#201
Posted: 11/1/06 at 1:24am
I wanted to post some thoughts, but I'm pretty sure Em covered just about everything. I went into tonight not knowing much about COMPANY, with the exception of bits of the title song, "Being Alive", and "Marry Me a Little". That said, I also went into it subconsciously comparing it to Sweeney Todd, which was a mistake on my part - especially since the two are so radically different. Needless to say, COMPANY certainly stands on it's own, and besides the obvious Doyle/Sondheim link that ties the two together, there is really no reason whatsoever for comparison.
I LOVED the set. It was crisp, chic, elegant, and dark (beautiful with the lights thrown in there). It filled up the stage really nicely, and didn't feel cramped at all. Everything was spaced out really well, too. I can't imagine that there is a bad place in this theater to see the show from; it looks to be excellent from all view points.
The actor-musician concept....did not feel like an onstage band. I thought it worked really well, definitely not distracting at all. I liked the few moments where the fact that they were playing instruments could enhance what was going on, like the flute being used as an answering machine "beep" at the very beginning, the saxes in "You Could Drive a Person Crazy", and of course, in "Being Alive". It's nice when you're able to make some type of connection, even when those connections have nothing to do with characterization. I really loved the concept of the husbands/wives/girlfriends actually being Bobby's company, instrumentally. In Being Alive, even when he sits down at the piano and starts to accompany himself, there is still that appropriate distance between him and them.
I know there have been a lot of complaints on the lack of choreography. What is there is quite limited, and besides a kick-line, I don't think it could even be really called choreography. Having never seen the original, I can't really say that it was lacking anything by not having it. And, this may seem like a cop-out, but I really did think the whole thing was analogous to a well-choreographed ballet. The blocking is great, and I really loved all the transitions between songs. It takes a lot to have fourteen people moving around so much - and to remain seamless and not distracting at the same time.
Raul was beyond words. He has such a presence and power. His acting and singing were equally excellent, and quite a treat. I do wish I could have been closer (I was second row of front mezzanine) to see his face a bit clearer; I think that sometimes because the rest of the stage was so dark, even when he had a spotlight on him, his face became washed out. Mr. Doyle was really spot-on when he said that his shows are best viewed from the mezzanine. That is definitely the place to be. You can see EVERYTHING.
The ensemble as a whole was so strong and powerful. I know someone said something yesterday about how vocally, they sounded really tight, but that instrumentally they were a bit off. Tonight they sounded spot-on. Special note has to go to Jane Pfitsch as Amy. She was hysterical and the audience LOVED her. Her "Getting Married Today" was neurotic and crazed, and she sang SO damn fast. It was great. If Heather Laws is apparently even better, I can't wait to see that.
I have no idea if this was something that will change once the Barrymore staff starts to see how the house is filling up, but for those thinking of buying student rush tickets vs. the $36 rear mezzanine seats, go with the rush! Tonight the rush seats were in the front row and front mezzanine. It was clear that the rear mezzanine was filled with people who just went for the cheap seats. The side sections of the front mezzanine were nearly empty, and an excellent place to see the show from.
I look forward to going back after opening to see what changes are put in place; it seems like Mr. Doyle likes to switch things a lot, as he did with Sweeney during it's preview period.
Bottom line: go see this show
I LOVED the set. It was crisp, chic, elegant, and dark (beautiful with the lights thrown in there). It filled up the stage really nicely, and didn't feel cramped at all. Everything was spaced out really well, too. I can't imagine that there is a bad place in this theater to see the show from; it looks to be excellent from all view points.
The actor-musician concept....did not feel like an onstage band. I thought it worked really well, definitely not distracting at all. I liked the few moments where the fact that they were playing instruments could enhance what was going on, like the flute being used as an answering machine "beep" at the very beginning, the saxes in "You Could Drive a Person Crazy", and of course, in "Being Alive". It's nice when you're able to make some type of connection, even when those connections have nothing to do with characterization. I really loved the concept of the husbands/wives/girlfriends actually being Bobby's company, instrumentally. In Being Alive, even when he sits down at the piano and starts to accompany himself, there is still that appropriate distance between him and them.
I know there have been a lot of complaints on the lack of choreography. What is there is quite limited, and besides a kick-line, I don't think it could even be really called choreography. Having never seen the original, I can't really say that it was lacking anything by not having it. And, this may seem like a cop-out, but I really did think the whole thing was analogous to a well-choreographed ballet. The blocking is great, and I really loved all the transitions between songs. It takes a lot to have fourteen people moving around so much - and to remain seamless and not distracting at the same time.
Raul was beyond words. He has such a presence and power. His acting and singing were equally excellent, and quite a treat. I do wish I could have been closer (I was second row of front mezzanine) to see his face a bit clearer; I think that sometimes because the rest of the stage was so dark, even when he had a spotlight on him, his face became washed out. Mr. Doyle was really spot-on when he said that his shows are best viewed from the mezzanine. That is definitely the place to be. You can see EVERYTHING.
The ensemble as a whole was so strong and powerful. I know someone said something yesterday about how vocally, they sounded really tight, but that instrumentally they were a bit off. Tonight they sounded spot-on. Special note has to go to Jane Pfitsch as Amy. She was hysterical and the audience LOVED her. Her "Getting Married Today" was neurotic and crazed, and she sang SO damn fast. It was great. If Heather Laws is apparently even better, I can't wait to see that.
I have no idea if this was something that will change once the Barrymore staff starts to see how the house is filling up, but for those thinking of buying student rush tickets vs. the $36 rear mezzanine seats, go with the rush! Tonight the rush seats were in the front row and front mezzanine. It was clear that the rear mezzanine was filled with people who just went for the cheap seats. The side sections of the front mezzanine were nearly empty, and an excellent place to see the show from.
I look forward to going back after opening to see what changes are put in place; it seems like Mr. Doyle likes to switch things a lot, as he did with Sweeney during it's preview period.
Bottom line: go see this show
I recognize the addiction to being alive.
Updated On: 11/1/06 at 01:24 AM
The 18th cannot come soon enough.
