Artistic Dissent Over Politics

Rock ’N’ Roll – Artistic Home

 

British playwright Tom Stoppard’s 2006 drama is about how the evolution of rock and roll music seems to parallel the socialist movement in Czechoslovakia. Set in both Prague and Cambridge, England, the play shows the contrast between Jan, a young Czech PHD student and music aficionado, and Max, his British college professor, who strongly believes in Marxism. The story spans several decades, from 1968 through 1990. Throughout the years and the changing music, fashions and hair styles, the development of, and resistance to, Communism, the contrast between Western music with that of the Czech underground and the pagan sensualism captured, in Sappho’s poetry, are all set against classic rock and roll music.

The prolific Mr. Stoppard’s play is one of several written as an artist’s response, a dissent, against Czechoslovakia’s Communist Party, as it developed and became a frightening force in Europe. As a Czech-born artist, whose family fled the Nazi occupation, settling in England after the War, Stoppard felt passionately about the changes he saw in his homeland. His other plays written with this theme are “Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth,” “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour” and “Professional Foul.” Some of Tom Stoppard’s more familiar titles, which are known for including mountains of philosophical queries and themes mixed into a complicated story, include “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” “The Real Inspector Hound,” “Travesties,” “Jumpers,” “Night and Day,” “The Real Thing” and “Arcadia.”

Directed by the Artistic Director and co-founder of this highly respected storefront venue, Kathy Scambiatterra utilizes almost the entire theatre space, even including the theatre’s bathroom in her staging. Kevin Hagan’s scenic design, heavily embellished with Mary O’Dowd’s detailed props and set dressing, spans over four carpeted platforms, containing furnishings that come and go, as needed. Mark Bracken skillfully combines the rhythms of rock and roll music throughout three decades with other sounds of the era. And Zachery Wagner has taken the audience on a visual journey through time with his period-perfect costumes and wigs. 

Ms. Scambiatterra has extracted some extremely fine, well-honed performances from her large, talented ensemble. Julian Hester may be remembered for his masterful performance in the company’s production of “School for Lies.” He’s terrific here as Jan. Thanks to the sharp ear of dialect coach Susan Gosdick, Mr. Hester sounds convincingly Eastern European. The young actor takes us with him as he ages from an impressionable teenager to a wise college professor. Last seen as Hester Swane in Artistic Home’s “Bog of Cats,” Kristin Collins is remarkably passionate and heartbreakingly honest, playing both angry, cancer-riddled Eleanor and spunky mother and student of life, Esme. She’s a marvel and one of the best reasons for seeing this riveting production. Kayla Adams is natural and mesmerizing as both young Esme and Esme’s spirited daughter, Alice.

H.B. Ward is powerful and articulate, fiery and quick-tempered as Max. As we watch him span the years, only his physical portrayal alters; he’s still the same impassioned man of words, from beginning to end. Freedom Martin is excellent and articulate in the latter half of the play as Stephen, Alice’s boyfriend. Raphael Diaz plays Ferdinand with likability and a quiet strength. Brookelyn Hebert, in another beautiful performance following her role in “School for Lies,” is fetchingly smart as Lenka; and Stuart Ritter makes a strong, yet bitter ex-husband, as Nigel.

There’s a lot to listen to and digest in this intimate, in-the-round production of one of Tom Stoppard’s most complex and personal plays. Thanks to a well-directed, expertly enhanced production, audiences will find themselves reliving the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, especially through the music of the time. These compelling, intensely keen characters lead us through the culture and  political events that defined an era, as well as everything that happened in Europe, not so very long ago. Watching these familiar events pass before our eyes, theatergoers may be reminded that, truly, everything old is new again.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas    

 

Presented October 3-November 18 by Artistic Home, 1376 W. Grand Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 866-811-4111 or by going to http://www.theartistichome.org/.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.