Have you ever wondered what really happened to Fleetwood Mac? “Stereophonic” takes the audience through a realistic history of the soft rock group’s trials, addictions and messy relationships that ultimately led to their breakup. From an artistic perspective, the play is an immersive recording experience, but for the average audience member, it falls flat due to the unorthodox storytelling.
Based on the real experiences of the band and its members, “Stereophonic” won a Tony Award for Best Play and is now traveling to many cities, with its current stop being in Cleveland. The entire story takes place in a recording studio, which is broken up into the live room, where the band performs, and the control room where the music is produced. There are only seven cast members, keeping the story tight-knit so each relationship can be explored in depth.
This small cast and static set is very intriguing in theory because it offers a lot of creative outlets to breathe life into the performance. Oftentimes, dialogue and movement overlap each other, with conversations happening in one part of the set and action occurring in the other. This adds detail to each of the characters and their personalities, along with realistic relationship dynamics. However, it can be hard to focus on both pieces of the story and the artistic depth is lost if the audience focuses on one event more than the other.
Not only that, but without having a general knowledge of Fleetwood Mac, the play starts abruptly and forces unknowing audience members to catch up to the context on their own. Since it is a realistic depiction of recording albums, there are also many long pauses between dialogue or music, making it more difficult to follow the plot and understand the true meaning behind certain scenes. From an artistic standpoint, the reality of recording is effective and engaging, but most audience members might get bored during these lulls.
Some comedic timing makes up for the slow pace of the play. The engineer and his assistant, Grover and Charlie, add humor and lightness to the intensity of the band’s dynamic. It was exciting to hear from them and watch them have fun when other parts of the show were confusing or heavy. They were able to poke fun at the serious issues within the band, showing that fame affects people and can make them eccentric.
Even though it is a play, there were some musical elements that kept the show upbeat despite the struggles within the band. The actors actually played the instruments and sang in real time, which was very engaging to watch and listen to. The costumes were also fun to look at, with many flare jeans and long, flowy dresses that stayed true to the fashion of the late 1970s.
The positive aspects of the play were not enough to keep all of the audience members in their seats during the Jan. 23 showing at Playhouse Square. At least three parties left before or during intermission and never came back. It has a longer run time than most plays, lasting about three hours with four acts. The slow pace and a focus on the artistic nuance of recording albums with high social and personal pressures leave some audience members yawning and others on the edge of their seats.
So, if you are used to the exciting, colorful musicals that typically take place in the Connor Palace, “Stereophonic” might not be for you. However, if you’re looking for something different that explores deeper themes and realities, this play might be just what you are looking for.
