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Show: Sondheim on Sondheim
Society: Sedos
Venue: Bridewell Theatre
Credits: James Lapine
Type: Sardines
Author: Andrea Richardson
Performance Date: 06/07/2023
Sondheim on Sondheim
Andrea Richardson | 07 Jul 2023 10:47am
Photo: Stephen Russell
A wonderful tribute to a master
It was a pleasure to return to the Bridewell Theatre with a friend to enjoy their current production of Sondheim on Sondheim. This intimate theatre space makes an ideal setting for this equally intimate look at the Father of the Modern Musical, featuring new arrangements of his work.
The show was conceived by James Lapine in 2000, and has undergone many changes since its inception. It had its original run under the title Moving On at this very theatre in 2000, and this revival is the first time the show has been performed in the venue since then, as well as the first performance of Sondheim on Sondheim in the UK since the composer’s death in 2021.
The show is an entertaining and moving mixture of reminiscences and stories about Sondheim’s life, blending video footage of interviews with the composer with live performances of musical numbers he wrote. In the videos he gives a candid insight into his life and his creative process.
If you are expecting a ton of ‘greatest hits’, you’ll be disappointed. Whilst there are some iconic numbers, there are also a number of rarely performed or unheard songs. We had well known songs such as Losing My Mind (cleverly ‘mashed’ with Not A Day Goes By), Being Alive and Send In The Clowns (standout vocals from Olga-Marie Pratt). We also had lesser known songs such as The Wedding Is Off, and Is This What You Call Love?
This is a lovely mix of songs being performed direct to the audience, and fully acted and choreographed scenes that made you feel like you were watching a musical. In particular we enjoyed You Could Drive a Person Crazy for the clever way it turned the song into a mini play (performed by Robert J Stanex and Sadie Kempner), and Being Alive for sheer emotional heft (performed by Robert J Stanex).
We liked the basic costumes of all black, with only occasional costume changes or just adding a scarf or hat to present a character, as this highlighted the simplicity of set.
The band were excellent, they sounded so good. They were tucked away out of direct view but, led by Conductor Adrian Hau, they performed brilliantly.
The minimalist set with use of a split level stage and multiple entrances all contributed to smooth transitions between numbers. On the technical side, the precise timing of the video segments throughout is very important. The cast interaction with the videos also worked well, and again needed precise timing. Lighting was effective and worked very well – there were many lighting cues which must have been very hard work for the technical crew.
This was a 15 strong cast, and they all had ample opportunity to shine, both in ensemble and individually. There were no weak links in the cast. Highlights include a jazzy arrangement for a quartet of Something’s Coming from West Side Story, and the opening number of Act II ‘God’, which is a Sondheim written tongue-in-cheek song about himself. This song was especially poignant as it now comes across as a tribute to Sondheim, with lyrics “The lyrics are so smart, and the music has such heart”.
While not all of Sondheim’s most loved songs make the cut, there are plenty of favourites. It reveals a lot about the man behind the musicals, and makes it clear why he and his brilliant words and music matter and are much missed.
This was a high quality production with a strong ensemble cast who blended very well. Congratulations to Director Tess Robinson and the whole cast and crew.
- : admin
- : 06/07/2023