Company

Stephen Sondheim’s Company was based on a series of small one-act plays by George Furth. He united them by using the character Robert as the common element, always on the outside looking in, observing how difficult it is to maintain a relationship in a society that is becoming increasingly depersonalised. It debuted on Broadway in 1970 and arrived in the West End in 1972 and, far from feeling dated, it seems to have become even more relevant with the passage of time.

The stark black set used the full width of the theatre meaning the audience entered through it – always a bit of a thrill for those of us who enjoy treading the boards! It only contained a few pieces of furniture, some props and the small band. Everything else was left to our imaginations, the mainly monochrome costumes and Darren Smith’s lighting design. MD Louise Helyer’s versatile band of three played keyboards, violin, flute, clarinet, tambourine and maracas producing exactly the right sound, never intrusive and always complementing the singers perfectly. She had obviously coached the singers well, as they breezed their way through Sondheim’s often fiendishly difficult score with ease and quality.

What a strong cast Director Timothy Quinlan has at his disposal. Each character gets their moment to shine, and everyone excelled when the spotlight was directed at them. Adam Fox played Robert – the story’s protagonist – to the hilt. The only singleton in his group of friends, he was bewildered and amused as he observed the different relationships. He has a strong stage presence and great facial expressions. A great singer too, he had us convinced of his fear of commitment, but equal fear of being alone. His three girlfriends Marta, Kathy and April were played with equal realism by Rachel Dean, Rosy Stephens and Katharine Guthrie. Katharine made April’s naivety heart-breaking in “Barcelona”, while Rachel made easy work of the tricky “Another Hundred People”.

Emily Horner and Stuart Warner were perfectly matched as pro-marriage but ultra-competitive couple Sarah and Harry. They had great chemistry together and I particularly enjoyed their karate tussles. Susan and Peter, convincingly played by Kate Thomas and Wez Sebastien, appear to have the perfect marriage until they announce their divorce, yet they happily remained together. Emma Hall made a perfect Jenny, trying to control David (Matt Gibbins) – their joint-smoking session was beautifully observed, never too much. Emma’s singing at Amy’s wedding must also be mentioned – stunning!

Gilly Williams gave a stand-out performance as indecisive bride Amy. She delivered what must be the ultimate patter song with such precision, clarity and feeling that we could hear every word. What an achievement! She was well matched by Ben Horner as her groom, Paul, who was so calm and understanding in the face of her hysteria. Lastly, Jo Alldridge and Robert Day were spot on as the older couple Joane and Larry. Jo’s delivery of “Ladies Who Lunch” brought out all the anguish, boredom and disappointment she felt about her marriage, in the face of an oblivious Larry.

Choreography throughout was ingenious and made maximum use of the limited stage area. I particularly loved the routine with the hat – so cleverly passed around the entire cast.

It’s amazing how one production can completely change one’s opinion of a show. I’ve seen it just twice in the last twenty years and, not being a great fan of Sondheim, each time it has left me cold. This stylish production however turned me into a huge fan of the show (maybe still not so much a fan of the music) having seen it with greater clarity and appreciated all the humour in it. That is a great tribute to Director Timothy Quinlan and how well his cast interpreted his vision. Thank you for lifting the scales from my eyes and providing a great evening’s entertainment – by the sound of it, the near capacity audience enjoyed it just as much as I did!

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