Reader Reviews
Rock 'n' Roll (Royal Court - Jerwood Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Pretentious with VERY hit and miss acting... - 84.13.159.105) | 30 Jan 07 |
| Seeing Stoppard's absorbing, fearsomely intelligent play a second time in it's new W/End home and with a new cast, I was struck more forcefully than before how different the two acts are. The first is politically driven, dense with information and slightly dry from a dramatic point-of-view, while the second is more of a family drama, while still managing to maintain the broad political and intellectual frame set up in Act 1. The dialogue here requires your full attention and Trevor Nunn's masterly staging is a definite night "on" but it really does repay the time and effort we, as theatregoers, invest in it. The new casting is a bit of a mixed blessing in that some of the supporting performances are pretty poor. However, Dominic West is brilliant, thought spookily similar to his predecessor Rufus Sewell, in the central role. David Calder also matches Brian Cox, though he seems a trifle old in Act 1. By contrast, Emma Fielding, though technically superb, seems way too young to play Calder's cancer stricken lecturer wife. In the 2nd half she really comes into her own and is utterly wonderful (actually better than Sinead Cusack) as their flakey but lovable daughter. This is ambitious, challenging fare, and it's great to have it in the West End. - 80.225.215.190) | 09 Dec 06 |
| Was bitterly disappointed in this play. Couldn't understand why it started when it did, and didn't put the players into perspective. The fact that Max was a communist was unclear as he ranted on. Why Jan went back to Prague was unclear. It seemed to us to be more intellectual style over good play construction. - 62.72.33.241) | 04 Oct 06 |
| The play itself is first rate Stoppard and the performances couldn't be better. Rufus Sewell is outstanding (the best male performance of the ten shows I saw in London) Sinead Cusack is also great as is Brian Cox. If you like Tom Stoppards plays don't miss this one. - 207.126.221.70) | 26 Sep 06 |
| If you enjoy Stoppard, soviet history and rock n roll then you'll love this play as much as I Did. It is cerebral stuff but also quite visceral and emotional. The acting is first rate with Sinead Cusack and Brian Cox stealing the honours as the academic couple. It is of course the music that is sublime withe Floyd and the Stones representing revoultion and the spirit of the sixties. Using Syd Barret as a motif works poignantly and the Prague scenes are superb. - 86.140.72.148) | 01 Sep 06 |
| It was very interesting to see this so soon after watching The Overwhelming last week and I'm afraid this does not bear comparison as a political drama. As usual with Stoppard he seems determined to impress us with his higher intellect and too much of this feels like an illustrated lecture on Czech / Soviet history. The use of rock 'n' roll as a metaphor for the suppression of the individual is too shallow, particularly as the music used as links between scenes appear to be chosen at random without any relevance to the text. The conclusion appears to be that personal freedom is defined as the right to attend a Rolling Stones concert which surely diminishes the suffering of millions under Soviet domination behind the old Iron Curtain. This is saved by a couple of exceptional performances: Rufus Sewell is poor (he seems bored) whilst Alice Eve shows considerable promise but Sinead Cusack and Brian Cox dominate proceedings. Cusack coneys genuine anguish as the indominatable Eleanor despite being wracked with cancer and Cox is superb as an, apparently, unrepentant Communist arguing for a worker's Utopia in the face of all the evidence. Rock 'n' Roll is more accessible than most Stoppard and is fitfully entertaining but falls far short of its' loftier aims. - 62.6.139.13) | 17 Aug 06 |
| Same old Stoppard, same old drivel really. It should sell by the bucketload to the self-regarding twerps who think this kind of thing to be clever. Awful actors, too: Rufus 'no one seems to cast me in films anymore' Sewell (wonder why) and Brian 'I'm so old now I must be good' Cox. Rubbish. - 217.196.231.33) | 09 Aug 06 |
| it's not really a play. just a colection of admittedly fascinating ideas. but oh so long. didn't connect with any of the characters - 81.86.106.82) | 02 Aug 06 |
| Once again Tom Stoppard marries intellectual muscle with theatrical elan. Whether this beautifully written, funny, moving examination of East-West politics versus popular culture will appeal to the masses is debatable, but Trevor Nunn's exquisite production could hardly be bettered. This is the best performance I have seen Rufus Sewell give, and there is magnificent work from Brian Cox, Alice Eve and the luminous Sinead Cusack. This sent me away with alot to think about. Very good indeed. - 195.82.123.181) | 22 Jul 06 |
| Well - I wish I could be as enthusiastic as the - so far - only two 5 * reviews here. It was too long 30 minutes could easily have been cut. The pace at times flacid. Rufus Sewell seemed to be on some medication which he may well have been and Brian Cox did his usually ballsy performance - a sort of intellectual John Prescott - if one could imagine such a thing. Sinead Cussack lost it for me when she had her breakdown scene towards the end of the first act - totally unconvincing. As for the projections - well I can't even be bothered to comment. I think it would be better suited to the small screen. pity the days have gone when this would have been done by the Beeb and we would have all been talking about it arouind the photocopier the next day. Hey Ho! - 195.93.21.73) | 11 Jul 06 |
| Loved this! Enjoyed the black outs and music incerts that appear to have bored others and whilst I can't claim to have understood it all thought it was another great Stoppard creation. Brillant acting especially from Rufus Sewell and Sinead Cusack, but I don't think there was a weak link in the cast. Would happily watch it again, may not be quite a 5 but better than a 4 so I'll score accordingly. - 195.194.75.204) | 04 Jul 06 |
| Just when you thought he might not have another great play in him, Tom Stoppard gives us the best new play we've seen in London since The History Boys. It's a wonderful piece of writing, given a terrific production, delivered by a great ensemble. My only niggle is that it gives credit to the least principled Rock and Roll capitalists who never did anything for anyone except themselves - the Rolling Stones. Still, even I loved the ending (which I will not give away!). This is the first punter review four days after opening - are you all at Evita previews?! - 86.142.150.94) | 20 Jun 06 |
