"Keeping Company with Sondheim" Documentary streaming this friday- Page 3
"Keeping Company with Sondheim" Documentary streaming this friday
fosterfan2
Broadway Star Joined: 8/7/11
#50
Posted: 5/28/22 at 6:57pm
bwayphreak234 said: "binau said: "poisonivy2 said: "Well I saw this and was a bit disappointed. I thought it was too infomerical-ish for my tastes. I'd rather have had more rehearsal and creative process footage, and less talking heads."
I agree. I mean it’s great to have this record but ultimately I feel it was kind of oriented for a wider audience than ideal. I personally feel I don’t need the history of Company and various clips from footage already available. I’d rather they go into more details about this specific production."
As much as I enjoyed this, I would have loved for this to focus more on the current production as well."
I agree with both you and binau. I streamed it and fast-forwarded through some of the old footage so that I could see the footage from this current production. I wish there had been more rehearsal footage from it too.
#51
Posted: 5/29/22 at 2:06pm
I just re-watched it this morning and although I get why some here would be upset expecting to see more footage and rehearsals from the new production this documentary was not about just that. It was an exploration of the show as a whole and the new re-imagined production in contrast to the more conventional ways this show has been produced. To not include the show's original production as well as its numerous revivals for context would have defeated that purpose.
I also found it interesting that the Boyd Gaines-led revival from 1995 was not mentioned as it was the very first major Broadway revival of the show. The NY Philharmonic concert from 2011 was also completely ignored.
SisterGeorge
Leading Actor Joined: 5/8/19
#52
Posted: 5/29/22 at 2:26pm
Bettyboy72 said: "...And as far as Doyle, I enjoyed him but I’ve never heard Not Getting Married slowed down more. The song has always felt like a ticking time bomb to me. Sondheim pressed Howland to the point she couldn’t breath. Doyle is doing all sorts of mugging, hand wringing and such. The audience clearly enjoyed it and he’s a front runner for the Tony. I just thought his interpretation was too big and slow but maybe that’s why people like it. It’s a reinvention."
Went back in late March to see it a third time (obviously I love the musical and this production). Lenk, whom I've liked all along, has indeed improved substantially (although the four people I was with who were seeing it for the first time all thought she was the weak link in an otherwise terrific production). Patti seems to be giving the exact same performance (and that's just fine by me!). The rest of the cast, though, seemed to be getting a bit restless, giving much broader comedic performances than what I remembered, and yes, the audience seemed to be eat it up.
Sister George
SisterGeorge
Leading Actor Joined: 5/8/19
#53
Posted: 5/29/22 at 2:39pm
CarlosAlberto said: "But on a serious note I did like the documentary but had one minor quibble.
They cited that Company in 1970 captured the vibe of NYC back then with its contemporary sound totally ignoring the fact that Promises, Promises did it first in 1968. Company even “borrowed” the idea of using pit singers to enhance the sound from Promises - not to mention Bennett and McKechnie as well.
Those stills of McKechnie in her negligee dancing the “Tick Tock” number were stunning.
Also, all the footage of dirt grimy 70s NYC brought back so many memories!
Thank you, Thank you for championing Promises, Promises whenever possible. One of the reasons Company is my favorite Sondheim is that the score is the closest anyone on Broadway ever got to sounding like Burt. If you think there are others, please share!
"
Sister George
#54
Posted: 5/29/22 at 7:40pm
SisterGeorge said:
"Thank you, Thank you for championing Promises, Promises whenever possible. One of the reasons Company is my favorite Sondheim is that the score is the closest anyone on Broadway ever got to sounding like Burt. If you think there are others, please share!"
You're welcome. I will always champion "Promises, Promises"...I discovered the show in the early to mid 1990's when I was on Bacharach/David binge and instantly fell in love with it. I loved that it was based on one of my favorite films.
I just hate when the facts are blurred because the research required simply wasn't done, and it isn't like this information is hard to find. Credibility then goes out the window with this kind of sloppiness and history (even if unintentional) then gets re-written.
Let's give credit where credit is due.
alexidarling15
Stand-by Joined: 1/14/17
#55
Posted: 5/29/22 at 10:52pm
I loved watching but found it pretty egregious that they totally ignored the London production with Rosalie Craig, where a lot of the heavy gender-bending development happened. (Other than Patti’s comment about Rosalie) … definitely more of an infomercial, less a documentary.
#56
Posted: 5/30/22 at 12:39am
Enjoyed watching this. It showed enough of the production that I am ok with my decision not to see this production. I originally wasn't crazy about the gender swapping but got a bit over that. I then saw some performances of the songs that I wasn't crazy about but still thought I might see it. After this special on the show, I think I am good with the Esparza revival. But I loved watching the commentary in this.
Just give the world Love.
#57
Posted: 5/30/22 at 6:10am
CarlosAlberto said: "But on a serious note I did like the documentary but had one minor quibble.
They cited that Company in 1970 captured the vibe of NYC back then with its contemporary sound totally ignoring the fact that Promises, Promises did it first in 1968. Company even “borrowed” the idea of using pit singers to enhance the sound from Promises - not to mention Bennett and McKechnie as well.
Those stills of McKechnie in her negligee dancing the “Tick Tock” number were stunning.
Also, all the footage of dirt grimy 70s NYC brought back so many memories!"
Interesting assessment about the Promises/Company connection. Those were two shows that focused on very cosmopolitan New Yorkers, gender roles, sexual mores (or lack thereof), intimacy (or lack thereof) and commitment (or lack thereof).
Promises' sound was more contemporary and of its time, while Company was a bit more traditional but did employ the use of singers in the pit which Promises did do first - to augment its sound. I believe the pit singers in Company were called "The Vocal Minority"?
Other similarities between Promises and Company would be the Andrews Sisters style number they have: "Turkey Lurkey Time" (Promises), "You Could Drive A Person Crazy" (Company) as well as the 11 o'clock number for the male lead: "Promises, Promises"/"Being Alive".
It's also interesting to note that both shows closed on the very same day: January 1, 1972. Promises with a run of 1,281 performances and Company with a run of 705.
"Opinions are very interesting because we all have different ones. You are entitled to your opinion, but that does not mean you should always give it to others, especially when your opinion is not necessarily grounded in truth, but in what you believe or want to believe."
Updated On: 5/30/22 at 06:10 AM
#58
Posted: 5/30/22 at 10:13am
i really enjoyed this PBS doc...having seen the original Broadway production in 1970, and the West End revival in 2018, which started the gender swapping of Bobby/i, i felt this captured the 1970's very well...as i was living in NYC that year...i do regret they didn't mention Rosalie Craig from the London 2018 production, who in my opinion did a much better job with the leading role switch than from what i have seen from clips of Lenk...
