Company (2008)

"Winner of the 2007 Tony Award!Sweeping all the major theater awards for Best Revival of a Musical, a beloved era-defining classic is stunningly reinvented in this powerful Broadway production, featuring an explosive starring performance by Raul Esparza. Set in modern upper-crust Manhattan, Company is a funny, sophisticated exploration of love and commitment as seen through the eyes of a charming perpetual bachelor questioning his single state and his enthusiastically married, slightly envious friends. With a wise and witty Stephen Sondheim score including ""Another Hundred People,"" ""Side by Side by Side,"" ""The Ladies Who Lunch"" and ""Being Alive,"" Company offers musical comedy at its finest." Product Description

Good production of a score and story that I do not enjoy

Loving the theater, I am always excited to see a staged performance captured on DVD. I hope more and more will be forthcoming. Therefore I am loath to say anything negative about any such offering. However, I didn't particularly care for Company. Let me be clear, it is not the production itself but the source material I did not enjoy.

This production is my first experience with Company. I just did not enjoy Sondheim's score or the story. It was all pretty depressing and glum. The point of view felt rather cynical and jaded. I couldn't identify or recognize anything desirable in the characters or relationships. Some of the dialogue had a very dated feel (though expected in a musical from 1970, it was not enjoyed). It felt bound to a time and place - not one filled with wonder and excitement, but one that I am glad has been left behind. One I have no joy in visiting.

On the positive side, Raul Esparza did a wonderful job in the lead. He made the character endearing and likable enough. He is a very talented singer and actor (I loved him in the recording of Jonathan Larson's Tick... Tick...Boom!). The rest of the ensemble was also generally good. There were several humorous moments despite the general melancholy feel. The sparse staging and the actors doubling as instrumentalists took a bit of getting used to, but it was successful enough in the end. I will not go so far as to say it added to the production, but it was passable. I do wonder if such technique should be used if it does not truly enhance the material, though. Doesn't one wish to see the best staging possible? I am not sure this is it.

If you like Company or are a raging fan of Sondheim, I would highly recommend you check out this production. The talented cast and innovative staging just couldn't overcome the material itself for me. Certainly that is a matter of taste. October 4, 2008

Broadway Live On Stage

I loved Company when I saw it on Broadway, but the concept, with the actors working with musical instruments in hand during the performance, was distracting and took away from the show. But here, with the camera able focus on individual players, one at a time, it works. It works better than it did on Stage. Raul Esparza is terrific throughout, and the Sondheim score is, at turns, beautiful, funny and relevant throughout.

This is a real triumph and a real gift from PBS. October 3, 2008

Sondheim's finest

Sondheim's finest musical has finally been recorded for posterity and this production by PBS is excellent. A number of camera angles provide a brilliant capture of the performance and give a feeling that almost surpasses sitting in the Ethel Barrymore theatre itself. The sound and picture quality are spot on and the only disappointing element (causing the loss of a star) is the lack of Extras. They amount to two poorly filmed interviews with confident star Raul Esparza and director John Doyle; and the surprising inclusion of an interview conducted with Sondheim by Jonathan Biggins for Foxtel and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation when he attended the opening of Kookaburra musical theatre's 2007 production of Company - which was far inferior to the main feature of this DVD and performed in the standard manner (i.e. without the actors also playing the instruments). Where are the 'backstage' extras - e.g. filming the cast in preparation in their dressing rooms, or any rehearsal footage? The path to putting this version on stage would have involved some interesting rehearsal processes to get the staging right with the inclusion of the instruments - a feature on this aspect would have been eagerly welcomed.
But never mind that, the performances captured here are magical and might I even say that this is the definitive version of Company? If it's not, it's darn close. You won't regret purchasing this title. September 29, 2008

Must-have for musical theatre buffs

John Doyle's unusual staging of this Sondheim-Furth-Prince classic won critical acclaim. While the cast give excellent performances and are true to the characters, Doyle also has them playing the musical instruments. Perhaps musical lovers will miss the original orchestrations of Jonathan Tunick, however, this staging is for the most part, an intriguing version of this classic piece and was a 2007 Tony Award winner. The DVD comes from the PBS telecast that has been beautifully photographed at a live performance at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in NYC. Multiple camera angles are used and are seamlessly edited, in high definition widescreen and Dolby Digital for first-rate visual interpretation of this staging. Bonus features include interviews with Doyle and leading actor Raul Esparza and more importantly, a 40-minute edited 'Audience with Stephen Sondheim' (filmed live in Sydney, Australia, in July 07, on the set of an Aussie revival of COMPANY). This excellent DVD is a must-have for musical theatre buffs. September 15, 2008

A decent version of COMPANY, but far from its greatest

This new version of COMPANY is the first widely-available recording of the show, and that in and of itself holds a certain level of appeal. I always appreciate the opportunity to snatch up recordings of some of my favorite shows.

Sadly, this isn't my favorite version of COMPANY. While the staging is inventive in concept (to an extent... this was also done with the revival of SWEENEY TODD), this isn't the lively, fun version that I grew to love. The set is sparse and cold, and a lot of the portrayals carry the same aura.

And despite all the acclaim, I just don't like Raul Esparza. For a guy who's supposed to be nice and fun, but emotionally shut off, he's far too internalized and far too intense. It's an oddly misguided performance, and it feels quite inappropriate given all the things we hear about his character.

Still, it's well worth a look. September 12, 2008

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