Assassins is truly a fantastic show. Not only the production that was recently revived but the entire piece as a whole is simply fantastic. Sondheim is in his element. Not since Sweeney Todd did he combine such grand themes, characters, controversy, humor, depth, darkness, and pure theatricality in a show. Some may argue that point but shows like Into The Woods did not play to be as psychologically compelling as Assassins was and is.
The strength of Assassins was prevalent in the original production with a fantastic cast including Victor Garber, Terrence Mann, Lee Wilkof, Patrick Cassidy and a wonderful Sondheim staple, William Parry. However, with the events of September 11th clearing ingraining what true terror is into the minds of not just New Yorkers but also Americans, the complexity and "ahead of its time" aspect of Assassins shown through more focused than before.
Assassins is at its heart, disturbing. Not disturbed. Disturbing. The show takes American anthems and themes and turns them around in the pure genius of Sondheim. It touches the sensitive parts of your brain and of your memory. Each assassin seems to represent every emotion we can handle. Lee Harvey Oswald is untested bitterness at a country but still innocence. Charles Guiteau is raw insanity with a sane aspect to it (truly disturbing). Samuel Byck is rage, a simmering pot of fury that boils over into desperation. John Wilkes Booth is cool, calculated and calm but still furious underneath the actors facade. Czolgosz (sp) is just misunderstood and resentful of the country that was supposedly the land of the free. Squeaky Fromme and Sara Moore are eager, enthusiasm but with a hint of insanity at the edges. The proprietor is the devil of the piece, urging the assassins to do their terrible deeds while the balladeer laughs at the assassins and their fleeting 15 minutes.
Sondheims brilliant tapestry of a score was perfectly enhanced to include a gospel and soul feel at the end of some of the songs. This worked very well. The cast was first rate of both original and the revivals.
The importance of Assassins as a piece is going to be ingrained in the minds of the theatregoers who had the chance to see the show and who had the chance to feel its pulsating energy. Touching the heart of undiluted Americana at its most sane and insane.
BSoBW2: I punched Sondheim in the face after I saw Wicked and said, "Why couldn't you write like that!?"