Company: A Musical Comedy
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Movie Reviews of Company: A Musical Comedy
Movie Review: Company
Summary: 5 Stars
Great musical, well done, great production ... got it in a timely manner and everything was goodMovie Review: Wow!
Summary: 5 Stars
Company is Boffo !!!!!!!!! Enough said. Watch it again and again...Movie Review: Rich multi-layered performances win out
Summary: 4 Stars
The expressions on Raul Esparza's face detail the rumblings beneath the surface that Stephen Sondheim finds fascinating.
This 2006 Tony-winning revival received a mixed response from audiences and critics alike. But then, COMPANY is a show that is always divisive. For starters, the show has no "plot" in a conventional sense. That bothers some viewers. It also uses songs to express attitudes rather than advance the story (again, what story?) But those subtle lingering looks, the unexpected responses, the sighs, the pauses...they communicate so much about these characters, and that is beautifully captured in this video.
No, it is not the COMPANY that was seen on Broadway in 1970. Given the advances it presaged, I expect that to see an archival reconstruction of the original might now look horribly dated. Jonathan Doyle has given the show a fresh perspective by having the company of actors double as musicians. It's a stunt he tried before with SWEENEY TODD to much acclaim. Unfortunately, coming after SWEENEY critics tended to be very blaze about the whole thing. Yeah, What else can you do?
But the concept actually works better with Company and is far less distracting. You do not miss the full orchestra as much here as with the more operatic SWEENEY. It makes the story more intimate and personal. The concept has a few drawbacks. Several times numbers end by segueing back into dialogue, frustrating an audience that wants to applaud but keeping the rhythm steady.
The rock steady performance of Raul Esparza anchors the entire show. It's performance that earned him high praise - and a Tony nomination - and years from now people will talk about. But unlike Dean Jones in the original they'll be able to do more than talk about it: they can see it thanks to this DVD.
Movie Review: Sondheim's finest
Summary: 4 Stars
Sondheim's finest musical has finally been recorded for posterity and this production by PBS is excellent. A number of camera angles provide a brilliant capture of the performance and give a feeling that almost surpasses sitting in the Ethel Barrymore theatre itself. The sound and picture quality are spot on and the only disappointing element (causing the loss of a star) is the lack of Extras. They amount to two poorly filmed interviews with confident star Raul Esparza and director John Doyle; and the surprising inclusion of an interview conducted with Sondheim by Jonathan Biggins for Foxtel and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation when he attended the opening of Kookaburra musical theatre's 2007 production of Company - which was far inferior to the main feature of this DVD and performed in the standard manner (i.e. without the actors also playing the instruments). Where are the 'backstage' extras - e.g. filming the cast in preparation in their dressing rooms, or any rehearsal footage? The path to putting this version on stage would have involved some interesting rehearsal processes to get the staging right with the inclusion of the instruments - a feature on this aspect would have been eagerly welcomed.
But never mind that, the performances captured here are magical and might I even say that this is the definitive version of Company? If it's not, it's darn close. You won't regret purchasing this title.
Movie Review: Must-have for musical theatre buffs
Summary: 4 Stars
John Doyle's unusual staging of this Sondheim-Furth-Prince classic won critical acclaim. While the cast give excellent performances and are true to the characters, Doyle also has them playing the musical instruments. Perhaps musical lovers will miss the original orchestrations of Jonathan Tunick, however, this staging is for the most part, an intriguing version of this classic piece and was a 2007 Tony Award winner. The DVD comes from the PBS telecast that has been beautifully photographed at a live performance at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in NYC. Multiple camera angles are used and are seamlessly edited, in high definition widescreen and Dolby Digital for first-rate visual interpretation of this staging. Bonus features include interviews with Doyle and leading actor Raul Esparza and more importantly, a 40-minute edited 'Audience with Stephen Sondheim' (filmed live in Sydney, Australia, in July 07, on the set of an Aussie revival of COMPANY). This excellent DVD is a must-have for musical theatre buffs.