The Tooth of Crime
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The Tooth of Crime: A West End Rock Drama
"The Tooth of Crime" premiered in London’s West End at the Open Space Theatre on July 17, 1972, a bold musical play by Sam Shepard that fused rock ‘n’ roll with theatrical innovation. Directed by Charles Marowitz and featuring Shepard’s original score performed by the band Blunderpuss, it ran as a limited engagement in the 63-seat venue. Set in a dystopian future where music and violence reign, the show introduced audiences to a raw, poetic clash between an aging rock star and a brash upstart. Though its initial West End run was brief, its cult status grew, influencing later productions and cementing Shepard’s reputation as a groundbreaking American playwright.
A Duel for Supremacy in a Sci-Fi West
The narrative unfolds in a post-apocalyptic world governed by “The Game,” a brutal blend of rock stardom and territorial combat overseen by “The Keepers.” Hoss, an established Marker and aging rock icon, faces a crisis as his Las Vegas territory is challenged by rival Mojo Root Force. Enter Crow, a Gypsy Marker with a futuristic swagger, who arrives to dethrone Hoss in a psychological and musical showdown. Advised by a mystic Star-Man and a pimp-styled DJ, Galactic Jack, Hoss grapples with self-doubt and betrayal, culminating in a battle of wits and riffs that probes the cost of fame and identity in a merciless landscape.
A Soundtrack of Rebellion and Myth
Shepard’s original music, performed live by Blunderpuss, drives the play with a gritty rock edge, blending Western, gangster, and blues influences. Songs like those traded in the climactic duel between Hoss and Crow mirror their invented argot a “Clockwork Orange”-style dialect rich with mythic undertones. The 1972 production’s raw sound, later replaced by T-Bone Burnett’s 1996 score for "Tooth of Crime (Second Dance)," captured the era’s counterculture pulse. Though no West End recording survives, the music’s fusion of styles amplified the play’s surreal intensity, leaving a lasting echo in Shepard’s oeuvre.
A Cast of Archetypal Outlaws
The original West End cast featured Malcolm Storry as Hoss, embodying a “mean Rip Torn” vibe, and Tony Milner as Crow, channeling Keith Richards’ wiry menace. Prunella Gee played Becky Lou, Hoss’s girlfriend-manager, while James Aubrey and David Schofield brought depth as Star-Man and Galactic Jack. Peter Bourke and Ray Edwards rounded out the ensemble as Cheyenne and Doc, Hoss’s loyal driver and drug supplier. Marowitz’s direction leaned into the play’s concert-like energy, staging a visceral clash that showcased the actors’ command of Shepard’s stylized dialogue and the futuristic rock ethos.
A Cult Classic’s West End Roots
After its 1972 Open Space debut, "The Tooth of Crime" didn’t sustain a long West End run, overshadowed by flashier musicals like "Jesus Christ Superstar." Yet its London premiere Shepard’s first major overseas staging sparked interest, influencing a 1983 La MaMa revival in New York and the 1996 rewrite. The play’s West End footprint, though small, introduced British audiences to Shepard’s unique voice before his Pulitzer-winning "Buried Child" in 1978. As of March 2025, it remains a rare West End experiment a rock-fueled fever dream of fame’s dark underbelly, still revered by theatre scholars and Shepard fans.