"Phone rings, door chimes...": My thoughts on Company

 

I first learned about Company in high school musical theater class over 30 years ago. (Yes, I know I'm old!) I listened to the music often to get familiar with it for class and a lot of it was quirky and entertaining. After high school, I didn't give it much thought for a while. Then my husband and I ended up seeing a revival on Broadway in 2006, starring Raul Esparza. It kind of felt more like a concert as I don't remember there being much of a set on stage. Raul was great as Bobby though. More recently, there has been another revival on Broadway, this time with most of the roles gender swapped, as Bobby was now Bobbie and played by Katrina Lenk. It sounded like a fun twist on the story and I was interested in seeing it. So when it came to DC, starring Britney Coleman as Bobbie, I knew I had to see it! I saw Britney as Barbara in Beetlejuice last year and she was delightful! I also knew that a gay couple was playing Paul and Amy (now Jamie), which added to the appeal.

To get a feel for the songs from this new version of Company, check out the Tiny Desk Concert.

My older son and I went to Kennedy Center at the end of March for the touring production. We ended up having front row seats, even though it was row E. Apparently the rows start at E. So that was pretty cool. We were a bit off to the side, but it wasn't an obstructed view. We could actually see some of the sets coming out from the side of the stage. Speaking of sets, they were really fun and modern! I love how the number 35 was incorporated in the artwork, house numbers, etc. They also played with the size of the rooms, sometimes making them look smaller than normal. I also like how they would connect at times and people would enter spaces from different doors. 

Let's talk about the cast/characters now. I'm pretty much sharing a random bunch of thoughts here, as my mind is all over the place.

I loved Britney Coleman as Bobbie! She was perfect for the part and had such an incredible voice. I love her personality too. It looked like she was having so much fun!

Judy McLane played Joanne in a more contemporary way than I've ever seen before. I always expect Joanne to be cranky and sardonic, from what I've seen and heard in the past. This Joanne seemed like she was having a great time. She reminded me a bit of Jane Krakowski too. 

I adored Matt Rodin as Jamie! "Not Getting Married" is one of the hardest songs ever, but he nailed it! He was just so great in the role too. That whole scene in the kitchen was great, especially with the priest showing up in random places and belting her part. Hilarious!

I also really liked Tyler Hardwick as PJ. He seemed like the kind of guy I would have gone for in college. He just gave off so much sexual appeal. I didn't get why Bobbie would go out with Andy (the pilot) when she could be with PJ, regardless of how he compared people's butt hole sizes. She didn't even have anything to talk about with Andy and it sounded like he was in some relationship with his roommate anyway. But I love how PJ sang "Another Hundred People." 

The women in the show gave standout performances. They were all funny with high energy throughout. However, there were not a lot of opportunities for women (aside from Bobbie and Joanne) to sing in this production. "Sorry Grateful" is already intended for men to sing, but now they took over a bunch of other songs too. (Although "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" was enjoyable to watch.) I also think some characters swapped their storylines while others didn't. Like I know Jenny was the one who tried out swearing in the original production, but David was doing it this time. However, Sarah was still the one obsessing over food and showing people her martial arts skills.

As for the music, I knew most of the songs from back in the day. I still feel like "Marry Me a Little" was added later on, as I don't remember listening to it when I was in high school. I felt like they were able to jazz up some of the songs a bit more this time around, giving them high energy. "Side by Side by Side"/"What Would We Do Without You" felt extra long to me this time around. I think "Another Hundred People" is still my favorite, but I'll get some of the other songs in my head from time to time. I never really got how "Ladies Who Lunch" fits into the show or why one would want to make a toast to them. (I could probably say the same for "Another Hundred People" though.) 

I can't say I'm a fan of the storyline for this musical, because it's hard to tell what is happening and when. There's nothing linear about it and it feels abstract overall. It's always been this way. The clock scene with all the different versions of Bobbie was new to me. I don't remember seeing that in the 2006 version. That part was amusing and also thought provoking. I also felt like if it was being adapted to modern times, they could have removed the dialogue about Bobbie's life not being complete without marriage. That seemed pretty antiquated with how things are now. Especially if you think about that one tone deaf graduation speech that recently made news stories. If you meet someone you're meant to be with, then great. However, marriage shouldn't have to be an expectation or norm in this day and age. 

In any case, this revival of Company is a lot of fun overall, with many laugh-out-loud moments throughout. The camaraderie between the cast is evident and enjoyable to watch. But if you want to know what's going on, it's best to read about the storyline in advance. Even then, it's all a bit disjointed. ("A series of disconnected vignettes in no chronological order, each featuring Robert visiting with one of the couples or alone on a date with a girlfriend."--Wikipedia, on the original production.)

"And that's what it's all about, isn't it? That's what it's really about."

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following me.