Sondheim's "Company"

I went to see "Company" at the Chichester College last night.

It was a student production and turned out to be excellent. I enjoyed the acting although they were all too young to have had any of the real life experiences being depicted in the show. The singing was good and in places very good. The keyboard work by the musical director (and head of Musical Theatre), Daf Hughes, was outstanding, and in itself was well worth the visit.

I love "Company" and wonder at those people who say Sondheim can't write tunes as there are several stonking numbers in this one show alone.

If I was ever fortunate enough to meet Mr Sondheim, I would like to thank him for enriching my life with his music. My pal David is so right, as he usually is in such matters and much else besides, when he says Sondheim is at his ease here writing and composing about a city and a scene he knows so well and inside out. The story of the 35 year old bachelor Bobby who is desperate to get married to somebody/ anybody comparing upon his own state with that of his married friends allows Sondheim to mix a heady cocktail of humour, wicked insight, poignancy and marvellous music. I was trying to isolate which tune was my favourite but the trouble is as each song arrives it replaces the one I thought was my favourite up until then. (Just one grumble about last night's performance at Chichester college. There was a programme which gave those cast biographies but no list of songs or any background information about the composer. All the people sat in the audience can't be afficiniados so an educational opportunity was missed, it seems to me, by an educational establishment.)

The best production so far of "Company" must be the 1995 Sam Mendes' show at the Donmar with Adrian Lester mesmerising in the lead role surrounded by a fantastic cast among whom Clive Rowe(Harry), Teddy Kempner(David), Sheila Gish(Joanne) and the incomparable Amy of Sophie Thompson. To my chagrin, I never saw the stage production but had to be satisfied by viewing a video recording of the actual show.

Sondheim quotes Chekhov: "If you're afraid of loneliness, don't marry". I think this is the motif that Sam Mendes adopted for his production and is a better explanation for Robert than emotional indifference or complacency with which the part could be played.

The show is choc a bloc with showstoppers.

"Sorry Grateful" is when Robert the bachelor asks his married friend Harry if he was sorry that he got married. The reply is wonderfully ambiguous: "You're always sorry, you're always grateful"; "You are what you were, which has nothing to do with - all to do with- her" The tune is heart string tuggingly beautiful and wistful. The other two married friends, Peter and David (I always get a buzz at that combination of names), join in.

"Someone is Waiting" is the song where Robert runs through the qualities of the wives of his three friends, and crazy Amy who is marrying his Jewish friend Paul, and his three girlfriends (who all fancy him) trying to pinpoint the person for himself. He seems unsure whether the person is out there waiting for him," Wait for me now, I'll find you if I can", or whether he should go out and do the searching. He ends up as usual unresolved:" Hurry - Wait for me".

"Another Hundred People" is an anthem to the city of New York sung by Marta, the hippy amongst his girlfriends. A" city of strangers" is reinforced every day by hundreds pouring of the buses, trains and planes.

"Getting Married Today" is sung by crazy Amy on her wedding day. It is an extraordinary recitative song delivered at astonishing speed ("all bridal babble and radiantly curdling hymn" Michael Ratcliffe), which is incredibly difficult to do, makes the audience roar with laughter and is a show stopper in the hands of a Sophie Thompson. Amy refuses to marry Paul on the actual day of the wedding.

"Marry Me a Little" is Robert's request to Amy on learning that she is not marrying Paul: "Marry me and everyone will leave us alone"; "Marry me a little, love me just enough"; "Make a few demands that I will be able to fulfil"; "We'll stay who we are"; "Passionate as hell but always in control";"But first and foremost keep me company"; "I'm ready" is the oft repeated reprise before the song ends on "I'm...I'm...I'm..."

God, Sondheim is brilliant!