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Another one under the belt: this time the current revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company, a musical the Original Cast Recording of which I have long cherished and a show which I almost got to see the 1995 revival of (d'oh) and have always regretted not being able to.

An important musical for Sondheim, by the way.

This revival was in the style of the Sweeney Todd I saw not long ago and although the actors-playing-instruments thing didn't work quite as well in this one, I quite liked it. I do think they should've made it a period piece and set it in the '70's, instead of the not-quite-"timeless"/vaguely updated thing they were doing here. You can't have a song with the line "I'll call you in the morning or my service will explain" in the chorus and couples in their thirties "smoking grass" and "feeling square" and have characters make references to busy signals without it feeling a wee bit old-timey, but it's okay, "Spot the Anachronism" is one of my favourite games.

My mom liked it too, especially in the second act. Barbara Walsh was amazing, a cross between Dorothy Parker and The Drowsy Chaperone her-own-self, and not at all Stritch-esque, which is hard, since that role is totally Elaine's. Raul Esparza has a beautiful voice and an excellent deadpan.

They done good. I was very happy. And hey, I finally got to hear the dialogue. I never quite understood how we got from "Everybody riiiiiiiiiiiiiiise" to "Somebody hold me too close..."

ETA: The Times agrees with me.

Labels: broadway, company, i am a big nerd, sondheim

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