Theatre Reviews: My Master Builder; Stereophonic
From the ridiculous to the sublime
Every theatre ticket bought is a gamble. Given the same raw materials of a West End stage, original writing, and a talented cast - two productions can produce wildly different results.
This week demonstrated it more starkly than most as I saw some of the worst and best that London has to offer right now. Let’s see if I can review them from a balanced, structured point of view.
My Master Builder - Wyndham’s Theatre
A new play by Lila Raicek
Inspired by Ibsen
Directed by Michael Grandage
2 hours
It’s hard to pinpoint precisely what makes My Master Builder so bad. Everything seems to be working against this play, from the writing, performances, and staging, resulting in a strange evening at the theatre.
Allegedly not an adaptation of Ibsen’s The Master Builder, but clearly more than inspired by it, playwright Lila Raicek has set her play over the course of a single evening as an architect (Ewan McGregor) celebrates his latest masterpiece, mourns the anniversary of his son’s death, fights with his estranged wife (Kate Fleetwood), throws a party, and reunites with a former student and romantic interest (Elizabeth Debicki). And all of that in less than two hours of stage time.
To cover all that in such a short running time the characters are forced to behave like no human you’ve ever met. No line of dialogue is allowed to pass without either delivering a huge amount of exposition or an overwrought metaphor, ideally architecture-themed. This is the sort of play where you know everyone’s relationships because they give their entire CV to their own husband, and dark secrets are offered up to passing strangers.
The cast do their best with the material at hand but for the most part seem lost in thinly written roles. A lack of direction from Michael Grandage leaves their performances wildly mismatched and two-person exchanges come across as monologues from entirely different plays. A stand-out amongst the cast is Kate Fleetwood, who turns her arch dialogue into a witty, naturalistic performance. Sadly this only serves to show up her scene partners who deliver only caricatures in response.
Even the staging seems intent on working against the actors. For the most part the set is a beautifully rendered seaside mansion, but some design decisions undermine the emotional flow on the rare occasion it manages to get going. Twice Kate Fleetwood is given the space to shine and deliver heartbreaking monologues, but both times the atmosphere deflates immediately. The second time it happened Fleetwood had drawn the audience in with a story of loss and betrayal. It was captivating and the tension was palpable, but then was immediately broken by a stage transition involving excessive fussing with the furniture. All to make way for a very silly final scene.
As novel as it was to see Ewan McGregor, this particular project wasn’t worth anyone’s effort. Quite why this play was chosen for such a big name to make his return to the West End is beyond me. Save your money, save your time, see something else instead.
It was a long two hours at the theatre.
Seat: Grand Circle, H16 - £25
Not bad for the price as the view was central and unobstructed, if a little remote. We benefited from empty seats in the row in front which increased our legroom and minimised the impact of other people leaning forward. Would happily sit here again.
Show: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Seat: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
My Master Builder runs until 12th July 2025.
Stereophonic - Duke of York’s Theatre
Written By David Adjmi
Original Songs by Will Butler
Directed by Daniel Aukin
3 hours 15 minutes
It’s hard to pinpoint precisely what makes Stereophonic so successful. Everything seems to be working for this play, from the writing, performances, and staging, resulting in an exceptional evening at the theatre.
Allegedly not about Fleetwood Mac’s time recording Rumours, but with a settled lawsuit begging to differ, playwright David Adjmi has set his play over the course of many months as an unnamed band (Zachary Hart, Lucy Karczewski, Jack Riddiford, Chris Stack, and Nia Towle) try to record their new album with the support of sound engineers Grover and Charlie (Eli Gelb and Andrew R. Butler). As their previous album becomes an unexpected hit they’re given unlimited studio time and the work expands to fill the space. Luxuriously spread over more than three hours of stage time, we see the band battle each other creatively, romantically, and physically. Moments of artistic perfection are glimpsed alongside a band pulling apart at the seams.
With a singular focus over such a long running time the characters are given the space to breathe and become fully formed human beings. No line of dialogue feels forced, instead conversation flows naturally, free of exposition or tortured metaphor. This is the sort of play where you slowly learn everyone’s relationship through how they act towards one another and changes in behaviour are clues towards events outside the studio. When historical slights are brought up it always feels organic rather than forced, and the way each individual behaves changes based on who they are sharing the space with.
The cast are exceptional without exception and feel at home in their richly written roles. Strong direction from Daniel Aukin allows their performances to feel distinct but also as parts of the same glorious whole. It is hard to pick stand-outs but Eli Gelb is a charming and understated audience surrogate as a sound engineer out of his depth, yet fascinated by the band’s emotional turmoil. Meanwhile the soul of the show is delivered by Lucy Karczewski (in her West End debut) as a woman struggling to have her voice heard by the man who is simultaneously her lover, bandmate, and producer. The whole cast is equally matched and there are zero weak links.
Even the staging is pitch perfect. The stage is filled with a picture-perfect recreation of a 70s recording studio, complete with sound-proof booth and plenty of bean bag chairs. The setting allows us to listen in on the band recording, overhear secret conversations, see the characters shine while performing and fall apart as they search for perfection. For the play’s fourth and final act the setting changes to a different recording studio but no effort is made to change the set. It’s a smart decision that both shows a level of trust in the audience, and allows for the magic of the play to continue unabated.
It is easy to see why Stereophonic received such acclaim on Broadway. This is a rare treat on the West End - a play that conjures up a world so convincing you forget about the real world for a short while. It reminded me of Annie Baker’s The Flick (and there’s no higher praise I can give) as it fully transported me to another time and place, to spend an extended period with real people. I haven’t even mentioned the music by Arcade Fire’s Will Butler, but this is a rare non-musical whose cast recording I will buy when it inevitably gets a release.
Three hours at the theatre that I wish had been longer.
Seat: Stalls, BB10 - £40
“You will be looking up at the stage“ warned my ticket, and they were right. I bought my ticket a few days in advance and this seat fluctuates wildly in price so it felt like an expensive bargain. I was at the end of the second row and my neck ache was nothing compared to those right at the front. The proximity made it really feel like I was in the studio with them.
Show: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Seat: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Stereophonic runs until 11th October 2025.