COMPANY
I had the pleasure of seeing the new Broadway revival of COMPANY last week, mere days before Stephen Sondheim’s passing. This production has taken the lead role of Robert, a 35-year-old man contemplating his marriage prospects (or lack thereof), and turned him into Bobbie, a woman. In addition to this change, director Marianne Elliott has also made small tweaks to the book to make the play feel more contemporary (I don’t think they talked about vaping in the original 1970 production). Curiously, these changes coalesce into a slightly puzzling end result: a production in which characters’ conversations feel quite modern, but the overall piece and its treatment of marriage feels dated. Fortunately, the performances are so excellent across the board that COMPANY is still a great night at the theatre. Led by Katrina Lenk and her gorgeous voice, the ensemble crackles with high-energy, laugh-out-loud funny performances. And of course, Patti Lupone brings down the house as the older and wiser Joanne. I’m sure the already-hot production has become an even hotter ticket in the wake of Sondheim’s death, but if you are passing through New York and can get your hands on tickets, it’s worth taking the time to indulge in his genius.
—Julia Hammer, Director of Production
