SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Other Links

Editorial Board

Google Site Search

Sondheim,  Company: The Royal Academy of Music's Musical Theatre Department, David White. Sir Jack Lyons Theatre, Royal Academy of Music, London, 20.6.2008 (BBr)

Stephen Sondheim: Company (1970)


Talk about hiding your light under a bushel. I am sure that it was due to contractural reasons that the programme book had to contain the legend: “This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.” This is total nonsense for this production was anything but amateur; it was as fine as anything you could hope to see in any West End theatre any night of the week. The tragedy is that it will only receive four performances.

The plot, such as it is, concerns Robert (Bobby) who is celebrating his 35^th birthday and his relationship with his friends - five couples - and his three girlfriends. Company was one of the first musicals to deal with adult problems through its music and Sondheim said, "they are middle-class people with middle-class problems." Also, although the songs grow from what we see on the stage, rather than have them further the plot, Sondheim has them comment on the characters in the play – this is a device which was to become a Sondheim standard.

This production was very much an ensemble piece and each of the fourteen actors gave admirable performances. The whole production was led by Owain Williams as Bobby, and was dominated by his fine baritone which was perfect for the wayward bachelor who seems to be avoiding marriage at all costs despite his friends continual worries about his single status – but always saying that he is good company. Especially fine were his leading of the title song, Someone is Waiting, Marry Me a Little and the climactic Being Alive.

Katy Dean gave a magnificent performance of the eccentric The Ladies Who Lunch, Ceri-Lynn Cissone was superb in her manic patter song Getting Married Today, and Rachel Windsor, as the nice but dim air stewardess whom Bobby seduces into bed with a tall tale (oh, the embarrassment of the reminiscence!) gave a lovely performance of the wistful Barcelona. The men were equally good but this is very much a woman’s show when it comes to the music. My only reservation was Laura Crowther who played Marta as if she were playing Daphne from Frazier, with an equally confusing accent.

Unlike Grand Hotel, the show running in repertory with Company, there were almost none of the problems concerning the personal microphones worn by the cast. Occasionally, usually in dialogue, words were lost because of the amplification but it was a small matter. The band, under David White, really swung, but were, on a couple of occasions, too loud for the singers.

This production was sexy and sassy, full of good humour and had a nice 70s feel – I particularly loved the pot smoking scene, and so did members of the audience who were of a certain age, laughing knowingly. However, I wonder why, at one point, one member of the cast seemed to be playing with a Gameboy!

The RAM’s Music Theatre Department can feel satisfied in the knowledge that here it has created a production as good as any the public could desire. A most satisfying evening in the theatre was had by all.

Bob Briggs


Back to Top                                                    Cumulative Index Page