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It’s a rare treat to be able to experience a modern revival that completely blows you away, but this updated and gender-swapped production of Stephen Sondheim’s 1970 musical comedy Company did just that. I’ll confess I came in with bias having loved the soundtrack of the original Broadway cast for many, many years. In a time when most musicals I was familiar with were based on fantasy worlds like Wicked, and even another Sondheim—Into the Woods, Company felt like a refreshing breath of real life.
I brought a friend who had never even heard of this musical, which seemed to be common among many people I’d talked to about it. If you are hesitant to purchase tickets due to unfamiliarity, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone.
The story begins on a New York City woman named Bobbie’s 35th birthday. Her friends are all eager to celebrate her and surprise her with a party. They bring her a cake and urge her to blow out the candles and make a wish, but she insists she didn’t make a wish. Bobbie is painfully single, and as you quickly learn, all her friends are married couples—all not-so-secretly hoping she wished for a husband.
While they all love time spent with Bobbie, two is a company, and three is a crowd. Unlike the original which leans more into a man’s fear of intimacy, this new production’s comedy is heavily reliant on the audience sharing Bobbie’s exhaustion with her friends and the pressure they put on her to get married while struggling heavily with their own relationships. Bobbie is trying to navigate and balance three lovers, none of whom are good for her, as her biological clock is telling her she needs to settle down…even if it may mean settling for less.
The first thing you’ll notice is the simplicity of the set design, with sets existing entirely in movable cubes representing apartment interiors surrounded all the way around by panels of light. Neil Austin’s lighting design is well showcased in the use of the boxes, changing colors and even flashing to represent a camera.
Britney Coleman (Bobbie) is an amazing singer, adding so much emotion to “Someone is Waiting,” “Marry Me a Little,” and “Being Alive.” But the comedy starts before “The Little Things You Do Together” as you meet her first couple-friends, Harry and Sarah, who are a recovering alcoholic and struggling on a diet, respectively.
James Earl Jones II (Harry) was a standout for this scene with his acting and physical comedy, though the entire scene sets the tone for how uncomfortably real and funny each couple’s experience would be. Though funny, there is a poignance to the show and “Sorry-Grateful” is the first foray into the more emotional aspects, being especially relatable if you’ve been married for a while.
Matt Bittner (David) was hilarious, but Marina Kondo (Priest) and Matt Rodin (Jaime) nearly stole the show in “Getting Married Today”. I don’t think I have laughed that hard in the theater ever, at least not since Book of Mormon. The use of practical sets and illusions continues to shock and delight throughout the number. Judy McLane (Joanne) was amazing throughout, but of course “Ladies Who Lunch” was performed wonderfully, her woeful line deliveries as a jaded third-time wife was both funny and a little heartbreaking.
This production is branded as “The Smash Hit Musical Comedy” and boy, does it deliver on that. Though I’ll summarize that it’s really an emotional rollercoaster in the best way. The show earned uproarious laughter but also many songs garnered complete silence due to the subject and amazing vocal performance. Though I was initially apprehensive of the gender-swapping of our protagonist, it allowed me to connect more with Bobbie’s feelings and frustrations than I might have normally.
I left the theater still buzzing with joy about what I experienced, and my friend who came with me was over the moon, saying it was one of the best shows she’d ever seen. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, don’t miss this one while it’s here.
“Company” is now playing at the Pantages Theatre until August 18, 2024. Click here to purchase tickets.
