Could it be? Yes, it’s an entry that has nothing to do with cosplay! *laugh*
Anyway, I thought it was about time I finally got around to typing out a few thoughts about the Broadway revival of Company which I saw last month. (You know you’re behind when you’re writing reviews for a show that closed nearly a month ago. ^_^;;)
Company doesn’t really have a plot. It focuses on the main character Bobby and his interactions with 5 married couples, who are his friends, and a trio of girlfriends. I suppose the best way to describe it would be a collection of vignettes on the themes of love, commitment, and marriage. (My favorite had to be the scene with “Getting Married Today” and Amy the crazy bride having a nervous breakdown before eventually going ahead with the wedding. XD) It begins and ends with Bobby’s birthday but there’s no real sense of time in the piece, whether the scenes actually occur chronologically or how much time passes between scenes or if it’s all just things from the past that he’s remembering on his birthday.
The production was minimalist with no set or costume changes. The set consisted mainly of a piano, a column surrounded by a circular radiator, and large boxes made of thick clear plastic. (I actually found myself wondering if my family’s store helped build the set when I first walked into the theatre and saw those boxes!) The single set served as Bobby’s apartment, apartments of his friends, and a nightclub among other things. The costumes were all black and white. And the minimalist approach seemed to work fine with the amorphous nature of the show.
Also, there was no separate orchestra; the actors also played the instruments. (I didn’t see it but I’ve heard the Sweeny Todd revival a couple of years ago was staged the same way with the cast doubling as the orchestra.) I wasn’t sure how well such a concept could work but I think it did for this revival, considering the show’s lack of a conventional plot. Having heard the recording of the original production and read a bit about it beforehand, I knew not to expect much of a story and went mainly for the music so I wasn’t disappointed.
Hmm… And I just heard the other day that Roundabout will be doing a Sunday in the Park with George revival for next year. Sondheim revivals have seemed popular this decade with about one each year. Follies, Into the Woods, Assassins, Pacific Overtures, Sweeny Todd, Company. Wonder if there’s any chance of a Broadway revival of A Little Night Music since it’s one that hasn’t been done yet… (I know the NYC Opera did it a few years back but I missed it.) It’s one of my favorite Sondheim scores but I’ve never seen it staged.
And on an unrelated note, I should try to get to the Met sometime in the next week or so. I usually try to make it to their fashion exhibitions. And the Poiret exhibit closes next Sunday but I haven’t seen it yet. ^_^;
Anyway, I thought it was about time I finally got around to typing out a few thoughts about the Broadway revival of Company which I saw last month. (You know you’re behind when you’re writing reviews for a show that closed nearly a month ago. ^_^;;)
Company doesn’t really have a plot. It focuses on the main character Bobby and his interactions with 5 married couples, who are his friends, and a trio of girlfriends. I suppose the best way to describe it would be a collection of vignettes on the themes of love, commitment, and marriage. (My favorite had to be the scene with “Getting Married Today” and Amy the crazy bride having a nervous breakdown before eventually going ahead with the wedding. XD) It begins and ends with Bobby’s birthday but there’s no real sense of time in the piece, whether the scenes actually occur chronologically or how much time passes between scenes or if it’s all just things from the past that he’s remembering on his birthday.
The production was minimalist with no set or costume changes. The set consisted mainly of a piano, a column surrounded by a circular radiator, and large boxes made of thick clear plastic. (I actually found myself wondering if my family’s store helped build the set when I first walked into the theatre and saw those boxes!) The single set served as Bobby’s apartment, apartments of his friends, and a nightclub among other things. The costumes were all black and white. And the minimalist approach seemed to work fine with the amorphous nature of the show.
Also, there was no separate orchestra; the actors also played the instruments. (I didn’t see it but I’ve heard the Sweeny Todd revival a couple of years ago was staged the same way with the cast doubling as the orchestra.) I wasn’t sure how well such a concept could work but I think it did for this revival, considering the show’s lack of a conventional plot. Having heard the recording of the original production and read a bit about it beforehand, I knew not to expect much of a story and went mainly for the music so I wasn’t disappointed.
Hmm… And I just heard the other day that Roundabout will be doing a Sunday in the Park with George revival for next year. Sondheim revivals have seemed popular this decade with about one each year. Follies, Into the Woods, Assassins, Pacific Overtures, Sweeny Todd, Company. Wonder if there’s any chance of a Broadway revival of A Little Night Music since it’s one that hasn’t been done yet… (I know the NYC Opera did it a few years back but I missed it.) It’s one of my favorite Sondheim scores but I’ve never seen it staged.
And on an unrelated note, I should try to get to the Met sometime in the next week or so. I usually try to make it to their fashion exhibitions. And the Poiret exhibit closes next Sunday but I haven’t seen it yet. ^_^;