Review Roundup: David Adjmi's STEREOPHONIC at Playwrights Horizons

Playwrights Horizons is now presenting David Adjmi's Stereophonic, directed by Daniel Aukin with original songs by Oscar nominee and Grammy winner Will Butler, formerly of Arcade Fire. The world premiere production runs through November 26 on the Mainstage at Playwrights Horizons (416 West 42nd Street).

Stereophonic mines the agony and the ecstasy of creation, as it zooms in on a music studio in 1976. Here, an up-and-coming rock band recording a new album finds itself suddenly on the cusp of superstardom. The ensuing pressures could spark their breakup—or their breakthrough. With Stereophonic, Adjmi invites audiences to be flies-on-the-wall in the studio, and into the powder keg process of a band on the brink of blowing up.

Jesse Green, New York Times: So however you want to categorize “Stereophonic” — perhaps a playical? — the great thing is that it doesn’t founder, as most theatrical treatments of the artistic process do, on either side of the genre divide. The music justifies the long buildup, and the play, Adjmi’s best so far, is as rich and lustrous as they come. You could even call it platinum.

Jackson McHenry, Vulture: This cast can pull off Adjmi’s knotty dialogue scenes, and they’re all remarkable musicians, able to jam in perfect synchronization and (as the plot often demands) total discord. Brill, so nervy and and raw as Astrov in Uncle Vanya this summer, is almost frayed to pieces as Reg, able to contort his body into postures that range from unsettling to pathetically funny. Across from him, Canfield makes Holly that much more careful and precise—you saw that same quality in her assistant on Succession, and also in the behind-the-eyes mysteries of Fefu and Her Friends. Stack draws on an element of Monty Python-ish good humor (Simon is, unsurprisingly, a big fan of their comedy) but is able to downshift into brawler mode at any moment. Pecinka and Pidgeon, together, get the lived-in savagery of a long relationship, allowing Peter and Diana to be as sweet as they are cruel to each other.

Tim Teeman, Daily Beast: You know a piece of theater has done something right when, many days later, it is still provoking pin-pricks of intrigue, revelation, and mystery in one’s mind. And so it is with Stereophonic (Playwrights Horizons, to Nov. 26)—one of the most original, stunningly designed, and technically dazzling plays in New York right now. Stereophonic is a must-experience, rather than simply a must-see.

Robert Hofler, The Wrap: The actors clearly relish these splashy scenes, but they are more impressive in far quieter moments. Pidgeon and Canfield quickly establish a female refuge against all the testosterone raging around them. As the leader of the band, Pecinka projects a strong sense of male entitlement that masks a deep insecurity, because the two female characters played by Pidgeon and Canfield are the real creative force in this recording studio. The actors expertly perform original songs by Will Butler, who regurgitates the sound, if not the spirit, of Fleetwood Mac.

David Cote, Observer: Without exception the cast is appealing and utterly cohesive, directed by Daniel Aukin with his usual preternatural gift for tonal control. Like his jukebox heroes, Adjmi has worked on this play for a long time (almost a decade), and his devotion and insane attention to detail has yielded a dense and novelistic weave with the uncanny heft of observed life. I’ll be honest: I don’t remember every scene of this long, luxurious fly-on-the-wall beauty.

Jonathan Mandell, New York Theater: At three hours long (plus intermission), “Stereophonic” feels as if it’s in Annie Baker territory – which is to say long and slow but meticulously observed from real life, unfolding as if in real time, but also offering a subtle wit and the possibility of deeper meaning. But does that sound like the right approach for a play about ROCK N ROLL?! Sure, there is an original rock score by the Grammy-winning musician Will Butler, formerly of Arcade Fire, but I counted only a half dozen songs, and, in keeping with the naturalistic approach, they were presented as if the band was figuring them out — therefore largely in snippets and stops and starts, the band spending more time listening to the raw recordings of their music than playing it.

Brian Scott Lipton, Cititour: Fortunately, for Adjmi and viewers alike, Daniel Aukin’s production of the work, now on view at Playwrights Horizons, could not be more immaculate – from David Zinn’s unbelievable re-creation of a California recording studio (aided by the superb sound design by Ryan Rumery) to the stunningly authentic costumes by Enver Charkatash (flares, flares, everywhere), to the deeply-felt performances by a mostly little-known, seven-person cast.

Joe Dziemianowicz, New York Theatre Guide: There’s a lot to admire about Stereophonic. The cast gives feel-real performances under the thoughtful direction of Daniel Aukin. David Zinn's recording studio set could pass for the real thing. Enver Chakartash's costumes, particularly the chunky-heeled huaraches, could have walked out of a ’70s closet. On the B-side (er, downside), Adjmi calls the play a “love letter to artists.” In terms of fresh ideas about the creative process, the play doesn’t deliver an LP’s worth of insights. In the end, it feels like a song we’ve heard before.

Average Rating: 85.0%

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