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Show: Company
Society: Artform
Venue: BOB HOPE THEATRE
Credits: Stephen Sondheim
Type: Sardines
Author: Caroline Jenner
Performance Date: 08/02/2023
Company
Caroline Jenner | 10 Feb 2023 23:33pm
For fans of Stephen Sondheim Company is considered the musical that truly established his reputation. A study in relationships, we are introduced firstly to thirty-five-year-old Robert and then the five Manhattan couples who are his best friends.
Bobby’s friends are dubious models of happily married life. Harry and Sarah are so competitive they end up in a ‘karate’ match face off, although in this production it looked more like judo, perhaps I need more training in martial arts. Peter and Susan divorce but stay together, although clearly not happy enough for him not to ask Bobby if he might be interested in a homosexual relationship. David and Jenny smoke a couple of spliffs which loosen her up, but she later decides she prefers to be uptight. Amy and Paul are about to marry after years of living together, despite the fact that she’s a nervous wreck whilst alcoholic Joanne, who is much older than the others, spends her time mistreating her third husband, the long suffering Larry.
The show opens with Bobby, Daniel Lawrence, a rather lost soul, listening to a series of birthday greetings from his friends on an answering machine. Something that seems a little incongruous in the light of Sheila Arden’s comments that this was set in ‘modern times’. Surely a whatsapp message or even a text would have been more appropriate. Lawrence captures this solitary individual well, his performance presenting Bobby as graciously easy going when ’in company’ yet plagued by doubts when on his own. As the lead he appears quietly self-effacing, allowing each couple to have their moment, although successfully pulling off the emotional intensity of the final number ‘Being Alive’.
The rest of the cast work well together both as an ensemble and when they have their individual moments. As a group they maintain a dynamic stage presence, and when the stage is full they exude an infectious exuberance that has the audience cheering. Highlights include Erin Clancy as Amy, with her neurotic toast scrapping and wonderful rendition of ‘Getting Married Today’ and Jo Robinson’s uptight Jenny, whose nonstop chatter belies the fact that she is high on marijuana, despite the fact she is convinced otherwise.
A neatly staged ‘Another Hundred People’ is also worthy of mention with particularly effective use of the space and followed by the wonderful ‘Barcelona’, and an impressive performance by Alexandra Wharram as the ‘nice but dim’ airhostess April. Laurie Brown as Joanne also has her moments with some spitefully bitter comments delivered in a way that makes us empathise with her disillusion. The tattoo, however, was a real distraction!
A practical set gives opportunity for an interesting range of levels and simple furniture could be moved around and adjusted for alternative locations. Occasional issues with sound I am sure will be ironed out over the run as conversations off stage were being picked up on the radio mikes!
Ultimately the problem with Company is that it seems unbelievable that Bobby would actually want to find a mate of his own considering the state of the marital relationships that surround him. The final moment with Joanne when she offers to take care of him and his response is “But who will I take care of?” suggests that it is possibly something more nurturing than just marriage that Bobby is looking for.
I am not a big fan of Company but Sheila Arden’s confident direction allows for a great night out with plenty of humour and some strong musical performances enhanced by an excellent band.