Company

There is little I am able to add to the comprehensive information in your programme about this musical which I’ve seen only once before. It was quite a few years ago but at that time it didn’t make enough of an impression on me to remember very much about it; I was looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with the show and also Sondheim’s music.

My goodness – what an impression it made this time!

The Theatre at Kingston College worked very well for this style of musical and it felt as though we, the audience, were a part of the action on stage, eavesdropping as the relationships within the five couples unfolded.

The floor was spacious and the sofas and drink trolleys were quickly and quietly moved between scenes to convey the next location. The stairs, and the platform linking them, gave an extra dimension to the setting and were used effectively. Lighting and sound were good,

The relationships, all different, between the five couples were brilliantly portrayed. A while ago I sang ‘The Little Things We Do Together’ in a compilation show but I didn’t appreciate the brilliance of the words and music until watching/listening to it in context in your production last week.

Robert’s birthday celebration, complete with cake and colour co-ordinated beautifully wrapped gifts, opened the show and was a recurring theme.

The five couples were introduced and I liked the way that each pair were costumed in a colour scheme and style to match their personalities.

I cannot fault any of the actors. They all gave superb performances and brought their characters to life brilliantly.  So many of the observations and much of the dialogue/lyrics brought to mind attitudes and happenings which probably every single member of the audience recognised from some time in their past or present.

Sondheim’s music is not as easy on the ear as is many other composers but the cast delivered the musical numbers with skill and confidence.

I particularly noted ’The Little Things You Do Together, ‘Have I Got A Girl For You’, ‘Getting Married Today’ and ‘Marry Me A Little’, as really good -- but there were so many others that I enjoyed too.

The three girlfriends were played strongly and Bobby tried hard to convince himself that he wanted marriage, despite the clear messages from his friends – a classic case of grass being greener on the other side! Sophie, Aimee and Rosa each presented a totally different personality and each had her own attractions, perhaps showing how confused Bobby was with regard to understanding what he wanted, or needed, in order to make a commitment.

There wasn’t  a great deal of choreography/dancing in this production, just in the Second Act when the couples sang about what they would do without Bobby, (not sure of the title) and Della made that an attractive number with good movement.

I haven’t named the cast individually as I usually do when writing my report and massive congratulations go to them all: Sam Quick, Nichola Dalaziel, John Sutherland, Subha Chelvam-Lewis, Gareth Lewis, Emma Allen, Sebastion Roughley, Bex Wood, Ido Gonen, Helen Burgess-Bartlett, Matt Weaver, Sophie Toyer, Aimee Clark- Hooker and Rosa Bailey. You all gave exceptional performances. Some of you had more meaty roles and left more of a mark but that was in the casting.

The Band, lead by Dennis Hooker, was balanced and the volume was perfect. It worked well their being up on the balcony.

Chris Malone did a superb job on the stage direction and ‘Company’ is a show that will remain in my memory for a long time.

Everyone involved should be proud of the amazing entertainment they provided for their audiences. It was a fabulous evening’s entertainment.

Your programme is nicely presented, easy to negotiate and full of information. One negative point is that the purple colour is dark and the print is rather small and so it was difficult to read in the theatre. By contrast the pink was very clear on the purple.

Thank you for inviting me to see ‘Company’ and thanks also to Alma for her warm welcome and kind hospitality on the evening. I look forward to seeing ‘Sweet Charity’ in October and note that you will be back at your usual venue – Epsom Playhouse.

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