The world of musical theatre is in mourning - as are we here at Dolores Delargo Towers - at the death of one of the greatest ever talents in that genre Mr Stephen Sondheim.
As any regular reader will be aware, I, Madam Arcati and the rest of our "gang" are avid Sondheimites. It was, indeed, The Madam who really introduced me to the great man's incredible repertoire, courtesy of his cherished copy of the original West End cast recording of Ned Sherrin's hit revue Side By Side By Sondheim - and he even got Mr Sondheim's autograph back when he worked in the theatre, which I had framed for his 50th and takes pride of place on our wall:
click any pic to embiggen
By way of a fitting tribute, this week I plan to feature a musical per day from the Sondheim back-catalogue (which stretches back six decades!), for your delectation, starting with a masterpiece, Company...
The first second [after A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum] successful musical for which the Maestro wrote both words and music, it was lauded at its launch in 1970 for its innovative adult-oriented themes. A synopsis of the plot from the Sondheim.com site:
Set firmly in, and often about, New York, Company follows five married, once married, or soon to be married couples and their mutual friend, Robert, a 35 year old bachelor who has been unable to connect in a long-term relationship. The relationships are presented in a series of vignettes, primarily through Bobby's eyes, so that we see the less than ideal aspects of commitment. However, it is obvious to the audience that the committed are happy. Eventually, Bobby learns that while relationships aren't perfect, they are a necessary part of "Being Alive."
Without further ado, let's have a selection of songs from the show's fabulous score:
[Note - there numerous versions out there of this number - including when Julie Andrews famously sang all three parts][Another song that has been covered dozens of times - notably, during lockdown last year, by a cast of divas in dressing-gowns!]It is a stunning show - we went to see the amazing "gender-swapped" version back in 2018, starring Rosalie Craig and Patti LuPone, and believe me, the numbers still work with two boys Getting Married Today, a male "trolly-dolly" heading to Barcelona, and the "boop-boop-be-doos" of You Could Drive A Person Crazy performed by three men!
Everything you ever needed to know about Company at Simply Sondheim site.
RIP, Stephen Joshua Sondheim (22nd March 1930 – 26th November 2021)
Oh! Bless you! I was sure you'd have some goodies for this. And, no, I'm not sad, just so very GLAD That the world has had such talent.
ReplyDeletePick a fave? I'd have to go with Elaine Strictch's Ladies Who Lunch. But thanks for the memory...
There are so many great songs in this show - but Stritchy steals the biggest number, I agree! No-one else did it quite like her... Jx
DeleteOkay, that wasn't Sondheim, but you know what I mean!
ReplyDeleteI'm confused? Jx
DeleteI said "thanks for the memory" and Blogger slotted it in before your reply.
DeleteWritten by (I think) Robins and Ranger
Ah! Mystery solved!
DeleteI can't quite imagine Bob Hope appearing in a Sondheim production... Jx
A great showcase of his talent and still only the tip of the iceberg.
ReplyDeleteThe world will be a poorer place with out him.
Every theatre in the west-End will be dimming its lights for two minutes. In respect and to mark the loss of this Great man on Monday night.
So they should - every theatre in the West End (and Broadway) owes him a huge debt! Jx
DeleteLovely tribute. One of his crowning achievements, to be sure. How very strange to live in a world without him... but then, this has become a very strange world.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great show - a real showcase of the art of musical theatre. And yes, the world is an inestimably worse place without Sondheim... Jx
DeleteI don't usually hold with gender swap things, but this was a stroke of genius. Everything just worked, and even better, as I recall we got the tickets for a bargain price of £10 per head!
ReplyDeleteI do remember there being a discussion whether we should go and see it a second time - if that's not a compliment to a show, I don't know what is! Jx
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