| I saw COMPANY last night and the entire cast was there; no standbys or understudies. I saw the original production, and I have to say I didn't find the gender-switching concept entirely successful, though I will acknowledge this revival plays better than two other Broadway revivals I've caught. But I have to say I saw Beth Howland perform "Getting Married Today" brilliantly in the original, and I also saw some terrific performers do it memorably in two revivals and two Sondheim revues I've caught. However, I have NEVER seen the number have an impact on an audience the way it did last night at the Bernard Jacobs Theater; it was flat-out sensational, an undeniable showstopper that Matt Doyle (as the frantic Jamie) knocked right out of the park. Everything about the number works, and Marianne Elliott finds amusing and inventive ways to involve the rest of the cast in the proceedings. As for the show in general, the cast is uniformly strong and the orchestra kicks ass, but - for me, anyway - this production is interesting even if it contains a number of sorry-grateful moments. But "Getting Married Today" isn't one of them; it's fu*king spectacular. |
