Company London- Page 13
Company London
LuPita2
Broadway Star Joined: 9/11/18
#301Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 12:46am
"Look I'll text you in the morning or I'll call you and explain." Nope.
#302Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 1:11am
What did they do to "Tick Tock?" What is supposed to be happening during that scene now?
#303Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 2:51am
The scene is a flash forward in time. It shows Bobbi imagining what life will be like in a future marriage - kind of like a nightmare sequence. So it has a vignette of her getting abused. Having a baby. And becomes frantic with multiple scenes going at one time (the rest of the cast play her in a wig). Then she wakes up and cue “Barcelona”.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#304Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 3:11amMy favorite part of the album is the Curtain Call and Exit Music. There’s no new lyrics.
#305Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 3:30am
Hahahaha. To be fair they can’t use some of the same lyrics unless Bobbi were a gender non-binary person, which is not what they were going for. And it’s not as if those lyrics were an unauthorised revisal by a buck director - from all accounts it is the work of the master himself.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 2/1/19 at 03:30 AM
#306Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 4:52am
I have to admit I've been leery of this entire project. COMPANY was the first show I saw on Broadway and, though I've always thought the birthday party scenes drag down the show, I've since enjoyed it everywhere from the first national tour to off-Broadway (ELT) to dinner theaters. Went back to see the Philharmonic broadcast (with NPH) FOUR times! The only version I don't like is the Raul Esparza revival recording (didn't see it) where I think having the actors play instruments cuts the heart out of the score.
Whatever its flaws, I've never thought the show needed "revisal" and I only bought the OLC recording to be a completist.
What a pleasant surprise! I'll reserve judgment on the new version of the show, but I absolutely love the recording. If the orchestra is thinner (and it is), the gorgeous vocal arrangements more than compensate, if you ask me. And, yeah, Patti Lupone and Rosalie Craig are fantastic! The new swing version of "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" is sublime (and that could have easily been a sore point for me).
As for the new lyrics, yeah, I notice them because I know the show so well. But not a single change is jarring to my ear or out of character, given the revised genders of the principals. I'm assuming Sondheim did his own lyric revisions; leave it to the master to still have a keen ear for idiomatic New York speech at the age of 112 or whatever he is now.
Well done, London!
#307Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 7:49am
I found the staging of “drive a person crazy” particularly funny. It showed Bobbi being particularly flattered at the ‘good in bed’ comment then disgusted/angry (in a funny way) to some of the other lyrics.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
raddersons
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/14/13
#308Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 8:37am
CATSNYrevival said: ""Look I'll text you in the morning or I'll call you and explain." Nope."
What's so wrong about this? You can't update a show but keep lyrics that are obsolete in the 21st century.
#309Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 9:07am
Also, the updates (lyrics and dialogue) were done by Sondheim himself, so I trust all of his judgment in revising his own work. I’m enjoying what I hear so far. Some of the new lyrics are catching me off guard because I’m so familiar with the original lyrics.
The new orchestrations are mostly great. I still need to take it all in, but I think we needed a break from Tunick’s brilliant work. I find it amusing that the new orchestrations are by David Cullen, ALW’s original orchestrator of most of his major musicals. The more modern sound while honoring the feel of the original orchestrations is exactly what this production needed.
The album is currently #31 on the US iTunes chart which is great to see.
JBC3
Broadway Star Joined: 4/9/17
#310Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 9:59amLoving it as much as I did seeing it live with the exception of Another Hundred People. Detested the staging and will most definitely be skipping it on future listens.
#311Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 11:53am
Saw this last week in London. Loved it. What are the odds of a NY transfer? I’m crossing my fingers that it transfers and with this cast. The recording sounds great!
#312Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 12:12pm
This just isn't for me. I gave it a try but it's almost like you have to try and forget the original Company or put it out of your mind in order to enjoy this. You have to try and approach it as a new piece and I can't get into it. My ears perk up every time a revised lyric comes along and the original lyric plays in my head and it's too distracting.
MrsSallyAdams
Broadway Star Joined: 11/12/13
#313Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 12:50pm
I'm fine with the new lyrics to "Not Getting Married" and I loved Jonathan Bailey's work in the British mini-series Crashing. I agree, though, that that this recording doesn't highlight his performance. I hope we get some footage of it at some point.
threepanelmusicals.blogspot.com
Updated On: 2/1/19 at 12:50 PM
NightMusic3
Swing Joined: 4/12/15
#314Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 3:27pm
I love a lot of the changes. One line I'd quibble with though:
Original:
Today is for Amy
Amy, I give you the rest of my life
To cherish and to keep you
To honor you forever
Today is for Amy
My, happily, soon-to-be wife
Updated:
Today is for Jamie
Jamie, I give you the rest of my days
To cherish and to keep you
To honor you forever
Today is for Jamie
My lover, my partner, my life
Sondheim didn't maintain the rhyme between those two lines. It's odd given how fastidious he is in regards to maintaining rhyme schemes.
#315Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 4:21pm
NightMusic3 said: "I love a lot of the changes. One line I'd quibble with though:
Original:
Today is for Amy
Amy, I give you the rest of my life
To cherish and to keep you
To honor you forever
Today is for Amy
My, happily, soon-to-be wife
Updated:
Today is for Jamie
Jamie, I give you the rest of mydays
To cherish and to keep you
To honor you forever
Today is for Jamie
My lover, my partner, mylife
Sondheim didn't maintain the rhyme between those two lines. It's odd given how fastidious he is in regards to maintaining rhyme schemes."
This is very interesting indeed. I’d argue that there isn’t another usable rhyme for the word “life” that suits the context since “wife” is not available due to the gender change. So, my guess is that Mr. Sondheim didn’t want to use the word “life” twice since a word doesn’t rhyme with itself so he went with a completely different sounding word (“days" ) so it’s made absolutely clear that there’s no attempt at a rhyme there. My 2 cents.
#316Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 4:57pm
The album is currently #19 on the iTunes overall.
Updated On: 2/1/19 at 04:57 PM
#317Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 6:08pm
I've listened to the recording twice now; my first time and my last time.
Seems that just because you're able to do something doesn't necessarily mean it should be done.
JBC3
Broadway Star Joined: 4/9/17
#318Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 6:38pm
MichelleCraig said: "I've listened to the recording twice now; my first time and my last time.
Seems that just because you're able to do something doesn't necessarily mean it should be done."
Guess we best go tell Sondheim and all the critics who raved that they erred.
#319Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 6:58pm
Just my opinion. I realize that some love it. I'm just not one of them this time...
#320Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 7:00pmIt’s not right to judge the entire production based on the cast recording.
Show2n
Chorus Member Joined: 11/13/12
#321Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 10:01pm
Did anyone else think of Kate Baldwin while listening to Rosalie Craig? I think she would be awesome!
#322Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 10:32pm
Show2n said: "Did anyone else think of Kate Baldwin while listening to Rosalie Craig? I think she would be awesome!
"
Not at all. Kate has a beautiful and stronger voice. Rosalie is more of actor who sings type of voice nothing special but it works for this
"Anything you do, let it it come from you--then it will be new."
Sunday in the Park with George
Show2n
Chorus Member Joined: 11/13/12
#323Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 11:36pm
I agree Kate is pretty spectacular and would sound wonderful singing the role.
#324Company London
Posted: 2/1/19 at 11:47pm
I quite like the changes. I've seen a traditional Company so many times now that I really welcome a radical reinvention. The show suddenly feels more relevant and fresh now. However, there's an odd energy about this recording. The pacing feels kind of hesitant, which is odd. I'm sure it must feel more energized in the theatre. Hopefully, we'll get a transfer.
Also, is Jonathan Bailey attempting an American accent because he just sounds English?
Videos