When people ask me who my favourite musical theatre composer is, I can and will answer immediately: Sondheim. For me, his work just says so much about life, people and relationships, and I think it’s really witty, heartbreaking and thought provoking, sometimes all in the space of a single scene! That being said, I’m the first to admit that I’m not as well acquainted with his work as I’d like to be, and so am still happily learning about and discovering it. One such show is Company, where I knew a couple of the songs and the premise of the show, but nothing beyond that.

Originally staged in 1970, with music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by George Furth, Company follows Robert (Bobby to his friends) a young single man living in New York as he celebrates his 35th birthday… with all his married friends. Navigating love and life in the city, a series of conversations with his friends, each with very different relationships and takes on love, and encounters with the women he just can’t bring himself to settle down with lead Bobby to question everything he believes and wants out of life.

If you know me well, you’ll know that I’ve got a real fondness for these classic, older musicals, and sometimes struggle with the idea of them being reimagined and reinterpreted. Sometimes, though, just sometimes, a fresh perspective gets me incredibly excited, as Chris Harper and Marianne Elliot’s production did, even before I’d seen it! The 2018 production has taken the musical and turned it on its head: brought it straight into the 21st century in a fabulous blaze of neon drenched glory. Bobby is now Bobbie, her flames Andy, Theo and PJ, and cold footed bride Amy is now Jamie!

All that needed to happen were a few lyric and book changes, and I love that these were all done with Sondheim’s blessing and became a collaborative effort. I remember that there was (and undoubtedly still is) a huge outcry of horror and anger from some quarters about these changes, but to me they felt incredibly topical, important and just worked. Bobbie being a woman in particular spoke to me on so many levels. I’m still two years away from my thirties, but am constantly aware of the pressure society places on women to get married and conform to this idea of the norm. Indeed, loads of my female friends are engaged and are getting married lately, and I do find myself amid all that via social media and so on. I’m constantly battling my desire for a relationship, wether I need one, and fearing I’ll never have one, and that can often make me feel really lonely and somehow inadequate. Seeing a musical deal with and play with this dynamic was so refreshing and everything I didn’t know I needed: because the feelings aren’t patronized or portrayed as negative, just real and honest!

Marianne Elliot’s direction fizzes with energy and playfulness, but has about it also a really insightful, poignant eye for the struggles in which all these characters, Bobbie most notably find themselves, and the institute of marriage as it is today. She knows exactly when to play the humour, and when to strip that away and let things become more subtle, and the ease with which she moves between the two and mixes them is really powerful.

Bunny Christie’s design: neon colours and a series of moveable, sliding boxes give the show a lovely “Alice in Wonderland” type vibe that I loved – especially with an illusion and teeny cake by Chris Fisher. Neil Austin’s lighting is also wonderfully atmospheric. Liam Steel’s choreography, especially during Another Hundred People and Side by Side was an absolute joy – so much personality and intricacies going on that I often didn’t know where to look, in the best kind of way!

Cast wise, this has got to be one of my favourite all round I’ve seen very recently. Rosalie Craig was absolutely stunning as Bobbie, looking resplendent in her gorgeous red dress. The warmth and wit she brings to the character is tremendous, but she also has a beautifully endearing sense of vulnerability. As a fan of her voice before this, it was a delight and an education hearing her sing those iconic songs- they took on new meaning and were really moving. Watching her interact with and sometimes just watch the other characters was really interesting too, Rosalie is great at the more subtle expressions and body language.

Patti Lupone owns every single moment as the cynical Joanne, The Ladies who Lunch brought the house down with rapturous applause. Rightly so, but for me the real power of that moment is what happens in the run up before and after, it’s a cynical song, mocking all rich middle aged women who waste their time on meaningless things. She invites Bobbie to take up an affair with her husband Larry, whom she says will “take care of her”. Larry, returning to the ladies after dancing, accepts Joanne’s drunken rant without complaint, because he loves her. Larry leads Joanne away, with an “I’ll take care of you” and she replies: “I know you will” – it’s just played so beautifully between Patti and Ben and brought a tear to my eye.

Staying with Ben a moment – I ate humble pie most happily after not being a fan of his voice in Love Never Dies, I found him charming as Larry and his voice really suited the score. There’s a lovely number: Sorry/Grateful between the married men where he really stood out vocally for me – the harmonies made me go all tingly!

Joyous comedic work comes from Gavin Spokes and Mel Giedroyc as Harry and Sarah, and Bobbie’s men: Andy (Richard Fleeshman) Theo (Matthew Seadon – Young) and PJ (George Blagden) are strong throughout -their number You Could Drive a Person Crazy is turned into a doo wop style number that brought a massive smile to my face.

Stealing the show for me is Jonathan Bailey with an absolutely thunderous rendition of Not Getting Married Today… the speed of that song is ridiculous yet he made it look & sound effortless and I adored the chemistry and banter he has with Alex Gaumond’s sweet and loveable Paul!

The energy and love the cast have for the show is infectious, and the sound they create is intoxicating.. those harmonies are still going round in my head and even a week on I randomly & unashamedly burst into song with a “phone rings, door chimes in comes Company” or “These good and crazy people my friends…” and that to me is the mark of a special show.

Here’s to a hopeful return visit in the new year… I’d definitely drink to that 🍸❤