Gelb (very, very funny and heartfelt), and Sarah Pidgeon (giving Marin Ireland with the voice of Adele) each killed it, in particular.

The music is great, the direction is strong, and it’s a technical marvel (particularly the sound design and the set). Overall I thought this was a vibrant, absorbing, hilarious, and ultimately moving piece about all of the pain, joy, and growth that comes from creating art, particularly with other people. (I’d also suggest reading David Adjmi’s note to the patron in the Playbill.)

If you can’t handle three hours and ten minutes, skip it. But you shouldn’t let the runtime deter you if you’re a serious-minded theatergoer looking for some meat and potatoes instead of the candy and fast food being slung at the average ticket buyer nowadays.

I believe it’s opening tonight and I hope the reviews are strong!"

Did it need to be 3h 10m? 

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 4:17pm

B212323 said: "WiCkEDrOcKS said: "By and large, I thought this was exceptional. Overlong, sure, but not by some insane margin - I strangely didn’t find it slow at all. It’s supposed to take us along on this band’s experience of recording an entire album - which in itself is often draining, arduous, stressful, and long. That’s the point. But it’s far from boring. I thought the ensemble was up there with the cast of THE COMEUPPANCE. It’s hard to pinpoint a single performer, but Will Brill (always so good), Eli Gelb (very, very funny and heartfelt), and Sarah Pidgeon (giving Marin Ireland with the voice of Adele) each killed it, in particular.

The music is great, the direction is strong, and it’s a technical marvel (particularly the sound design and the set). Overall I thought this was a vibrant, absorbing, hilarious, and ultimately moving piece about all of the pain, joy, and growth that comes from creating art, particularly with other people. (I’d also suggest reading David Adjmi’s note to the patron in the Playbill.)

If you can’t handle three hours and ten minutes, skip it. But you shouldn’t let the runtime deter you if you’re a serious-minded theatergoer looking for some meat and potatoes instead of the candy and fast food being slung at the average ticket buyer nowadays.

I believe it’s opening tonight and I hope the reviews are strong!"

Did it need to be 3h 10m?"

I'm not quite sure how to answer that. Could Adjmi have cut 15 minutes or so? Sure - but at that point, it would be 2 hours and 55 minutes instead of 3:10. It's not a wildly drastic change in runtime.  It's not like he could've butchered the entire thing and made it 90 minutes - the material and performances, to me, justify the length.  Again, if you know you can't sit still for the duration, then don't go.  The length, personally, did not bother me as it seems to for others. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 6:05pm

They've extended thru December 17.  I'm surprised with these raves.  I thought it was good, but not that good.

[B212323]

Posted: 10/30/23 at 10:13pm

WiCkEDrOcKS said: "B212323 said: "WiCkEDrOcKS said: "By and large, I thought this was exceptional. Overlong, sure, but not by some insane margin - I strangely didn’t find it slow at all. It’s supposed to take us along on this band’s experience of recording an entire album - which in itself is often draining, arduous, stressful, and long. That’s the point. But it’s far from boring. I thought the ensemble was up there with the cast of THE COMEUPPANCE. It’s hard to pinpoint a single performer, but Will Brill (always so good), Eli Gelb (very, very funny and heartfelt), and Sarah Pidgeon (giving Marin Ireland with the voice of Adele) each killed it, in particular.

The music is great, the direction is strong, and it’s a technical marvel (particularly the sound design and the set). Overall I thought this was a vibrant, absorbing, hilarious, and ultimately moving piece about all of the pain, joy, and growth that comes from creating art, particularly with other people. (I’d also suggest reading David Adjmi’s note to the patron in the Playbill.)

If you can’t handle three hours and ten minutes, skip it. But you shouldn’t let the runtime deter you if you’re a serious-minded theatergoer looking for some meat and potatoes instead of the candy and fast food being slung at the average ticket buyer nowadays.

I believe it’s opening tonight and I hope the reviews are strong!"

Did it need to be 3h 10m?"

I'm not quite sure how to answer that. Could Adjmi have cut 15 minutes or so? Sure - but at that point, it would be 2 hours and 55 minutes instead of 3:10. It's not a wildly drastic change in runtime. It's not like he could've butchered the entire thing and made it 90 minutes - the material and performances, to me, justify the length. Again, if you know you can't sit still for the duration, then don't go. The length, personally, did not bother me as it seems to for others."

Yeah it seems 15/20 minutes wouldn't make a big difference. I can handle the time (I go to longer operas than that) but I also heard it moves and I'm interested in the subject matter.