COMPANY question

I think I read a description that it had a cold veneer and seemed isolated and different. Anyone care to confirm that was the meaning?

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The Seagram's building was the first in New York to be a tall, dark glass cube. Now a lot of buildings are built that way, but it's famous for bringing in the "modern" era of the skyscraper. I think C is for Company has it right.

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Ugh. I didn't even click through until I saw your post. What bull!

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From Sondheim.com's FAQ page: (Let's hope their interpretation is more accurate than their spelling.)

"Why does the Seagram Building remind David of Bobby in Company?

The Seagram Building is an office building on Park & 53rd in New York City. It is an isolated building with absolute symmetry with a skeleton structure clearly apparent within the more delicate framing of window elements tht sheath the building. The materials, metal bronze and amber glass, lend the exterior an opaque solidity. One can see out its those on the outside can not see in - much like the character of Bobby in Company."

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I, too, got the drinking allusion before the architectural one but they both work for me. I've lived in NY my whole life and wouldn't have gotten the cruising allusion ever. And why would David be the one to say that since he appears to be straight?

I'm glad too :)

I think the whole production can be summed up in that line. Very stark, very cold, yet still striking and beautiful.

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You're not the only one!

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What a fun discussion!

I always thought it was a reference to his drinking, too, as I've never seen the Seagram's building in person.

Even if I had, I'm sure I still would have thought it was about drinking! HAHA!

Cool info!

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Since penises have already been mentioned, am I the only one who laughed about the potential symbolism of April's tuba?

I loved the use of the tuba in the revival -- that scene is full of that kind of symbolism. The kind of ironic thing about it, though, is that it's completely distanced intimacy.

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Updated On: 7/5/07 at 11:27 AM

I always thought of it that when Bobby took his big leap to the land of commitment, he was sitting down at the piano, so it was fitting that this completely commitment-phobic act also took place there. They had sex, but they never removed their clothes. It was one of the most intimate acts humanly possible, and yet there was so much distance and boundary between them. Given that he sat down to play the piano at that big moment, think of everything it symbolizes. If, within the metaphor, it stands for commitment, and his night with April kind of...details his conflict, I think that makes sense. I've always read Barcelona as this moment where Bobby wants to be with somebody, but obviously not April. And that's all aside from the fact that with a minimal set, hey, it was practical. A piano looks... fairly bed-like.

I just had to go and edit the entire post to put it in the past tense.

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Updated On: 7/5/07 at 12:07 PM

i love how people are still talking about this show after it closed. God i miss it.

great insight though - the variety theory is interesting, but i like the idea that bobby is like a building that you can't see inside its exterior.

also reminds me a little of kristin huffman's line, "It always looks like he's keeping score. Who's winning, Robert?"