LaCageFan's ROCK 'n' ROLL Thoughts...

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 12:37pm

“Rock ‘n’ Roll” is a new Tom Stoppard play that broke records in London. Now that it is playing at Broadway’s Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, less than attentive audience goers may want to break some records upon sitting through a rather lengthy play about Marxism in Czechoslovakia in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Tom Stoppard is an acquired taste, and even his biggest fans know that it takes a village to make his plays successful on Broadway. The entire production element has to be pitch perfect in order to not only enlighten but also entertain.

Stoppard and director Jack O’Brien have a special kind of simpatico when it comes to producing these great works (“The Invention of Love” and “The Coast of Utopia”). Unfortunately, Trevor Nunn (“Arcadia” and the latest “Oklahoma” revival) is at the helm of “Rock ‘n’ Roll” and one wonders if O’Brien were at them helm if he could help less literal American audiences digest this philosophy any better.

The cast, which includes British actors Brian Cox, Sinead Cusack, Rufus Sewell, Nicole Ansari, and Alice Eve are each splendid in their limited roles and work well as an ensemble cast. Is it a brilliant new Tom Stoppard work? No! Is it the worst collaboration he’s ever penned? No, it doesn’t even come close to the dreadful “The Real Thing.” But there have to be better plays out there than this and following the magnificent “The Coast of Utopia,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll” is a slight letdown.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 12:47pm

That's disappointing. I'm looking forward to seeing this.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 12:49pm

"No, it doesn’t even come close to the dreadful “The Real Thing.”"

Well, you're certainly in the minority with that opinion, with most people thinking it was one of Stoppard's finest works, including Tony voters who awarded its original production Best Play and its 2000 revival Best Revival.

Personally, I really enjoyed this production in London and look forward to seeing it again here.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 12:56pm

Wow ! I'm speechless...

I was thinking of seeing this... YES ...I'll willing to try Tom Shoppard's play one more time ... Though I have questions which may decide my fate in seeing this play.

1. How long is the play?

2. Do you think ..there's a possiblitity this would be nominated for a best new play
(I know its early..) but I wanted to see all the nominated plays.

3. Is this a limited run ?

Thanks

J*
Updated On: 11/2/07 at 12:56 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 1:15pm

1. It should be running around 2 hours, 45 minutes or so.

2. It will almost certainly be nominated for Best Play (it won Best Play last year in London from the Evening Standard Awards and the London Critics Circle and Rufus Sewell won Best Actor from both of those as well as the Olivier Awards)

3. It's currently selling tickets through March 2, 2008

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 1:23pm

I've only read the play (twice) but am seeing it in two weeks. Let me put it this way, if you're conversant with Charter 77, fascinated by communism in theory versus communism as it was practiced in 1970s/80s Czechoslovakia, know all about the Plastic People of the Universe, were following Margaret Thatcher in the 80s, you'll have a ball!!! And you'll hear a lot of Pink Floyd and the Velvet Underground into the bargain.

[GladysBumps]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 2:11pm

. . . and you will be emotionally paralized.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 5:07pm

I sat through ROCK 'N' ROLL on Friday night, and was bored senseless. There's more drama in the explanatory pamphlet tucked into the program than on that stage. Excruciating.

At a completely indefensible 3 hours and ten minutes, this play is in DIRE need of trimming. A big part of the problem is the interminable scene changes, during which rock music is played and information about the assorted songs is projected on a lowered screen, way too much information, like the name of the song being played, the name of the band playing it, the label that released the album, the studio where the song was recorded and the complete personnel and instrumentation. Did I really need to sit there looking at the words PINK FLOYD projected on a screen for a full minute? Did I really need to be told that Nick Mason played tympani and cymbals on "Welcome To The Machine?"

The play itself is a problem. I was never moved to give a damn about anyone or anything in it. There was the occasional bit of Stoppardian cleverness, as a political bon mot or two were delivered. But I kept waiting for something interesting to happen, and it just plain never did. A shame, as there seem to be a lot of interesting stories to be told about the history of the era. Why on earth Stoppard didn't see fit to tell me any of them is a mystery. Just a lot of back and forth as people describe events that happened offstage.

I wanted my money back, and my three hours and ten minutes back. A disaster. And the assorted critics are going to fall all over it, like they did with the equally useless HISTORY BOYS. I can't wait to read Brantley's inevitable critical fellate on Stoppard in the paper tomorrow.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 6:23pm

^^^ Thanks...

That's it !

I am not going to see this play. Call me "whatever" but riding to an 8 hour bus trip (r/t) from Boston is NOT worth it. I'll just save my money and time . Accept the fact that probbably this play is not meant for me.

BTW- I love History Boys though....

J*




Updated On: 11/4/07 at 06:23 PM

[GladysBumps]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 6:27pm

You're right of course, Roscoe, Brantly will fall all over himself.

Well, of course, there's nothing to threaten the little drip, no emotion connection, no believable relationships, just pure academia bull doody.

I did love your rant about those endless projections with the inane facts. Musicology 101, at at such a cost!

At one particularly dull point well into the fist act, I looked around me at frozen faces, so bored, people had actually turned to stone.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 6:41pm

I saw this play the other night and LOVED it! Granted, it was a little slow to start, but by the end, I had fallen in love with these characters and didn't want to leave them.

It's the least difficult and most emotional Stoppard play I've seen.

Plus, the acting superb! And the Rock 'n Roll...

jstarr, you really should reconsider and see it! I'd love to hear your opinion.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 6:59pm

That Brantley will rave is hardly a surprise considering he gave a rave to the London production (with the same director, designers and principal cast) last year.