Rock and rebellion go hand-in-hand, whether it's a kid blasting music his parents hate or a band doing its own thing its own way, no matter the cost.

The latter is the case in Tom Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll, an intellectually challenging yet undeniably engrossing season opener at Mosaic Theatre in Plantation.

The Czech band Plastic People of the Universe plays a meaningful offstage role in Stoppard's 2006 play. Historic events like the Prague Spring of 1968 and the Velvet Revolution of 1989 do too. But what makes Rock 'n' Roll (really all of Stoppard's work) so compelling is the people he places into the worlds he fashions. Rock 'n' Roll is a play roiling with tensions. It is also graced with piercing moments of tenderness and sorrow, when a blizzard of words and references gives way to pure emotion.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

If you're not up on Czech history, the protest document dubbed Charter 77, the poetry of Sappho or the fractured relationship of Roger ``Syd'' Barrett and Pink Floyd, you'd do well to arrive at Mosaic early to study the program insert -- context helps. But Stoppard, director Richard Jay Simon, a sublime cast and design team tell a compelling story, one full of wit, insight and theatricality.

The playwright leads off with a scene of rebellion, one of many in Rock 'n' Roll. Max (Gordon McConnell), a fervent Communist who teaches at Cambridge, is bidding a fiery farewell to his student Jan (Antonio Amadeo), a Ph.D. candidate who has decided to return to Prague after the Soviets put an end to attempted government reforms. Max is as furious as any domineering father figure whose ``son'' appears to be turning his back on everything the old man believes.

PASSAGE OF TIME

The action shifts back and forth, from Cambridge to Prague, as a changing array of clothes and hairstyles helps chart the passage of time. Though sustained by the music he loves, Jan finds life increasingly perilous, as he slips from working journalist to political prisoner.

Max grapples with the losing cancer battle being fought by his wife Eleanor (Laura Turnbull), a scholar who teaches the poetry of Sappho. Their rebellious daughter Esme (Dana Colagiovanni) is a rock-loving flower child who becomes a teen mum. As is so often the case, life doesn't begin to play out the way Max is certain it should.

As challenging as Rock 'n' Roll is for the audience, doing the play justice is a test for any theater, particularly a modest-sized one like Mosaic. With a few caveats (some actors barely project, for example), Simon and company have done an excellent job of bringing Stoppard's work to life.

Matt Corey's stop-on-a-dime rock sound design is brilliant. Set designer Sean McClelland supplies both Max's Communist academic-at-home habitat and Jan's graffiti-splashed flat. K. Blair Brown's costumes and wigs are transformative, turning Turnbull from Eleanor in Act One to grown-up Esme in Act Two. Turnbull and Amadeo, two of the region's finest actors, turn in wonderfully detailed, moving performances. McConnell is still fighting for the laser precision Stoppard's dialogue demands, but his Max is there emotionally. Scott Genn, in a variety of roles, and David Sirois stand out among supporting players. Stoppard's plays are too rare in South Florida. They demand much from artists and audiences, but done well, they deliver much too. Mosaic is delivering a potent Rock 'n' Roll.

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@