Margo on Company

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 1:42pm

I recently had the pleasure of attending John Doyle's new revival of the George Furth/Stephen Sondhdeim classic COMPANY. While, I had my problems with Doyle's SWEENEY, finding the actor-musician concept distracting to the storytelling, given that COMPANY is a non-linear, non-narrative conceptual piece, the actor-musician concept worked much better for me here than it did for SWEENEY.

I've seen about 4 other productions of COMPANY, and for once Bobby isn't a cipher standing by while all these other more interesting people (and couples) take center stage. Here Doyle -- by frequently keeping Bobby downstage and spotlighted as he reacts to the others, eliminating the applause breaks for most of the numbers and re-inserting the cut song "Marry Me A Little" to close Act I -- really makes this Bobby's story and effectively turns the show into a psychological rumination on the nature of commitment and marriage. It's as if the whole story is taking place in Bobby's head and we see him envying the others in relationships, even when they fail and they become disenchanted with their partners.

In this production, Doyle emphasizes the loneliness and isolation of single life and we see that Bobby desperately wants to be married and the crux of the show is his frustration in finding a suitable partner. The show here, takes a much more "pro-marriage" stance -- for the sake of "company" if nothing else -- than it has in most previous incarnations.

In addition, the reduced orchestrations -- the sound is noticeably wanting for brass and percussion and instead emphasizes woodwinds, strings and reeds -- give the score a much less punchy and propulsive sense than usual, and more of a plaintive, somber and melancholy feel. It's less "Broadway" and more of a ruminative, almost poetic chamber music sound that aptly suits this take on the core material.

Doyle's staging displays several moments of clever invention, notably in "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" where Kathy, April and Marta each use alto saxophones as humorous counterpoint. In "Side By Side" he ups the ante of the typical ensemble choreography by briefly turning the entire company into a pseudo marching band -- tuba and bass (on wheels) included. The simpler, quieter moments are also often effective, usually featuring a single performer at, on or beside the grand piano which situated center stage.

The ensemble is often assembled on raised clear plastic boxes upstage and Doyle has them function as a sort of Greek chorus, voyeuristically observing the action taking place downstage and when they're not commenting verbally or musically, they seem to exude a kind of judgmental quality in the way they examine and eavesdrop on Bobby's life. It's an interesting directorial choice that adds an element of much needed tension to the proceedings. While the show is engaging much of the time, it could stand a bit of tightening here and there and more urgency in some of the more listless moments.

Esparza is often remarkable -- always a dynamic performer, he plays Bobby as a subdued, heart-on-the sleeve Hamlet whose emotions are often restrained and kept below the vest whenever in the company of others, only to burst expressively to the surface in the moments he's alone on stage. He delivers a "Someone Is Waiting" of heartbreaking simplicity and a "Being Alive" that is well-considered, raw, spontaneous and personal -- it's breathtaking.

The rest of the company functions amiably as a well-integrated ensemble, all making suitable impressions, but in this production, none seem more than snapshots in Bobby's mind. Barbara Walsh is a properly wry and acidic as Joanne infusing "The Ladies Who Lunch" with a palpable bitterness. Jane Pfitsch is palpably frenzied and frantic as Amy. And Angel Desai's Marta and Elizabeth Stanley's April also make strong impressions.

While Thomas Chase's lighting design does an effective job of focusing the proceedings, David Gallo's minimalist set is a bit too antiseptic and cold (the overhead panels of light make it look like an operating room), and Ann Hould-Ward's black formal costumes have too much of staged concert effect along with an almost funerary feel.

While Doyle's production feels a bit static and chilly at times, the still galvanic Sondheim score and often impassioned performance by Esparza humanizes the piece and makes for a very rewarding experience.



http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/

Updated On: 11/4/06 at 01:42 PM

Posted: 11/3/06 at 1:46pm

Great news, great review! Can't wait to see it!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 1:51pm

I'll be in my seat in 6 hours. Can't wait. Thanks, Margo, for this wonderful review!

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 1:54pm

GAH, I want to see this!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 1:56pm

Margo, Margo, Margo. I am so thrilled (and frankly, relieved) that you liked it; I expected you not to, knowing how you felt about Sweeney, so I'm also really glad that you seem to have gone in open when people seem to find that very hard to do.

Thank you for posting this; we all know how much notoriety your opinion is given around here, so this is a great piece of word of mouth. Nobody's going to listen to me anymore, since I've become a lovesick puppy over the whole show, so it makes me happy that you, as our voice of reason, enjoyed it as much as you did.

I can't wait to go back. :)

Updated On: 11/3/06 at 01:56 PM

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 2:01pm

Very nice review Margo...I'm thrilled to see this production and can't wait till I get my tickets.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 2:06pm

who do I have to kill to get a cheap ticket to this show?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 2:10pm

Nobody? There are $36 advance tickets.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 2:16pm

oh, so they're doing it like Sweeney. Those are Rear Mezz i take it?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 2:17pm

Yeah, but you can see fine. Honestly, this show is probably best seen from above.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 2:21pm

"this show is probably best seen from above."

sweeney was like that, so I'm not suprised.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 2:45pm

I'll def see this in Dec. with some student rush a la Sweeney. Is there a show curtain? I thought Sweeney's curtain really set the mood.

[ByMySide25]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 3:01pm

Thank you for your review Margo!!

I was somewhat unsure about whether or not I wanted to see this show but now I have definitely made up my mind.

I'm especially excited since I saw Doyle's SWEENEY this past summer and MACK & MABEL while in London.

[ByMySide25]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 3:02pm

P.S. -- Thanks for sharing the photo emcee!

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 3:06pm

I will be seeing it tomorrow!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 3:28pm

nice, very classy. I really wish we had thrust stages on Broadway. It seems Doyle really likes that kind of design. I wonder why he didn't design the sets for this production as well?

[TGIF]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 3:40pm

Lovely review. I have been seeing less and less shows due to lack of income and time. I was debating which new shows to see. Reviews on here really don't sway me either way, but from everything I hear I must get myself over to the Barrymore ASAP.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 3:49pm

Thanks, Margo. Beautifully written review!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 11/3/06 at 4:15pm

It's a show everone should see. You will either REALLY love the concept or REALLY hate it.

Most people I know in either camp do agree that Esparza is the best thing about it.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/4/06 at 12:11am

As always, Margo delivers les mots justes.

I can't wait to see this.

[Marquise]

Posted: 11/4/06 at 12:23am

Margo should write for a magazine or a newspaper (if he doesn't already). His reviews are so great to read. He always gives a great overview of every aspect of a production he's reviewing. I love reading his reviews. This production sounds good.

Posted: 11/4/06 at 12:41am

a wonderfully thoughful review!
i hope that this is the next show i see.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 11/4/06 at 1:32am

Wonderful review as always!

Does anybody have a link to Margo's Sweeney review?

[logan0215]

Posted: 11/4/06 at 1:58am

Great review.

Quick question:

Seeing as you have seen this show in 4 other incarnations, how have each handled the time of the piece respectively?

The score has a very 70s feel (to me at least) and I was wondering if all productions are set in "current-day" or if any are set in the 70s. I've only seen the show mounted once, at Pace this Fall, and it seemed to be set in the present.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/4/06 at 2:47am

Here's a link to the thread that contained my review of the first SWEENEY preview (as well as a terrific discussion of Doyle and his use of the actor/musician concept). It also includes my brief updated impressions of the show after seeing it again during one of the last critics' previews:

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=870019&boardname=bway

Most of the previous COMPANY productions I've seen have more or less been variations on the original Prince staging and kept the show set in the 70s (using either the original Tunick orchestrations or a close approximation of them, so even if the show was set in the "present day" it still SOUNDED like a 70s show). Most changes were relatively superficial ones (though the Donmar production from the mid 90s had a noticeably darker feel to it). This Doyle production is the first that I've seen that radically re-thinks the material.

Updated On: 11/4/06 at 02:47 AM