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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

High Fidelity

Oct 21 – Dec 7, 2019
Arches Ln, Nine Elms, London SW11 8AB, United Kingdom

Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity opens with Rob—owner of a record shop expertly stocked with vinyl deep-cuts—who’s in the wake of his most recent breakup. Reflecting on his romantic past, he says, “Unhappiness really meant something back then. Now it’s just a drag, like having a cold or having no money.” Rob has grown weary of heartache and bad matches. The 2000 film adaptation of Hornby’s novel earned cult status for its nearly perfect soundtrack, and also for John Cusack’s pitch-perfect performance as Rob, on the hunt for the perfect girl and perfect records. At the Turbine, High Fidelity is a musical, a shift that will delight rom-com fans and discourage indie loyalists. —C.J.F.

The Cast of “High Fidelity”- The Turbine Theatre- Photographs by Mark Senior