Company Commentary Thread- Page 10

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:17am

Glorious. Absolutely loved it.

For those who have been asking, I'm one hour behind you guys, so when the address came up I paused it for you:

Company
P.O. Box 2284
South Burlington, VT
05407
1-800-336-1917
DVD $24.99 plus shipping

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:19am

I simply mean that, unlike in most musicals I see where the music itself tends to strengthen the piece, with Company it was almost like I personally had to look PAST the music in order to enjoy the show.

Funny, because I had that experience with Spring Awakening (feeling that the songs never failed to stop the action of the show cold), but don't have that problem at all with Company because it isn't a narrative musical. The fact that it's so fragmentary and that it's made clear that it's in Bobby's head makes the song/scene progressions natural. You may not like the music, but I can't imagine the show working half as well without it. Personally, I think the score has some of Sondheim's best melodies and (especially) lyrics. But different tastes, right?

I think the filming was stunning. It completely captured the beauty of the show and is truly the next-best thing to having seen it live. It's also a capture of a wonderful performance, and I thought that all of the actors were at their best. "Being Alive" left me literally shaking, which is something that just doesn't happen to me.
Updated On: 2/21/08 at 12:19 AM

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:21am

I didn't get to see this show on Broadway, so this was my first time seeing it and I thought it was WONDERFUL! What a terrific show!

[WordedGrace]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:21am

I thought it was great. Raul should've won the Tony he was just great.

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:23am

My friends came over, so it was a "watching Company with company" night. Luckily, they both seemed to enjoy it. I've been raving about the show for a while to them, so it was a nice oppurtunity for them to see how truly wonderful it is. My mom loved "What Would We Do Without You?" and my friends seemed to take a liking to Raul's Bobby. I didn't particularly care for the censors (although they were a bit humorous in their own right), but aside from that the taping was very good. ("Being Alive" was my favorite moment, I think. It's so hard to choose a favorite moment, actually).

A few days ago, I lent my friend the cast recording for the show, which he returned to me yesterday, stating how he "loved it". Naturally I mentioned that it would be on PBS, so hopefully tomorrow we'll chat about it.

Overall, a fantastic show -- but this was to be expected, aye?

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 12:23 AM

[snl89]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:24am

You felt the need to back it up with something, but the claim you tried to back it up with just shows a complete lack of understanding of the structure of a musical. If you don't like it, fine, that's your opinion. And you're entitled to that. But why not just say that? It doesn't make you look any smarter to back an opinion up with something that's totally false.

Except.. I really wasn't trying to make any claims. I apologize if it came off that way, because really, all I meant by what I initially said was that for me it went a bit beyond simple dislike of the score; the music actually made me want to stop watching. It was something I actually had to conciously look beyond. There are some shows where I may not particularly like a the score, but it doesn't get in the way of my over all enjoyment of the piece. This one pretty much did. THAT'S all I meant- and again, I apologize if it came across as implying that I think they actually SHOULD take the score out. I just meant that for me personally, since I KNOW the story and the character development that happens within the songs, I could mute the TV during the musical parts and turn them back on during the staight parts, and I think that I would actually enjoy the show MORE. :)

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:24am

Why does Barbara Walsh remind me of Donna Murphy and Patti Lupone ...her makeup ...

[ggersten]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:25am

Memory plays funny tricks. I saw this mumbledy mumbledy years ago in Los Angeles with George Chakiris and Elaine Strich. I saw it again in the 80s at a college. I don't recall "Marry Me A Little" in either show. When was that addition made? Similarly, when was the homosexual tete a tete discussion added? I went to my copy of the script in a book and neither are in the original as presented there. I also noted that some lines in "You Could Drive A Person Crazy" were changed from so that the girls can sing "..if the person were gay" instead of "..if there person were a fag."

Well, I admire Doyle's vision, I'm not sold on it for this show. I thought the instruments on stage were distracting. And where was the second piano? Raul gets up from the piano in Being Alive and yet it still plays? By stripping away the scenery and props (for the most part), he stripped the show down to its emotional core, but left it out there raw. I didn't feel the ambiguity that Sondheim says they were aiming for. I felt more of the negativity. On this board, I may be lonely in my views, but that's okay. The one touch I did like was the final blowing out of the candles, the look and the smile.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:26am

But I mean, this is a general thing I have with Sondheim (I'm sure there are probably a pretty good portion of people in here who are very well aquainted with my views in this regard lol). In pretty much every one of his shows that I know of, there are a couple of songs I really love, and the rest I just simply don't like.

I have heard this before. Years ago, in HS, I got the OCR of COMPANY and loaned to a friend who was also a budding musical theatre afficianado like myself. The next day he came back and said "COMPANY stinks!" For along time he refused to even give it a second listen. But as his career in musical theatre took off and other actors & directors began urging him to give it another chance, he finally did and now it is one of his favourites.

Sondheim's scores are so full of musical and lyrical ideas that it is impossible to fully appreciate from a single listening. (Like Mozart's music reveals more layers with each subsequent listen.) I was lucky to be a teen when COMPANY and FOLLIES and PACIFIC OVERTURES came along. I had the time then (and the patience) to sit and listen to enire albusm with following along in the librettos.

I suspect after a half dozen listens you will at least appreciate it more, if not like it more.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:27am

Okay, snl, you said that you thought, with the exception of Being Alive, you thought the show would work better without the songs. Before you're so quick to back pedal and be defensive, think about the implications of that statement, and maybe try to see why you're getting the reactions you are.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:31am

I have never been so moved by performance. I truly cannot find words to describe what I feel right now. His eyes throughout the whole show...just wow! And the relationship to each character. It was exhilerating. For the tonys to not award that performance was a huge mistake.

[Taryn]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:32am

"And where was the second piano? Raul gets up from the piano in Being Alive and yet it still plays?"

Matt Castle plays the keyboard upstage.

[snl89]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:37am

Okay, snl, you said that you thought, with the exception of Being Alive, you thought the show would work better without the songs. Before you're so quick to back pedal and be defensive, think about the implications of that statement, and maybe try to see why you're getting the reactions you are.

I see- hence why I have now apologized multiple times for having said it like that, and further explained myself so as to make it clearer what I meant :)

aaand I am done with this convo now because I don't want it to get into a long, drawn out, unnecessary argument.



anyway,

so who else wants other shows to be taped and put on PBS!? Honestly, why can't they do this for like... every show? It's SUCH a treat to be able to see *sigh*

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 12:37 AM

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:37am

SNL89 - definately take a listen to the original recording. The orchestrations are so much more fun and dynamic. I love this version, but it will never replace the actual drums and the 70's soundused in "company". it's on Itunes. You hear the 70's influence on songs like "company", "have I got a girl for you" and "tick tock"


it's truly one of my favorite recordings.

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:39am

His eyes throughout the whole show...just wow!
Esparza has some of the best facial reactions I've ever seen.

They can either drive you into hysterics or make you want to bawl your eyes out... and he just delivers each 'look' brilliantly.

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 12:39 AM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:42am

aaand I am done with this convo now because I don't want it to get into a long, drawn out, unnecessary argument.

Too late. It was unnecessary of you to derail the conversation in the first place to whine about how you don't like Sondheim. Again. If you don't like the show, why do you keep coming into threads and starting arguments over it (then running away as soon as people start calling you on your illogical, inaccurate claims)?

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 12:42 AM

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:44am

Wow. I'd forgotten how much I love this show.

I remember now.

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:52am

Matt also plays the keyboard, but one of the other actors takes over just before Raul gets up, if you saw it live, you can see the transition.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 12:59am

I was so choked up i forgot to add some stuff. I agree that two featured actress nominations should have been handed out to Heather Laws and Elizabeth Stanley. I also agree Barbra Walsh should have gotten one too. I thought the one thing that stood out about the facial expresions is that with each person Raul interacted with his face told a story about them. The scene between him and Peter was very intresting to watch because throughout act one i kinda felt as if Raul's bobby had thought about if he was gay because i kinda had a vibe coming from him a few times which i know has been discussed about the character before. I felt that the acting was just so superb for every single character. I am thankful that it has been preserved like this.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 1:03am

Anyone reading ATC tonight? They've hated this production since the start. But someone just went as far to say that this production is torture not theatre.

They need to get over themselves.

[Dad'sOldRecords]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 1:32am

Just some thoughts...

I just came back from the screening at the Laurie Beechman, and I have to admit I'm feeling a bit weird. I'm trying to take it all in, but I have to admit that I was so engrossed when I was watching that I realized somewhere in the second act that I was holding my breath.

I actually didn't get to see the show when it was on Broadway last year because I was living in California, so I was really determined to take advantage of seeing the airing with some kind of audience.

I had rather high expectations for the show, as I've listened to the music both from this and the original cast and find myself (sadly) relating a lot to Bobby at this point in my life. I thought the whole thing was incredibly touching and the direction really gave a sense of movement to the piece. My friend who went with me (who had seen it on Broadway) said that she would have liked to have seen more of the movement around the edge of the stage in the film, but I thought that everything flowed really well and did a great job of portraying the show as a rather tight, cohesive piece (although even I will admit that the feet into the spotlight was a little off-putting).

Each of the cast members really had moments to shine, and everyone assumed their roles with a natural ease that made the characters extremely accessible. I can still see Raul's heartbreaking face at the end of "Side by Side by Side," and I still hear everyone's voice calling out Bobby's name in my head. The only thing that really bugged me (and I don't know if I was imagining things) was that it seemed like the film wasn't corresponding with the music during the end of "Ladies Who Lunch," which was incredibly distracting during such a pivotal time in the song.

It was so great to see everyone applauding after musical numbers and just thoroughly enjoying what they were watching. If what aired tonight was any indication of how the experience of the actual show was, I'm really sorry I missed it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 1:37am

Aww, thanks for that post.

It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I'm so lucky to have been able to see it several times.

[mll85]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 3:04am

Throughly enjoyed the broadcast, the filming was excellent. I wish I could have seen the production live.

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 03:04 AM

[A Director]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 3:34am

I've liked Company since the first time I heard the 1970 cast album when it was first released. Years later, I find some of George Furth's book to be a tinge shallow. I think the changes made to the script and score. Having Marry Me A Little end the first act, allows for some change in Robert.

This being said, I didn't care for John Doyle's production which to me was cold and clinical. Stripping away the specific locations and sort of setting the show at a cocktail party made a somewhat confusing story more confusing. I found no symbolism in the characters not looking at one another. Doyle did the same thing in his staging of The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. I'd say this is his signature style. I found many of the scenes to be flat and all the same. How many times do we need to see the actors walk or march around the edge of the stage? Didn't anyone point out to Doyle that Marta's speech about dressing all in black makes no sense when she is wearing all black?

Raul was okay, but at times he seemed all at one level with two or three expressions. The Ladies Who Lunch is a great song when it isn't shouted. The rest of the cast was just there.

I strongly disagree with the praise for Lonny Price's TV direction. He must have a short attention span. There were many times when the camera was in the wrong place or showed something that didn't add anything. The over uses of cuts in the editing, the pulling back and the zooming into a close up, and those over head shots only called attention to them. Camera tricks don't equal good directing.

To me, the filming of The Light in the Piazza was much better. Kirk Browning recently died, Lonny Price should study Mr. Browning's many productions and learn something. Mr. Browning set the bar very high.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 3:37am

I enjoyed it as well. I'm in California so I'm probably one of the last here to have seen it except for the people who are getting it in the next few days. I didn't like every choice of frame, but those are just minor nit-picky things. The production is amazing. Raul kept me captivated. I too feel an odd sense of ... something. I can't put it into words. Like I'm trying to take in what I've seen and I just can't. I don't know how to process it other than to just sit here dumbfounded. As an actor and aspiring director I feel a kind of pity for myself. Like, what's the point? How could I ever be involved with anything greater then that? I don't know what else to say.