Tick Tock- Company- Page 5

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 2:21pm

Also!

I think you confuse the main point again with the reason why Bobby hasn't found someone. It's almost as bad as saying, "well, he's really gay, so that's why."

Now you can say, "Well, he isn't the 'ideal catch' that his friends think he is. He's actually an asshole, so that's why he'll never find someone and settle down."

You can just write him off as a douche and say there's your reason.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 2:30pm

"1) He sincerely wanted to marry his best friend's fiancée 12 seconds after she called off her engagement .. which is truly smarmy."

Actually, we don't know which of them is his better/older friend - Amy or Paul. There's no reason to assume Paul is his best friend.

"2) He doesn't give a sh*t about his close friend Paul or Paul's feelings even though Bobby is his "best man.""

It's a spur of the moment, passionate act. It has nothing to do with Paul. Approaching the scene forma place of prudish morality may not be the best approach.

"3) He was sincerely thinking about the possibility of marring Amy for all of 12 seconds before he proposed..."

I don't see that as being necessarily the case - there are always many options of motivation, never only one.

"4) It makes "Happily Ever After" a spoiled brat's song from someone who didn't get his way about what he "really, really wanted" for all of 12 serious seconds."

Or it could be a song that comes from a place of real hurt (or hurt that's perceived to be real) - "I opened myself up, and this is what I get?"

Etc., etc., etc.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 2:34pm

The more sincere he is about his deeply hurt feelings for this snap proposal, the more of a douche he is.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 2:43pm

I'm afraid I don't see that as a given.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 2:51pm

I always thought he impulsively asked Amy to marry him in a moment of sheer fear, a terror at the thought of being alone that he was usually able to avoid confronting, but now, in the instant of her making such a seemingly stupid decision, he blurts out a proposal that could unite the two of them a marriage for the worst of all possible reasons.

I don't remember if there was anything in the text to suggest such a notion, but that's the way I always thought it would be be.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 2:55pm

I always thought he impulsively asked Amy to marry him in a moment of sheer fear, a terror at the thought of being alone that he was usually able to avoid confronting, but now, in the instant of her making such a seemingly stupid decision, he blurts out a proposal that could unite the two of them a marriage for the worst of all possible reasons.

That completely makes sense to me.

Which is why it would make no sense for him to suddenly be so bitter about marriage when she rejects him.

He gives her a reality check by his proposal, and she realizes that Paul is exactly what she's looking for. She even thanks Bobby for opening her eyes.

And she gives him a reality check in return by saying "You have to love somebody, not just some body."

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:00pm

The reason I asked about the birthdays is because that influences how Act 1 ends. If all the birthdays are flash-photos of how it could be, then if Bobby ends up being a douche, it's okay because in Act 2, we see him in another light.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:04pm

... as long as the audience stays with him for the ride.

Some may "check out" during intermission after his douchebaggery.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:10pm

But...and here's the thing...you're just layering that on. It may just seem that he's being a douchebag as we're discussing it now, but that's not necessarily how it would play. Right? Like, we can discuss this in theory and have our opinions, but how many times have each of us (if we're theater artists) have thought one thing about a piece of text and then had it blown up once in the rehearsal room.

All I'm saying is that Marry Me a Little doesn't work for me, and that I would be interesting in seeing a production that makes a different choice.

Personally, I thought the Doyle version had a Bobby who was an alcoholic Asshole. It was expertly rendered...but I never got past the fact that any of these people would trust this lush with their kids!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:11pm

"Some may "check out" during intermission after his douchebaggery."

Not if there are signs around the theater that say "Act 2 includes the Tick Tock dance and you sure don't want to miss that!"

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:17pm

Remind me again (I think I asked this earlier) ... how did it end originally?

Before Bobby had a song to end Act I.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:19pm

It just ends, right? After April leaves? Or does the birthday party come back before the blackout?

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:21pm

Does Bobby have any reaction to Amy's running out the door?

The way it is now, there is a brief reprise of "Have I Got a Girl For You" which segues into "Marry Me a Little."

Was the short reprise there? Any music cue at all?

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:24pm

I don't know. Oh lord. The past has been erased!

Or I've done too many drugs.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:25pm

I'll drink to that!

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:27pm

According to my copy do the original libretto, smash cut back to the birthday party, with another reprise of the Bobby-baby motif.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:32pm

^ Thanks!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:36pm

Act 1 ends with Boyd Gaines hoarse and having a sore throat.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:42pm

HA!

[newintown]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:44pm

And James Clow sneaks in from the wings and tags him out.

[sanda]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 3:45pm

Depends if your Kathy is a great dancer or not...

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 4:16pm

How DARE you bring us back on topic, sanda. My ADD/OCD can't take it.

[temms]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 4:29pm

I'm of the opinion that there should be no musical moment at the end of the act. It seems to make sense to give your Bobby an extra moment, especially if he's a big star and all, but for me it's always felt like an afterthought and I get restless waiting for the act to be over. I say go with the original impulse, which for the record, is this:

******
AMY: ...I'm getting married. Oh, and he's so good, isn't he? So good. (She starts to leave.)

ROBERT: Amy! (He picks up the bouquet and throws it to her.)

AMY: I'm the next bride. (She leaves. The kitchen slides off.)

VOICES (offstage): BOBBY, BOBBY
BOBBY BABY, BOBBY BUBI,
ROBBY!

(The lights come up at Robert's apartment. All the guests are looking at him as in Act One, Scene 1. ROBERT stares at AMY as she enters with the cake and the music builds.)

CURTAIN

********

I'm of the opinion that that's the ideal ending for the act.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 4:58pm

Maybe you're right. He shouldn't stop everything to be either hopeful or bitter after such an impulsive and stunning moment with Amy.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/2/13 at 5:18pm

Enjoying catching up on this discussion.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet was in regards to Kathy in the revision. Best mentioned the balance of the girls during Another 100 People--it should be pointed out that Kathy's scenes is almost completely re-written as she basically had no scene originally. It may have been added to give her more to do if Tick Tock is cut (though that first revision didn't cut Tick-Tock since Charlotte D'Amboise played the role.)

I've said it way too much, but for the most part I prefer the original script (even the MUCH meaner Joanne,) but I much prefer Kathy's new scene (I also like the "gay" scene.) Getting back to the gay thing, I believe the production Sondheim actually had closed down was one in Seattle where they made the entire cast (I think) gay, not just Bobby.

Anyway, here's the info on the Kathy scene changes (taken from this great online article that lists all the changes--I think people often don't realize that the revised Company changed in many ways as much as Follies, though thankfully, like with Follies, they seem to be incorporating more and more of the original script--http://www.sondheim.com/commentary/company_rewritten_1.html )

The scene with Kathy is something else again. In the original script, Kathy was something of a cipher, coming on to say she's going, and then going. I suppose there had to be some justification for having a trio of girlfriends, one of whom had to be a really terrific dancer who could make Tick Tock work in the second act. But it was a nothing scene, just taking up time until Marta caught her breath for her third round with her song.

No more. Now, it is a full-fledged scene. Kathy has brought Robert to this quiet little pocket park she's found "in the middle of the busy, noisy East Fifties" rather than go to a big party as he had planned. She compares herself to the park, out of place.

(As he leans in to kiss her she closes her eyes, but he only kisses her forehead in a brotherly way; she expected more)

They discover that they had both thought of marrying each other, and don't understand why they became friends instead. She then tells him of her impending move back to Cape Cod, in order to get married.



Robert: The problem is you want too little. That's the hardest thing in the world to get. (Pause) Thank you for your park.
Kathy: You're welcome. But, see, it and I, we just don't fit. I think there's a time to come to New York and a time to leave. Enjoy your party. (And she is gone)

It is as close to perfect a scene as is possible. Kathy now has character. Thank you, Mr. Furth, for recreating her.