The gender flip in this revival of Sondheim’s Company, produced by the National Theatre, has received plenty of attention. Rather than telling the
tale of perennial bachelor Bobbie, actress Rosalie Craig turns the same
character into a likeable single gal whose friends relentlessly try to set her
up. There are other switches too, not least of all the introduction of a gay
couple, plus a brand new song from Sondheim to allow the lead role a further moment
in the spotlight. It gives this 1970 musical an updated twist, to resonate even
more with a modern audience.
Equally, though, it sort of makes no difference. The changes
to character and script are so seamless that you’d never know the musical wasn’t
written this way. It is, after all, not a show defined by gender. Its themes
are universal – a single thirtysomething finding love in New York City,
discovering their innate desire for human connection. Man, woman, gay, straight…none
of these things really matter, such is the malleability of Sondheim’s work to
remain relevant to any and all audiences.
The show is, abstractly, a dissection of relationships.
Though it takes place on Bobbie’s 35th birthday (a repeated moment
that’s as much about her own age anxiety as it is a structural device), each
scene explores the lives of her partnered friends: the overly competitive
couple; the couple who need to loosen up; the couple panicking about marriage;
the couple more content in divorce. Through Sondheim’s music and George Furth’s
book, it’s an incredibly perceptive show that refracts and shifts like a prism.
Humans are difficult and oxymoronic, our relationships good and bad. There’s no
easy truth, no fairytale ending. All we’re after is…some company.
And who said Sondheim doesn’t write tunes? Company is full of them! There are long
and searching melodies, jittery and nervous melodies, incessant hooks that
niggle away in our minds as much as Bobbie’s. There’s the cutesy “You Could
Drive a Person Crazy”, now turned into a barbershop trio, the intricately
choreographed “Side by Side”, and of course the soaring “Being Alive” – Craig closing
the show in absolutely stunning fashion. The performances throughout are
exquisitely sung, each crescendo and lush harmony sending tingles up the spine.
And even though the characterisation is sometimes cartoonish, the quirks and
emotions of each character are imminently relatable.
Bunny Christie’s sleek design frames each scene literally
with moveable sets, each bordered in neon themed colours. They’re like comic
book panels, vignettes, windows into the lives of these people. It’s a minimalist
design that nonetheless parallels the nuances of the show, morphing from
intimate bedrooms to the hustle and bustle of the big city and the hundreds of
potential connections to be made. This is a polished production that feels
effortless, the star cast – from Craig, to Patti Lupone and Mel Giedroyc - all living up to their billing. Special
mention to Jonathan Bailey though whose comedic performance as Jamie is scatty and
adorable.
What’s most apparent, though, is Sondheim’s ability to pick apart
the surface of each character and reveal the personal neuroses of each. It turns
these characters into real people, a reflection not only of messy humanity but
of love itself. Company is sad and
frightening and hilarious and reminds us of the sheer joy of being alive.
5/5
Watch: Company runs
at the Gielgud Theatre until 30th March.
Photo: Tristram Kenton