Company Commentary Thread- Page 13

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 3:20pm

Lot of people on ATC are openly gay.

lol, that is so not what blaxx meant.

Lemme find the Times article, hang on.

From stuff I've read about how the original production was received, there was a fairly widespread reading of, "oh, he's not married by this age, he MUST be gay."

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 03:20 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 3:24pm

At the risk of re-opening an old can of worms, for blaxx:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/theater/26wadl.html?_r=3&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1164474152-i1d/SNhxduf8AIELnNLtUA&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[sally1112]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 3:26pm

I know! I was just being silly, because I read that last comment out of context while I was scanning through.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 3:26pm

Oh! Good!

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 03:26 PM

[sally1112]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 3:33pm

By-the-way, here in Louisville, KY, Company doesn't air until 3 a.m. tonight. I saw the production pre-Broadway when it was in Ohio, and can't to see it again (on TV).

[misschung]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 4:02pm

In terms of favorite moments:

"Maybe so, but maybe so has she." I didn't fully appreciate this song until I saw it live, and his delivery of that line made me love Bobby.

The very end of Side by Side - when the couples come downstage in pairs and Bobby's just left alone as they repeat "by side by side by side by side..."

I can't say enough about Mary Mitchell's orchestrations, but in particular: In "Little Things," Bruce's instrumental line when Barbara Walsh says "when two maneuver as one"; in Sorry Grateful - the way Barbara Walsh circled the stage with her triangle as Bruce sang. So many spectacular moments.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 4:11pm

My parents got to watch it in HD. My mom was just raving about how great it looked.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 4:20pm

I knew Raul deserved that Tony from the minute he opened his mouth. I remember seeing him as Che in Evita. His name never left my memory. Then I heard he did The Rocky Horror Show. Then came Taboo. And the rest is history.

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 7:53pm

Today my friend told me that now he wants to play Bobby (because I got him into the show). I feel accomplished. It's such a wonderful musical... I love sharing it with people... and I feel that's partly due to the fact that Bobby is so relatable. (Personally, I identify with April and Bobby [for different reasons, obviously]). Watching it last night -- despite the fact I may have heard the lines or songs numerous times over -- there were still moments when I felt the connection. And I feel that's what makes the show special... if you can still get something out of it... (which is why I love Cabaret so much, because no matter what I will always find something new and exciting about it).

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 07:53 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 8:02pm

And I feel that's what makes the show special... if you can still get something out of it... (which is why I love Cabaret so much, because no matter what I will always find something new and exciting about it).

Let's be friends.

[crivellofan]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 8:02pm

I am selling a DVD of Company that was aired on Great Performances on Feb 20, 2008. Please message me if anyone is interested. And the DVD quality is in HD!

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 8:10pm

Sure thing, Emcee.

There are only a handful shows that I really love and relate to - Cabaret and Company being the forerunners.

As for the DVD, my mom put in an order (so it'll be on its way)... and I'm excited about that. I have no idea if it's in HD or if the censors won't be there but those things are trivial, as it'll be my birthday present! (Honestly, what's a better present than Company?)

Updated On: 2/21/08 at 08:10 PM

[geaj]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 9:22pm

Well damn, I missed it. Does anyone know where to get a schedule of upcoming rebroadcasts? I looked at PBS but couldn't find my area. Thanks.

[rentrocks27]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 10:52pm

I was very pleased with the taping of the show. I never saw Company on Broadway and didn't know too much about the show. At first the actors playing the instruments was a bit distracting, but I got into it when the dialogue began. I didn't expect it to be so funny! I was crackin' up all by myself in my apt. I'm only sad that this show couldn't have lasted longer on the stage.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 2/21/08 at 11:03pm

I didn't get to watch the whole thing (I had to watch Project Runway), but I really enjoyed what I saw.

[Timmer]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 12:08am

"they are now asking me to suggest other Sondheim shows(besides Company and Sweeney) to listen to"

I would suggest A Little Night Music and Follies.

[Timmer]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 12:24am

I forget who it was, but someone mentioned (several pages back) having a video of the original. I would LOVE to have a copy of that!!!

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 12:37am

Some help, please! I didn't read any of the posts because there are too many of them. I didn't really get the show.

I kinda got the set. I get the idea of minimalism (very few props, no actual liquids, lucite blocks as seats/pedestals). What was that column with the radiator looking thing around the bottom? Was that there showing that the two ends of the center square are connected?

Having the actors as the orchestra is nothing like I've ever seen before. When they weren't playing, they were sitting on a lucite block in the dark, in lieu of a orchestra pit where the orchestra would normally be. Pretty creative, but was there a point to this? or was it just for being innovative?

The end was supposed to be the same birthday party at the beginning of the show? There was just so much going on that I couldn't catch up.

I feel kinda dumb asking for help, but if I just watch it again without any explanation, I still don't think I would get it. I would be able to enjoy it if things are clearer for me. Thanks

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 12:40am

Tried to watch it again and boy is it boring, I love COMPANY so much, I just wish the cast was more attractive, except for Fred, so I didn't have to watch the static staging.
I can't believe this is the same Director who I loved from SWEENEY and A CATTERED AFFAIR.
I am still glad a lot of people will get to hear the book and score thanks to PBS.
( what's left of the original book, which was drier and had no overt gay stuff )

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 12:46am

You need an attractive cast to keep you interested???

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 12:58am

If you and your pig-headed purism know you hate it so much, why do you bother? Do you think it's like, noble of you to keep trying, or something? Oy.

verynewyorkcurious - I'm not sure I entirely get what you're asking, but I will try to help you out. Based on my own interpretations, anyway. It's a lot of symbolism -- especially in the set, and the way it's used. The column is probably at least in part a phallic symbol; and look at the way Bobby climbs up on and clings to it, especially during those full company numbers. And it's staged almost like they're coming at him and he has to get up there to escape. It's like he's clinging to that as a representation of bachelorhood, or something. The cubes... people have said they look like ice cubes -- the symbolism of which is pretty obvious -- or museum displays. This production, as I said earlier, really heavily emphasizes the isolation and disconnection in our society. Especially living in a big city like New York. The coldness of an ice cube has a pretty strong implication in terms of how distanced we are from one another -- as does a museum display. You go to a museum and you can look at something, but you can't touch it. There's no contact, no connection. And in the sense of putting people up there and treating them like objects in a museum, that's totally impersonal.

Not sure what you mean by this:

Was that there showing that the two ends of the center square are connected?

And, are you asking what the point of the actor-musicians was, or just the point of having them seated where they were? I don't want to type up something unnecessary if that's not what you're asking.

The end was supposed to be the same birthday party at the beginning of the show? There was just so much going on that I couldn't catch up.

The beginning and the end occur in real time. Bobby has been thinking about everything you see in the middle. So Being Alive and the voicemails happen on the same birthday.

Updated On: 2/22/08 at 12:58 AM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 1:15am

I forgot to mention that they cut the act one finale. What was up with that? The revised script has a Company reprise as the finale to act one. I think just using "Marry Me a Little" as the finale worked very well for this production, but I definitely was waiting for more and then they went to commercial and it threw me off a little. I never noticed anyone mentioning the cut in the reviews on here.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 1:16am

Thanks for the quick response, luvtheEmcee. Never thought about the column being a phallic symbol but what you just said about it makes sense, as well as the thing about the 'ice cubes.'

Sorry I confused you about the center square thing..I meant the stage, but I didn't want to use the word stage because I just meant the set (the square)..how the ends/tips of it connects (i.e. 'The Little Things You Do Together' when the couple practices karate on each other). Like the first Mario Bros game.

As for the actor/musicians, I meant that the entire thing was innovative..but I was wondering if there was a point to it. Symbolism and interpretation can escape me.

You said Bobby has been thinking about everything you see in the middle.

So the middle are random moments with his friends prior to his 35th birthday party? Please say yes because that would make a lot more sense.

Thanks again for your help.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 1:30am

You could look at it that way. You could also seem them as another hundred people getting off of the train. People he sees and just knows without ever actually talking to.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/22/08 at 1:31am

No problem. I'm stuck in bed with a fever so I've had nothing better to do than just sit around on BWW all day. And this is something I like talking about. I enjoyed it just a little.

You mean the diamond-shaped playing space, right? I still don't get what you mean, though. Do you mean the significance of the shape, or the use of the tip, or... ? I'm so confused.

So the middle are random moments with his friends prior to his 35th birthday party? Please say yes because that would make a lot more sense.

Yes. All of the vignettes are his memories, or at least in his head. So, previous birthdays, imagined birthdays, particular visits to his friends', what have you. In the interview that aired with the broadcast last night, Sondheim talked about how the show actually takes place in a very short period of time -- an hour, five minutes, perhaps even a mere thirty seconds. Think of it this way: he comes home from work, he thinks, he freaks out, he leaves. You're just seeing everything he's thinking back on.