COMPANY Screenings Are Extremely Limited- Page 4

Posted: 6/16/11 at 4:45pm

JC, I'm going to have to scale my cursh on you back significantly with your admission to not watching Mad Men. Sorry--I know life can be hard.

One big thing the concert made me realized, about why the Doyle production annoyed me--and not just cuz of my phobia of actor/musician pieces. It was so *serious*. Furth's material honestly works much better played by sitcom actors, with that sense of timing. It's a very emotional show, but I found it actually more so played a bit more for laughs, and less so morosely.

Growl, your point about performances is spot on--but I'm not sure Bobby *should* be remotely "dangerous". I actually appreciated that the piece felt more about the whole cast, and relationships in general, than just about "what's wrong with Bobby and going on in his head". I'm not sure the creators would agree with that, necesarily, but it gave the piece a much better balance to me--and I suspect a bit more the way the original Prince production felt. Updated On: 6/16/11 at 04:45 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 4:46pm

But I bought season 1 today!!! Doesn't that count for something??

Posted: 6/16/11 at 4:50pm

We'll have to see... Joan/Hendricks doesn't really come into her own till near the end of the season. :P

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 4:51pm

Oh never mind then. I'll just use the discs as coasters.

Posted: 6/16/11 at 5:01pm

To address some of the comments--the couch finale is in the revised script--not the original. I'm, mixed on it... I was talking to my mom about the show afterwards and one comment I found funny was she said she appreciated the gay scene cuz she did wonder if Bobby was maybe just closeted (maybe this has more to do with her and my relationship than the play :P ) but found it the only spot where the dialogue seemed really dated. I didn't have the heart, or patience, to explain to her that it was one of the revision's scenes...

Where I saw it, I thought the image looked perfect, and I did find the sound flat at fitst but noticed they actually did a really good job with using the back speakers for effects (the thunder, voices during Tick Tock) and the orchestra also was fully surround. Some theatres can be lazy and not even turn on the surround sound (as a friend who used to work in a projectionist booth admitted to me once), I wonder if that was an issue at some theatres?

We had the disastrous Canucks hockey game last night, and while I don't expect a huge cross-over of hockey fans and musical fans (yes, call me on being stereotypical), I was still kinda amazed at the amount of people in the audience--and the very few (obviously anyway) gay men I saw. Behind me were a straight couple a bit older than I who were both talking about how many recordings they owned of the show, etc. Ever since moving back to Victoria I sometimes feel like I'm the only one in the city who even knows Sondheim--so it was kinda exciting to see the mix of people who showed up. I really hope this does mean it was a success (or will be this week, depending on where it's playing) and will lead to more similar showings.

Posted: 6/16/11 at 5:02pm

They'd make perfect coasters for 60's drinks, so either way JC, it was a wise purchase!

[labwyfan]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 5:38pm

Charles - I could not disagree with you more on Patti's performance.

I found myself wanting to cry mid-way through and I thought "why the hell am I wanting to cry??". I thought she went to that deep, dark place and took me with her. Like a true NYer, she bounced right back as if nothing happened. Love it!

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 6:55pm

Saw this last night at the Village East (worth avoiding if possible given the incredibly loud wheezing air conditioner--distracting!). With a few other productions to compare it to, I will say that all in all, I had a lovely time, but some performers hit stronger notes than others.

The happiest surprise to me (as others have mentioned) was Christina Hendricks. I've always loved April. And Hendricks. I didn't know that I'd love them as a unit, but it was just golden casting. I also loved Patti--I can't lie. Her Joanne felt tough but conflicted. The sense of sadness beneath the anger shone as well as a determined resilience. It was the first time I really felt like I knew why Joanne's husband loved her (and knew that she loved him back).

The two people who disappointed me a bit were Martha Plimpton and Anika Noni Rose. I love them both so much. Plimpton just felt a tad underrehearsed to me and got a little hammy. And Rose acted it well, but her stunning voice just felt like a poor match for "Another Hundred People." Here's one of those moments where two things I adore: her voice and that song, just ended up being less than the sum of its parts.

NPH surprised me. He was in the strongest voice I've ever heard from him, and he acted the crap out of the role. But what can I saw? Raul Esparza's vocal performance of the show on Broadway felt definitive to me. So I liked Harris much more than I anticipated, and if I didn't have Esparza as my benchmark, I probably would have completely loved him. Instead, my own impression was that it was a very nice job, but not transcendent.

Posted: 6/16/11 at 7:34pm

I felt the same way about Anika actually. She did the book stuff terrifically--but she didn't sound up to Another Hundred People (and I know she is)--maybe it was just an off match. It's also one of my top three Sondheim songs, so I tend to judge it harshly.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 7:34pm

The Toronto Varsity theatre was sold out (!) so went to the Sheppherd Grande, was about 2/3 full, they gave a 15 min intermission ( my kidneys were happy!)

So many have already expressed my sentiments, NPH was just a revelation, I finally "got" what these couples see in Bobby.Katie Finneran just killed me ( did miss the " I get it Gawd, now explain it to him " response to the thunderclap) Suspect the reason for the other dancers in Tick Tock was to fill the stage a bit more esp w the orchestra as a back drop. ( and DANG if all the musicians who ended up even briefly on camera were as stoned faced as Mt Rushmore!) There were a couple of camera moves that were questionable ( a left right left right in too quick succession come to mind, as well as couple of POV turnaround but all in all ,given the parameters, a really satisfying production, much more filled out than I had expected.
Cristina Hendricks - I actually liked April as a character, dumb, but not a kooky airhead , which I have seen it played as.
The comment on the TV performers timing seems spot on, just about every joke hit.
Can't WAIT til this is available on DVD!!

[trentsketch]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 7:49pm

So it is a full production of the show? Good. We'll see it tomorrow.

Posted: 6/16/11 at 7:54pm

That's a very astute point about Tick Tock. I still wish the "lovemaking" part had come across better, but, like I said, I appreciated the Bennett head-flicks and wrists. I did hate the couple of times they showed thescenes from the orchestras' POV, something they did a LOT more in past Lonny Price directed filmed concerts--so I guess I appreciated that it was toned down.

[charlesjguiteau]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 8:07pm

Trentsketch-- No, god help us, it is NOT a full production, just a concert show with a little extra staging thrown in. Orchestra onstage, 5 couch units that chorus members in black wheel around downstage of the orchestra, brief appearance of a bed in Act II, a couple of projections upstage.

Sorry to get testy, but I fear a Broadway transfer of one more g-d damn concert staging masquerading as a full production. (Talking to YOU, Chicago and Finian's Rainbow!)

[choitoy]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 9:22pm

I thought Anika was surprisingly the weakest link, which was weird since isn't she one of the stronger singers of the whole lot? While her singing was pretty, it didn't get across the overall message of "Another Hundred People" as well as it should have.

And I think Marta's book scenes should have been read a little bit more "sassier". (And I know that may sound a little bit racist, but even with a white woman playing Marta, there should be a knowing level of sass to the role, since she is the "soul of New York City". Anika was just a bit to gentle and pretty with the role.)

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 10:51pm

Her diction is pretty bad in the first verse but it gets better until she nails the last verse. I thought she started too high.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 10:54pm

Just got back from seeing the movie out here in Suffolk County. There were maybe 100 people in the theater. Loved the show but the sound was hard to take. I was hoping this would capture the theater experience, instead it tried to make the thing sound like a film. My mother once tried explaining what it was like to hear with a hearing aid and I think I just experienced what she meant. All the voices were "up front" and people who stood in the rear sounded exactly the way a person sounded DSC. For me, it was disconcerting.

Other than that, I enjoyed the experience. The LuPonistas gave Patti a standing ovation after "Ladies Who Lunch".

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:05pm

charlesguiteau, I can't imagine this would transfer. A large portion of the cast seems like they'd be impossible to get back together at the same time, and I sort of feel like with the incredibly well-received Gypsy revival disappointing in sales so shortly after the previous production, no one would chance it on this one so recently after the John Doyle version. In other words, I think we're at least 5-10 years off another revival of Company, concert version or not!

And sabrelady, I almost forgot one truly, truly terrible camera motion that sent me reeling. Overall, I thought the quality was quite good, but one shot was so bad, I couldn't help but wonder how deeply awful every other take was that they couldn't find a better choice! I THINK it was during "Side by Side."

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:17pm

Just got back from Crossgates Mall in Albany NY and it was quite the adventure. The screen started pixelating and the sound breaking up during "Ladies Who Lunch" and then the whole thing cut out, a notice came on screen saying "some portions of program lost due to signal loss" and it went straight to the credits. They did manage to get it back for Joanne and Bobby's dialogue and "Being Alive" and then it crapped out again, this time for good. It was about 2/3 full and a lot of us stayed until they made a decision to offer "readmission tickets (good for movies, not IMAX, 3-D or, go figure, special events." Lots of pissed off people.

As for the show itself, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The women rocked it. NPH, who I'm not a fan of, was fine, but is neither the most commanding presence or vocalist.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:23pm

Our performance started 15 minutes late "for technical reasons"

[violet72]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:29pm

Just saw it tonight in Vorhees NJ, almost sold out the big theater...I would say about 20 empty seats...no intermission...and I must say I loved loved loved the orchestration, amazeballs. I enjoyed it alot and can't wait to purchase it on dvd/blueray

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:33pm

I've loved reading every word of this thread!

I was fortunate to be able to see the concert live. And LOVED it.

I can't wait to see the movie - to revisit it, and to see things that I'm sure I missed the first time.

I agree with those who have praised NPH. I loved his performance. Loved it. He made scenes and songs work that normally don't work for me. He made me understand why people even wanted to be his friend...

Loved the cast. Some fantastic and surprising performances. I am thrilled to have the chance to see this again.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:33pm

Loved. It.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:34pm

Do we know if this is coming to DVD?

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:50pm

Just got in from tonight's screening on 86th Street and there in fact was an intermission.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/16/11 at 11:51pm

Literally?