Critical Acclaim Greets the National Tour of David Adjmi’s Stereophonic
The national tour of “Stereophonic,” the highly decorated play written by David Adjmi with original songs by Will Butler, has launched to immediate critical praise. Reviews for the traveling production describe it as an extraordinary piece of theater, confirming that the show has retained its impact while moving from Broadway to venues across the country.
Background information on the production highlights its meteoric rise. Before hitting the road, “Stereophonic” became the most nominated play in Tony Awards history, eventually winning Best Play in 2024. The narrative centers on a fictional 1970s rock band on the cusp of superstardom, sequestered in a Sausalito recording studio. Over the course of a year, the band members grapple with drug use, relationship fractures, and creative perfectionism while attempting to record their masterpiece. The play is distinct for its hyper-realism; the actors play their instruments live, and the set functions as a working recording studio.
While the critical consensus is overwhelmingly positive, the production makes artistic choices that may not resonate with every viewer. A primary point of contention is the runtime; at over three hours, the play demands a significant time commitment and sustained attention span. Additionally, the show utilizes a documentary-style approach to dialogue, often featuring characters speaking over one another simultaneously. While this technique is designed to mimic the natural flow of conversation, it can occasionally make the text difficult to decipher. Furthermore, the pacing is deliberately slow to mirror the tedious reality of recording an album, a creative decision that some audience members may find testing compared to more fast-paced musical productions. Despite these potential objections regarding length and pacing, the tour is being hailed as a major theatrical event.
