Company Previews Thread — Page 33

Perhaps Lenk was having an offnight last night when I saw the show. But it wasn't just her vocals. It was the strange quality she brought to the role, particularly to many of her harsh and just odd phrasings of the songs. And has there ever been a Bobby(ie) who has been so repetitiously drunk?

Thanks.

But why?

I saw COMPANY last night. Run to see it. It's every bit as good as everyone says it is and--as a major fan of the material--this was by far the best production I've seen.

First things first, Bobbie is so much more interesting when she's a biological female. Director Marianne Eliot raises the stakes by focusing on the biological clock and the primal and societal need to reproduce. The cast is sensational from top to bottom.

Patti got a 2 minute standing ovation after "Ladies Who Lunch" and Matt Doyle just won his Tony for "Not Getting Married Today."

Katrina Lenk is the definition of an actor who can sing, and I like that they cast someone who could interpret and act the hell out of these numbers instead of belting sky high. She's an intelligent, calculating actor and I'm in the camp of people who loved her performance.

My big issue: Bobbie should be queer. It only makes sense that she should be. I don't know why she isn't bi or pan. Kudos to the same sex couple though because it makes that scene resonate more. When the gay couple says those lines re: marriage, "just because we can doesn't mean we should" it hits you like a ton of bricks.

All in all, one of my top five experiences in the theatre. The house was standing room only and the audience was on fire. This is one for the history books. Go see it.

Also, we need a cast recording. I need this cast and these new arrangements recorded.

ashley0139 said: "I would have loved if they made her queer. It was definitely something I thought about while watching, even though I loved every minute of it otherwise."

^ That''s the thing; it never detracted from my overall enjoyment but it was certainly a thought.

^I'm on the same page as you,BarnabyTucker and ashley0139. I wish they had made her queer,or at least bi. Jenn Colella claims they were going to,and they were going to make P.J. a woman and she wanted the part,but the creatives changed their minds. I love Bobby Conte,but Jenn would've been great too.

Updated On: 12/12/21 at 07:46 PM

BroadwayNYC2 said: "I agree. Company always had a queer subtext, I wish they explored that."

No it didn’t. That was added in the 1990s and is not in every production.

I get what you’re saying but making Bobbie queer is just a totally different show. The stakes are different. But keeping her a cis-female I think it’s more interesting because her clock is ticking and will She be a mother etc.

So, I have a partial view orchestra seat. K 23. Left side.

Will I be ok, or should I try to exchange for better. Keep in mind I'm mostly going to see Patti.

Updated On: 12/13/21 at 05:19 AM

Cape Twirl of Doom said: "BroadwayNYC2 said: "I agree. Company always had a queer subtext, I wish they explored that."

No it didn’t. That was added in the 1990s and is not in every production."

No, it was always there. Subtext was made text in the 1990's, when a scene that had been cut during rehearsals for the original production was reinstated. But from the beginning of the show's history, any number of people have opined--in person and in print--that Bobby seems to be gay, or at least a man whose aversion to commitment to any woman doesn't make a lot of sense, and perhaps this indicates the character is growing towards a realization of his true sexuality. People have argued this back and forth from Day One.

I disagree that that is subtext. That certain audience members want to believe Bobby is gay because they can’t fathom any other reason for him not to want to be married doesn’t mean that is actually there in the text. You can make up whatever you want, but Sondheim has been very clear that was not what he intended for the character. IMO if it were simply that Bobby was gay that would remove all the complexity of the plot.

joevitus said: "Cape Twirl of Doom said: "BroadwayNYC2 said: "I agree. Company always had a queer subtext, I wish they explored that."

No it didn’t. That was added in the 1990s and is not in every production."

No, it was always there. Subtext was made text in the 1990's, when a scene that had been cut during rehearsals for the original production was reinstated. But from the beginning of the show's history, any number of people have opined--in person and in print--that Bobby seems to be gay, or at least a man whose aversion to commitment to any woman doesn't make a lot of sense, and perhaps this indicates the character is growing towards a realization of his true sexuality. People have argued this back and forth from Day One."

Fascinating. I had no idea that scene from the '90s was part of the original book but had been cut.

Bobby turns him down of course. Maybe the intent of the scene was to quash the idea of him being gay. Like they knew some in the audience would wonder about that.

Miles2Go2 said: "SouthernCakes said: "I get what you’re saying but making Bobbie queer is just a totally different show. The stakes are different. But keeping her a cis-female I think it’s more interesting because her clock is ticking and will She be a mother etc."

I don’t believe I’ve seen anyone suggesting making Bobbie non-cis/trans/non-binary. My apologies if I missed that. I finally get to see this in 3 weeks! So I can’t say how it would change the script if Bobbie were trans or non-binary though. But the desire/pressure to be a parent (or not) isn’t exclusive to cis people. But it does sound like Sondheim was resistant to changing Bobby’s sexual orientation (which ii have seen people discussing) so I’m guessing the changes made were all he was comfortable with. And I would imagine the estate will honor that.

Speaking of seeing this in three weeks, I seem to recall that at the latest revival of WSS, the merch booths were selling at least one of Sondheim’s books (Finishing the HatandLook, I Made a Hat). Anyone know if they’re selling either book or both at Company or maybe at Assassins?"

They didn't really have much merch-wise at Company. A couple shirts, a mug, a tote bag, maybe a hat. I didn't see either of the Sondheim books.