Company: A Musical Comedy

Wonderful DVD Extras Complement a Sparkling Update of Sondheim's Most Accessible Musical
Marry me a little,
Love me just enough.
Cry but not too often,
Play but not too rough.
Keep a tender distance
So we'll both be free.
That's the way it ought to be....

Only Stephen Sondheim could come up with such sophisticated couplets to a love song as disquieting as the beautiful "Marry Me a Little". I was very fortunate to have seen the enthralling 2006 production at the Ethel Barrymore Theater last season, and I'm thrilled it has been captured for posterity on DVD as part of PBS's "Great Performances" series. There is something supremely ironic about how a 37-year old show, already revived twice, can feel fresher than most Broadway musicals written today. However, when the music reflects Sondheim at his most accomplished with performers so adept, it becomes a moot point, even though several of the songs here have been inescapable at karaoke bars for years from the lips...

A beautiful production, get it for Raul Esparza
Company is one of my favorite Sondheim shows so far (the others being Sweeney Todd and Sunday in the Park with George). It's a show that requires good acting and showcases outstanding acting. The ensemble numbers are beautiful. The Original Broadway Cast recording sounds very 1970s-ish, but the revival orchestration has updated the music to sound modern and classy. The musical has three of my favorite songs: "Being Alive," "The Ladies Who Lunch," and "Getting Married Today." The show is funny and witty, but it carries a strong message, too. Marriage, in fact any kind of commitment, is a compromise. It sucks that when we choose one path, we close many others, but that's what life is about. Life is about making choices. There's nothing wrong with Bobby being a bachelor. The problem is that it's all he knows. He's never tried anything else. He's never made a choice; he's always waiting to see what other people do. Joanne's stinging number "The Ladies Who Lunch" reminds Bobby (and the...

In good "Company."
I saw the original on Broadway way back in 1970, and the memory of that wonderful production was still on my mind as I saw this latest version on PBS earier this year. I was astounded. It was as fresh and wonderful as the original, but in a totally original way. Mr. Esparza is the best Bobby of the bunch and the rest of the cast is simply wonderful. Nobody does it better than Sondheim, that's for sure; this score sounds as original today as it did in 1970. The only drawback, and this is just for those of us who remember the original Joanne (that perfect freak of talent, Elaine Stritch) will never be equaled. That aside, this DVD is a must for those who love theatre, musicals and Sondheim. They've finally figured out how to film a live show without ruining the theatrical experience.

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