Can you elaborate?
If I could see one show on Broadway right now, it'd be 110 in the Shade. I don't know the score (yet), but the songs from Lost in Boston were magical. If those were an indication of how good the non-cut songs are, it's gotta be great.
Sure, although first let me say that Simple Little Things, A Man and a Woman and Old Maid (the closing moment of Act 1) from 110 are three of my favorite songs. I can cry at Simple Little Things.
Although I knew Sondheim shows before I heard Company, when I did hear the score for the first time (in 1970 with the famous purple cast album cover) I fell in love. I've seen the show many times and while not all were good (and I do have trouble with the book) I never left any of them with the annoyance and anger I felt after I saw Company. I am not at all opposed to reinterpretations of musicals. A theatre piece is not like a movie and it will be different (usually) every time it's done. My problem with Company is the concept of stripping it down to practically nothing and having the actors play instruments as well as perform. It worked better for me in Sweeney Todd but it didn't work AT ALL (IMHO) for Company. Doyle's (the director) concept destroyed any cohesion in the script and his staging was abominable. There were directorial choices that made no sense. I know this was part of his concept but not one actor looked at another actor when they were speaking. There was ridiculous mime, including eating and drinking. The Judo scene, which can be very funny, was dreadful. The actors/musicians were more musician than actor (Sorry, Jose, I'm not dissing musicians). Most were making their Broadway debuts (with a few exceptions) and it looked like it. There were even good people in the show who came off badly. I like Barbara Walsh, I really do. She was great in Falsettos and I liked her in Big. Her Joanne in Company did not work. Her drunk scene before Ladies Who Lunch was out of College Acting. I didn't believe for a second that she was drunk. She was indicating all over the stage. Also having her play the triangle was a new level of stupidity, IMHO. Everyone in the show was supposed to play an instrument. She, obviously, didn't play an instrument, so she got to play the triangle. It's like the stupidity of Patti LuPone playing the tuba in Sweeney. Lots of people thought it was a great joke but I thought it was ridiculous. She hadn't played since Marching Band in high school and it was an abysmal sight gag, nothing more. Oh, and when LuPone wasn't playing the tuba or singing or acting, she playe "the triangle"
This has turned into an unexpected rant and I apologize for that but Company pushes some buttons in me because this particular production has been praised as being brilliant and cutting edge and a whole new way to look at the show. Those of us who don't like it are often accused of "not getting it". One poster (not here on HHW) actually said that people who didn't like the show probably didn't have enough "life experience" to understand the show. Others have said things like "you just want carbon copies of the show with no thought" None of that is true. Believe me I got the show. I just didn't like it. I think the reason I got/get so rankled when talking about this show is because I really love it and I think this concept did nothing to make it a better show. We have to bring in new audiences to keep musical theatre alive. Spring Awakening is a good example. But you don't have to destroy old shows as a way of bringing in new people.
I hope this stripping down concept has reached the end of the run. I know that John Doyle is scheduled to do a production of Merrily We Roll Along (another Sondheim show with a problematic book and a wonderful score) in England later this year. There is no word yet if he will do it with actor/musicians. One can only hope not. When word came out that he would be doing Merrily some wag said, "what's he going to do this time, make them play the music backwards as well?"
If you don't know Merrily, the show takes place in reverse time. It begins in the "present" and we watch the characters move back in time from adults to high school.
Enough already (aren't you sorry you asked
)
I will now get back to work and leave you with the thought that I am not a cranky old man, I just get vehement about some things, and hey, you asked me to elaborate!
