Company 2019

Review by: Paul Towers, 21/3/19

Company by Stephen Sondheim

An Elliott & Harper production

Gielgud Theatre until 30 March 2019

“This is a superb re-imagining of a classic Sondheim musical”

When Company was first written by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth in 1970 it tapped into the post war imperative of needing to repopulate the population decimated by various wars. Bobby’s continuing bachelor-dom was seen to be socially irresponsible. When the show was updated in the 90’s it showcased the pursuit of the impossible dream of perfect  couple-dom by highlighting that all of Bobby’s friends, couples, had less than perfect relationships despite their outward looking fulfilment.

Fast forward to 2018 and director Marianne Elliott decided to radically change the dynamic of the narrative by making Bobby a girl.

Watching the current production it makes perfect sense. Women are, these days, much more aware of their ticking biological clocks and their friends are naturally concerned that they don’t miss out on a family.

I last saw Company in 2015 and this time round I found it so much funnier. Director Elliott has found so many more funny lines and bits of business in the production.

The show is completely balanced and no one person is allowed to outshine the others. This is a feat in itself when you have such veteran Broadway and West End stars  as Patti LuPone and Richard Fleeshman heading the cast alongside Rosalie Craig.

Each couple has the opportunity to take their turn in the spotlight while Rosalie Craig as Bobbie dodges their entreaties. Her beautifully comic asides and looks through the fourth wall are reminiscent of Fleabag and are used to instantly convey her exasperation and sometimes downright incredulity at her friends’ antics. Her feeling of being pulled in every direction is superbly illustrated in one scene where there are 4 Bobbies as well as the original looking in on an amazingly choreographed piece of mayhem.

Bobbie’s last three boyfriends, flawed in different ways, illustrate her frustration at searching for ‘the one’. Andy (Richard Fleeshman displaying an unbelievable physique) is the more than slightly camp over-thinking trolly dolly; PJ (George Blagden) is disillusioned with city life, finding it dirty, fast and unforgiving; Theo (Matthew Seadon-Young) is, possibly, ‘the one’ who got away when they both admit they wanted to marry each other when they previously dated.

Sarah (Mel Giedroyc) and Harry (Gavin Spokes) permanently bicker as she diets and he goes dry. Their arguments result in an hilarious marshall arts fight where they throw each other around the room.

Jamie (Jonathan Bailey) and Paul (Alex Gaumond) are planning their gay wedding but Jamie has wedding day jitters and brings the house down with the hilarious Getting Married Today. Not only a linguistic feat but an acrobatic one as well.

Joanne (Patti LuPone), oft divorced, is realistic about what makes a relationship works. Or not. She also brings the house down with her show stopping rendition of The Ladies Who Lunch

The set by Bunny Christie is a marvel of light boxes slid and interlocked like a Rubiks Cube. Lighting by Neil Austin ensures that the audience’s attention is always in the right place.

This is a superb re-imagining of a classic Sondheim musical

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