#1
Posted: 11/1/06 at 11:53pm
Just got home from seeing Company this evening. A really enjoyable evening seeing a very innovative version of the classic show. In my opinion, the actors as musicians works slightly less well here than in Sweeney, but doesn't detract from the show in any way. I thought I might miss the funky electric guitar orchestrations of the original, but found many of the songs in this chamber version orchestrated extremely beautifully, particularly "Someone is Waiting", "The Ladies Who Lunch" and "Marry Me a Little." The one orchestration that really doesn't work for me is, unfortunately, the ending song, "Being Alive." It starts out with Bobby sitting down to play the piano for the first time in the show, which works well. But once he gets up and the really powerful music kicks in, the fourteen or so musicians on the stage just can't effectively create that big, swelling magical sound I feel the final moments need. The effect of one trumpet here, one trombone here, one violin here, etc comes out sounding a bit tinney to me when it should sound like a swelling orchestra. I realize this is impossible giving the production's limitations, but perhaps the entire thing could be somehow reorchestrated or perhaps restaged to be a solo number entirely with Bobby and the piano. But, that aside, a really wonderful evening of theatre. I'd say John DOyle has done it again and (hopefully) will win his well-deserved tony this time around. I also believe that, early into this season, the Tony is Raul Esparza's to lose.
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