#1
Posted: 6/24/07 at 9:20pm
The current revival of 'Company' is one of those rare, cathartic theatrical experiences. It is a production that I will surely remember for the rest of my life. Leagues better than director John Doyle's previous Broadway outing SWEENEY TODD, (which oddly got better reviews than this production), I am flabbergasted at critics who were skeptical and mixed in reviewing this first-rate, near flawless mounting.
I am so infinitely overjoyed that I got to catch it before it prematurely closes on July 1st. The show itself is not perfect (I've always had issues with the book; the score is wonderful), but this production made it gleam and glisten in ways I could not have imagined possible. If you can see it before it closes and if you have the leisure to go get tickets, do it now. You will not regret it.
John Doyle's recent style of direction (which for anyone who doesn't know involves the actors acting, singing, dancing, etc as well as accompanying themselves and eachother on instruments on stage) works much, much better in this show than it did with TODD. I thought that in TODD, it never really made sense...why are mental patients carrying tubas and playing the piano? But here, these New Yorkers playing instruments kind of at least it easier to get used to. I think Doyle has yet to find the 110% perfect material to use his directorial methods on; but he surely will.
Here, he comes pretty damn close. While the technical conventions of the performing musicians are still a bit hard to get used to and awkward in some spots, the overall sheen of it only elevated the show (especially in the second act) to a level of higher intelligence and allows for some really wonderful moments.
The cast, like TODD's cast is incredibly talented (a majority of the performers and their standbys are making their Broadway debuts in this quadruple-threat production; something they should all be greatly proud of.)
Elizabeth Stanley is a bit too one-dimensional as April and doesn't allow for much character development (which is crucial for every role in this show besides Bobby, as most of the roles only have one or two scenes with substantial lines and have only fifteen minutes or so to get their entire story across). The same can be said for Bruce Sabath. The rest of the cast melds perfectly together, especially Heather Laws (the obvious audience favorite...she was hilarious, and the audience let her know at curtain call how much they loved her) and the always wonderful Barbara Walsh who delivered a powerful "Ladies Who Lunch" and provided sprightly and wry humor and pathos during "The Little Things You Do Together." It must be so difficult to play a role cemented in theater history by one of the greats of Broadway, Elaine Stritch, and Walsh does a stellar job here. Also worth mentioning was Kelly Jeanne Grant who made a lasting impression on me in the one, small scene that her character is in. She was really sensational.
Of course though, the real news here is the breakthrough performance of Raúl Esparza. His Bobby is a character recreation for the ages. Not only does he take on the role with what seems to be chilling ease and conviction, he reinvents it and takes a totally new twist on such an iconic male part for the theater. His acting is laid back in a way that is unpretentious yet sensationally convincing and his voice is one of the best on Broadway right now. It's one of the best male performances I have ever seen on stage. How he lost the Tony to Hyde Pierce (who is probably hilarious in CURTAINS, but nowhere near the grandness of Esparza's Bobby) I will never know. He will get his taste of Tony gold though, that you can bet on. His talent has staying power, and after this performance in this show, I can't imagine him not being offered more great roles to showcase his brilliance. His "Being Alive" brought the house down (standing ovation & what had to be over two minutes of applause followed the chilling song) and his emotions were so evident during the song that I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. I have only been brought to tears once or twice before in a theater, but Esaprza's "Being Alive" just left me reeling. It was one of the most transcending moments I've ever witnessed in the theater.
David Gallo created a beautifully spare yet intricate set for this production, Ann Hould-Ward's costumes were fitting for each specific character they were created for (much about these intricate characters was summed up just by the clothes they each wore), and Thomas C. Hase's lighting design should have earned him a Tony award this year. Mary-Mitchell Campbell's orchestrations were gorgeous as well.
This production of COMPANY stuck with me not because everything about it was perfect but because everything about it came together in such a perfect way; and that I believe, can be mainly contributed to John Doyle. He is a brilliant man and I can't wait to see what show he tackles next.
That being said, this production of COMPANY just may be the best musical revival I've ever seen on Broadway. I absolutely LOVED it.
****/****
I am so infinitely overjoyed that I got to catch it before it prematurely closes on July 1st. The show itself is not perfect (I've always had issues with the book; the score is wonderful), but this production made it gleam and glisten in ways I could not have imagined possible. If you can see it before it closes and if you have the leisure to go get tickets, do it now. You will not regret it.
John Doyle's recent style of direction (which for anyone who doesn't know involves the actors acting, singing, dancing, etc as well as accompanying themselves and eachother on instruments on stage) works much, much better in this show than it did with TODD. I thought that in TODD, it never really made sense...why are mental patients carrying tubas and playing the piano? But here, these New Yorkers playing instruments kind of at least it easier to get used to. I think Doyle has yet to find the 110% perfect material to use his directorial methods on; but he surely will.
Here, he comes pretty damn close. While the technical conventions of the performing musicians are still a bit hard to get used to and awkward in some spots, the overall sheen of it only elevated the show (especially in the second act) to a level of higher intelligence and allows for some really wonderful moments.
The cast, like TODD's cast is incredibly talented (a majority of the performers and their standbys are making their Broadway debuts in this quadruple-threat production; something they should all be greatly proud of.)
Elizabeth Stanley is a bit too one-dimensional as April and doesn't allow for much character development (which is crucial for every role in this show besides Bobby, as most of the roles only have one or two scenes with substantial lines and have only fifteen minutes or so to get their entire story across). The same can be said for Bruce Sabath. The rest of the cast melds perfectly together, especially Heather Laws (the obvious audience favorite...she was hilarious, and the audience let her know at curtain call how much they loved her) and the always wonderful Barbara Walsh who delivered a powerful "Ladies Who Lunch" and provided sprightly and wry humor and pathos during "The Little Things You Do Together." It must be so difficult to play a role cemented in theater history by one of the greats of Broadway, Elaine Stritch, and Walsh does a stellar job here. Also worth mentioning was Kelly Jeanne Grant who made a lasting impression on me in the one, small scene that her character is in. She was really sensational.
Of course though, the real news here is the breakthrough performance of Raúl Esparza. His Bobby is a character recreation for the ages. Not only does he take on the role with what seems to be chilling ease and conviction, he reinvents it and takes a totally new twist on such an iconic male part for the theater. His acting is laid back in a way that is unpretentious yet sensationally convincing and his voice is one of the best on Broadway right now. It's one of the best male performances I have ever seen on stage. How he lost the Tony to Hyde Pierce (who is probably hilarious in CURTAINS, but nowhere near the grandness of Esparza's Bobby) I will never know. He will get his taste of Tony gold though, that you can bet on. His talent has staying power, and after this performance in this show, I can't imagine him not being offered more great roles to showcase his brilliance. His "Being Alive" brought the house down (standing ovation & what had to be over two minutes of applause followed the chilling song) and his emotions were so evident during the song that I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. I have only been brought to tears once or twice before in a theater, but Esaprza's "Being Alive" just left me reeling. It was one of the most transcending moments I've ever witnessed in the theater.
David Gallo created a beautifully spare yet intricate set for this production, Ann Hould-Ward's costumes were fitting for each specific character they were created for (much about these intricate characters was summed up just by the clothes they each wore), and Thomas C. Hase's lighting design should have earned him a Tony award this year. Mary-Mitchell Campbell's orchestrations were gorgeous as well.
This production of COMPANY stuck with me not because everything about it was perfect but because everything about it came together in such a perfect way; and that I believe, can be mainly contributed to John Doyle. He is a brilliant man and I can't wait to see what show he tackles next.
That being said, this production of COMPANY just may be the best musical revival I've ever seen on Broadway. I absolutely LOVED it.
****/****
And not just because of him. 
