COMPANY on PBS

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

We are getting it tonight at 9 ET. Check your local listings.

http://community.webtv.net/NewportsRetro/HappyValentinesDay

Archived from group: rec>arts>theatre>musicals

Vince · Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 49

Steve Newport wrote:

> We are getting it tonight at 9 ET. Check your local listings.
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With lots and lots of you know what
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Marcia R.spamlessinlasveg · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 20

Steve Newport wrote:

> We are getting it tonight at 9 ET. Check your local listings.

I've already set my DVR. Does anyone know if there are pledge breaks
tonight? I'm concerned I'll lose the end of it.

Thanks,
Marcia

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> http://community.webtv.net/NewportsRetro/HappyValentinesDay

Vince · Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 49

Marcia R.spamlessinlasvegas@cox.net wrote:

>
> Steve Newport wrote:
>
>
>>We are getting it tonight at 9 ET. Check your local listings.
>
>
> I've already set my DVR. Does anyone know if there are pledge breaks
> tonight? I'm concerned I'll lose the end of it.
>
> Thanks,
> Marcia
>
>
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>>http://community.webtv.net/NewportsRetro/HappyValentinesDay
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Well I don't remmeber the show being TWO and 1/2 Hrs, so I'm sure
that'll be the case, I taping mine and watching the networks

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Matt · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

We are getting it tonight at 9 ET. Check your local listings.

Wonderful production, thoroughly enjoyable. It is a new show for me,
and I don't know the libretto. Can you tell me what the "edited"
profanity was? Particularly: I'm a living thing too, you !!!!!"
Thanks

Vince · Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 49

Matt wrote:
> We are getting it tonight at 9 ET. Check your local listings.
>
> Wonderful production, thoroughly enjoyable. It is a new show for me,
> and I don't know the libretto. Can you tell me what the "edited"
> profanity was? Particularly: I'm a living thing too, you !!!!!"
> Thanks

PBS just can't make up its collected minds they show independence films
on Saturday night with NO "edited" profanity, if you're going to have
the show, have the show. Profanity was never a problem years ago, much
as I never got to see it "I Claudius" had nude scenes.

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Vince · Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 49

Matt wrote:

> We are getting it tonight at 9 ET. Check your local listings.
>
> Wonderful production, thoroughly enjoyable. It is a new show for me,
> and I don't know the libretto. Can you tell me what the "edited"
> profanity was? Particularly: I'm a living thing too, you !!!!!"
> Thanks

I remmeber words like SOB things you hear on TV all the time these days

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Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

mjrdjr2000@yahoo.com (Matt)
"I'm a living thing too, you !!!!!"
---------------------------------------
Originally "shithead." That monologue was on the "don't do" list for
quite a while.

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

This production underlines the weakness of the book. The direction seems
to deliberately allow throwaway comic line deliveries from the
supporting cast in order to allow Esparza to shine in that area. I found
it under-paced and just not show-bizzy enough. Even most of the musical
numbers don't have their usual punch.

Candide · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 29

"Steve Newport" wrote in message@storefull-3154.bay.webtv.net...
> This production underlines the weakness of the book. The direction
seems
> to deliberately allow throwaway comic line deliveries from the
> supporting cast in order to allow Esparza to shine in that area. I
found
> it under-paced and just not show-bizzy enough. Even most of the
musical
> numbers don't have their usual punch.

Pretty much sums up the thing for one as well. Couldn't put my finger on
it at the time, but found the production lacked "something".

Candide

dgsweet · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 7

And I respectfully dissent. What impresses me so much about this
staging is how strong most of the book comes across. There have to be
more compelling pauses in COMPANY than in any other musical I can
think of. I saw the original production several times, and those are
treasured memories, but it was this production that made me appreciate
the structure and intricacy of the show to its fullest. I saw it
twice in its New York run and managed to talk my way into the truck
when Lonny Price was calling the shots during the recording. I was
and am thrilled.

Incidentally, while his show was being broadcast, Sondheim himself was
at THE ADDING MACHINE last night. A wonderfully oddball project that
I suspect will split this gang down the middle. You attempt to read
Sondheim at your peril, but I would guess from his expression as he
came up the aisle that he was intrigued by much of it. Somehow
they've taken that stodgy old expressionistic turkey and anthology
filler and, without pimping it or mocking it in any way, have made it
haunting and compelling. It is also the darkest production this side
of JOURNEY'S END. If the lights had been any lower it would have been
radio. I do recommend it with enthusiasm, though I doubt you'll hear
anybody singing its songs for auditions. Wonderful cast.

> > This production underlines the weakness of the book. The direction
> seems
> > to deliberately allow throwaway comic line deliveries from the
> > supporting cast in order to allow Esparza to shine in that area. I
> found
> > it under-paced and just not show-bizzy enough. Even most of the
> musical
> > numbers don't have their usual punch.
>
> Pretty much sums up the thing for one as well. Couldn't put my finger on
> it at the time, but found the production lacked "something".
>
> Candide

MaryLyon · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 28

Greetings:

I watched this production last night with mouth agape - I've never
seen anything like it before. The only number I missed was "You Could
Drive a Person Crazy," when the kid and I went outside to see if we
could see the eclipse (we couldn't - too much cloud cover).

Well, in the end, I really enjoyed this production, but it took me a
while to warm up to it. First of all, my ear is so tuned to the
original cast recording, the different voices and orchestration bugged
me for a bit, but then I got over it. Wasn't so sure how much I liked
Esparza at the beginning, but he won me over around the middle of the
first act. My favorite performer in the whole show was the girl who
played April - she struck the perfect balance between being ditzy and
lovable. Also really liked the girl who played Marta and the guy who
played Paul. Hated the girl with the terrible Southern accent - can't
recall the name of the character - I couldn't figure out why she was
talking so strangely until Bobby makes a joke about her "Southern
charm" - until then, I thought she was trying to be British or
something.

Barbara Walsh had her work cut out for her, doing a song so heavily
identified with Stritch, but I thought she did a great job. I did
think, however, she was a bit too young for the role...or maybe
Esparza was too old?

I have always been very skeptical of the whole "cast plays their own
instruments" business, so it was intriguing to see it in action. I
thought it worked quite well in this production, because the cast's
use of the instruments (including Joanne's clinking of her whiskey
glass) and Bobby's lack of instrument helped underscore his isolation.
I still cannot imagine how this worked in "Sweeney Todd."

I was surprised at how well the script held up - I expected it to feel
much more dated than it did. I have never seen the show, so most of
the dialogue was new to me. I appreciate and identify with the
script's love/hate view of marriage, and came away with a renewed
sense that "Sorry/Grateful" is the only song I've ever heard about
marriage that really, really tells it like it is. Wish I could do it
in a cabaret setting, but don't know how to resolve the gender
specificity problem...

Speaking of great songs, what a treat to hear "Marry Me a Little!" I
knew of this song, but never actually heard it. It's now on my list to
do in the future, somehow, somewhere...

As a performer, I found myself full of questions about the casting and
rehearsal process that will probably never be answered. Did the
director specify exactly what instruments each character should play,
or did his cast the show and then work with what he got? I was very
impressed with how accomplished the whole cast was - they all sang,
acted, and played their instruments extremely well - I would have
thought that at least one skill would have suffered, but this did not
seem to be the case - it was clear that they were all real musicians
(with the exception of Barbara Walsh, though that might have simply
been a directorial choice), which was great, but they also had
terrific voices and good acting ability (except for the unfortunate
Southern accent issue). I was not prepared for Esparza to be such a
good pianist at the end - I was very impressed.

I'm so curious about the rehearsal process - did they have
instrumental rehearsals first, and then start blocking, or what? Was
there a conductor on a monitor somewhere to keep everybody together?
And sometimes it seemed like I heard a piano but no one was seated at
the Steinway - were there offstage instruments, too? I became so
intrigued by the behind the scenes process, it almost took me out of
the moment as I watched the show.

All in all, an intriguing production. I'm still not sure the cast
playing their own instruments is such a great idea - it is
interesting, for sure, but seems a bit too clever by half - not sure
I'd say it actually enhances the show itself. However, I very much
liked the stylized blocking and set, thought that worked well -
likewise the black and white costumes.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Cheers!
Amy Smile

@storefull-3154.bay.webtv.net...
>
> > This production underlines the weakness of the book. The direction
> seems
> > to deliberately allow throwaway comic line deliveries from the
> > supporting cast in order to allow Esparza to shine in that area. I
> found
> > it under-paced and just not show-bizzy enough. Even most of the
> musical
> > numbers don't have their usual punch.
>
> Pretty much sums up the thing for one as well. Couldn't put my finger on
> it at the time, but found the production lacked "something".
>
> Candide

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

DGSweet@aol.com (dgsweet)
There have to be more compelling pauses in COMPANY than in any other
musical I can think of.
-------------------------------------
There are too many pauses in this production. George Abbott would not
have approved.

Stephen Farrow · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 473

MaryLyon wrote:

> I have always been very skeptical of the whole "cast plays their own
> instruments" business, so it was intriguing to see it in action. I
> thought it worked quite well in this production, because the cast's
> use of the instruments (including Joanne's clinking of her whiskey
> glass) and Bobby's lack of instrument helped underscore his isolation.
> I still cannot imagine how this worked in "Sweeney Todd."

I've said before that I went to the Doyle "Sweeney Todd" in London
partly because I couldn't imagine how having the actors playing the
instruments could possibly work - and the production completely blew me
away. I've seen productions of "Sweeney Todd" that had bigger stars,
that were scarier or funnier, but I've never seen a production of the
show that moved me as much as that one did. Certainly, the film, as much
as I liked it, doesn't come close.

--

Stephen

I didn't think there'd be air conditioning, but, other than that, this
is pretty much how I pictured Hell.

Stephen Farrow · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 473

MaryLyon wrote:

> Speaking of great songs, what a treat to hear "Marry Me a Little!" I
> knew of this song, but never actually heard it. It's now on my list to
> do in the future, somehow, somewhere...

It's on Liz Callaway's second solo album, if you want to hear it sung by
a woman - and her version of it is terrific.

I'm not, actually, entirely convinced by it as an Act One closer for
"Company", but taken alone it's a great song.

--

Stephen

I just snogged Madame de Pompadour!

Sondheim on Esparza's "Bobby" in COMPANY I was listening to Broadway Bullet, a show from last year. The interviewer asked Raul Esparza if Sondheim had seen him play Bobby. He said yes, and that he talked to him after the show and commended him for making "one of the worst-written roles in music

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