“It’s all a big conundrum, isn’t it? Life in general, of course, but specifically, the idea as to whether or not someone will be happier single, or married. And in the musical COMPANY, Bobby’s friends, who are all married to each other, have decided that at the age of 35, Bobby’s getting a bit too long in the tooth to not have a wife.
What propels the story forward is Bobby observing his friends’ marriages, his dating relationships with three very different women, and how all of his friends’ wives have the qualities he’s looking for in one woman.
This is Sondheim, so right away you know you’re in for a ride, just what kind of ride is going to be determined by how well the cast can deliver his tricky lyrics, difficult melodies, and weaving rhythms. My personal opinion is that Sondheim is a musical sadist, but he’s rarely boring. And never not wordy. All of the notes and intonations need to be crisp and clear, specifically the big numbers with the entire cast; if just one of them messes up lyrically or rhythmically, the entire effect is lost. Thirteen cast members are Bobby’s Greek Chorus, with Bobby rounding that up to 14 people on stage at one time. You need a lot of stage for those big numbers. Sondheim’s COMPANY is a beast to pull off…”
[Read the full review at broadwayworld.com]