Sondheim strikes the Princeton University Players again with his hit musical comedy Company, this time in conjunction with Theatre-Intime. Stephen Sondheim's music and lyrics are challenging and complex, requiring singers to act in order to successfully convey the many layers of meaning within the songs that bring depth to George Furth's funny, if not simplistic, book. Katie Pickett '00 makes her Princeton directorial debut with strong choices throughout the show. With the help of Kellie Ernzen '00 as musical director, the cast can boast some of the finest voices on campus, including Michael Himelfarb '98, Meaghan Hannan '99, Daniel Feyer '99 and Sarah Corey '99. The entire ensemble does a fine job in the full-cast musical numbers, but sometimes the acting in the smaller scenes is weak.
Company has a very loosely structured plot, revolving around bachelor Bobby (Himelfarb), and his relationships with his married friends. The play opens on Bobby's 35th birthday party with Bobby's buddies putting pressure on him to tie the knot. The songs and scenes are all about relationships and marriage, and Bobby is in most of them, always gauging whether it is really worth it to make a connection with another human being.
The most obvious criticism would be to say that college students have no way of knowing what it is like to be married, to go through a midlife crisis and all that fun stuff, but I took a certain pleasure in watching my peers imagine our collective future. The basic themes of the show relate to everyone. Is it worth it to invest time and energy into another human being? Is there such thing as a "perfect relationship?"
The orchestra is placed behind a scrim at the back of the stage, a nice effect because there is no rift between the audience and the performers. The opening number, "Company," is musically complex and the cast does a spectacular, energized job in attempting to wake Bobby up to reality. The audience is introduced to the various couples – there's Joanne (Amanda McCormick '00), a cynical alcoholic, unhappy with the way her life has turned out and who goes through husbands as fast as she downs vodka stingers. Susan and Peter, (Taylor Sykes '00 and Andrew Garland '01), are divorcées happier unmarried than married. Amy and Paul (Meaghan Hannan '99 and Dan Feyer '99) are on the brink of their wedding, but she's experiencing some intense jitters. (Paul calls to Amy, "I can't find my cufflinks," to which she responds, "They're on the dresser, right next to my suicide note.")
Three husbands explain the bittersweet qualities of marriage in "Sorry-Grateful." Bobby's various girlfriends (Krissy Brault '00, Mimi Ferraro '98 and Sarah Corey '99) badmouth his ambivalence in the boisterously entertaining number "You Could Drive a Person Crazy." Marta (Corey) sings about the impersonality of a big city in "Another Hundred People." In "The Ladies Who Lunch," Joanne cynically satirizes middle-aged women obliviously content in their marriages. By the show's end, Bobby realizes that he's ready to have someone "sit in his chair and ruin his sleep" in "Being Alive." All these songs expound upon the benefits and drawbacks of human interaction.
Because of the lack of definite action in the piece, Pickett faces a challenge in capturing the audience's attention. Too often she fails to take full advantage of ballads – the performers simply move downstage and try to look wistful as soon as the music gets slow and the lights dim. It's boring to watch a song. I'd rather hear the song and watch some action.
The minimalist set leaves the performers stranded in the middle of the stage with little or nothing to do. Sondheim's music requires acting, and there's nothing wrong with characters doing something while pouring out their heart. This isn't the case in "Poor Baby" in which the wives complain to their husbands about Bobby's solitude. David (Ben Waterhouse '00) fixes his child's toy truck while singing. This may seem insignificant, but it actually creates a sense of realism and draws the audience into the couple's living room instead of watching them sing blankly on a bare stage.
Brault takes the dual role of performer and choreographer. Paradoxically, Company is a musical comedy about average, everyday people. And real people – at least most of us – don't break into song and dance every five minutes. Michael Bennett, the original choreographer for the show on Broadway, said that the dance numbers were most effective "when you felt you were watching the New Rochelle PTA performing." Brault assumes these instincts with her choreography and the second act's opening number, "Side by Side by Side," works so well because it mocks typically big, showy musical theatre. Pickett believes Company is unique because it is "life put to music," which allows for meta-theatrical winks to the audience.
Himelfarb once again shows his dynamic performance abilities with a wide vocal and emotional range. In his solos "Marry Me a Little" and "Being Alive," he sings effortlessly. He is also very good at breaking the fourth wall and giving comedic "takes" to the audience, a skill that works when used sparingly. Unfortunately, some of the other performers "take" too much. It's nice to include the audience members occasionally, but if the performers are too busy letting us in on the jokes then there is the possibility they will miss the punch line themselves.
Hannan is hilarious in her portrayal of Amy. In her frenzied "Getting Married Today," Hannan masters quite a difficult patter song. Listening to the lyrics pour out of her mouth at a 100 words per minute is both a sight and sound to see. She has solid comedic timing and succeeds in dramatic moments as well. Waterhouse is also convincing as David, giving a subtle performance. His acting is on target, especially in the pot-smoking scene. McCormick sings the legendary "Ladies who Lunch" with sincerity, intense feeling and a dramatically dark edge.
The orchestra is strong, headed by J. Nick Geimer '98, even if Sondheim's quick music can easily spin out of control. Technically, the show is a little sloppy. The set changes and lighting cues are sometimes distracting from the drama.
Company is unlike most musical theatre and presents a difficult challenge to anyone daring enough to attempt a production of it, especially a college group. It's a very cerebral show and requires the audience to be totally engaged to fully enjoy the piece. Sondheim's lyrics deserve it, the talented cast of Company deserves it, and you deserve it, too.
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