“Side By Side By Sondheim”

The Venue, London • 16 June 2007 • 8pm
Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. With additional music by Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rodgers, Richard Rodgers & Jule Styne. Narration written by Ned Sherrin.

Director: Hannah Chissick. Associate Director and Choreographer: Adam Cooper. Musical Director: Michael Haslam. With Angela Rippon (Narrator), Alasdair Harvey, Josie Walker, Abbie Osmon.

I had never seen this 1976 Sondheim “compilation” show, a predecessor of Putting It Together and Marry Me a Little. I usually find that Sondheim songs do not “live” happily outside of their original habitat, but when the show is as expertly done as this production of Side By Side By Sondheim, the pleasure can be immense.

Beside the obvious cabaret chestnuts like “The Boy From…” and “I Never Do Anything Twice,” the show features a selection of songs mostly taken from shows written before 1976, although a song from Pacific Overtures has been added.
This production demonstrates that you can create memorable shows with two pianos, three singers and virtually no set. The two-piano arrangements (presumably by Musical Director Michael Haslam) are to die for. And the cast never ceases to amaze, in all the diversity of Sondheim’s style.

Director Hannah Chissick’s staging is full of invention and wit and is admirably complemented by Adam Cooper’s choreography. Some of the numbers actually come across better than any other staging I’ve seen.

There are interesting twists when the songs call for three men (“Pretty Lady”) or three women (“You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” “You Gotta Have a Gimmick”). It was also the first time I’d heard a man sing “Could I Leave You?” It certainly does show the song in a different light.

It’s a shame this production is closing early, because it is hugely successful entertainment.

“Into the Woods”

Royal Opera House (Linbury Studio Theatre), London • 16 June 2007 • 2:30pm (preview)
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by James Lapine.

Conductor: James Holmes. Director: Will Tuckett. With Gary Waldhorn (Narrator), Gillian Kirkpatrick (Cinderella), Peter Caulfield (Jack), Anne Reid (Jack’s Mother), Clive Rowe (Baker), Anna Francolini (Baker’s Wife), Suzanne Toase (Little Red Riding Hood), Beverley Klein (Witch), Byron Watson (Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince [replacement]), Christina Raphaëlle Haldane (Rapunzel), Nic Greenshields (Rapunzel’s Prince)…

It is customary to refrain from commenting on a preview. However, this promises to be a fine production of Into the Woods, with a mostly fine cast and a lot of interesting stage work from director Will Tuckett. Some added underscoring as well as numerous sound and visual effects give the show a lot of unusual spice. The emphasis seems to be more on the comedic side, though, and the last scenes aren’t as moving as in most other productions I’ve seen.

Although I am a fan of Beverley Klein, I have to admit I wouldn’t have thought of her as an obvious choice to play the Witch. Her performance seems to be quite influenced by her recent stint as Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, but it works, somehow. It is also a pleasure to see some reliable and regular West End faces, like Anna Francolini and Clive Rowe. (Nice prop: when the Baker (Rowe) and his wife (Francolini) finally have a baby, it is a nice brown colour.)

“Babes in Arms”

Festival Theatre, Chichester (UK) • 15 June 2007 • 7:30pm
Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Lorenz Hart. Book by George Oppenheimer. Adapted by Martin Connor.

Directed by Martin Connor. Choreographer: Bill Deamer. Musical director: Mark Warman. With Lorna Luft (Phyllis Owen), Sophia Ragavelas (Baby Rose Owen), Rolf Saxon (Seymour Fleming), Mark McGee (Valentine La Mar), Donna Steele (Billie Edwards), Matthew Hart (Gus Fielding), Kay Murphy (Dolores Reynolds)…

The first musical I saw at the Chichester Festival was Divorce Me, Darling! The year was 1997 and the delightful show was my first encounter with Liliane Montevecchi. I’ve gone back to Chichester several times over the years, as there is always a musical offering in the festival programme. The most brilliant show I’ve ever seen there is My One and Only with the wonderful Tim Flavin and the wonderful Janie Dee, one of the most enjoyable experiences of my theatre-going life, thanks in no small part to Gareth Valentine’s felicitous musical direction.

This production of Babes in Arms is a very enjoyable addition to the string of Chichester musicals. It is, of course, a gem of a show: no other score, except maybe Pal Joey, can boast more Rodgers & Hart standards (“The Lady is a Tramp,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Where of When,” “I Wish I Were in Love Again,” “Imagine…”) Both the direction and choreography are very respectful of the show and full of interesting and surprising ideas. There are some outstanding performances in the cast, most notably the comic duo of Gus and Dolores, played expertly by Matthew Hart and Kay Murphy. Lorna Luft gives the expected powerhouse performance and wins the audience over, deservedly. The part of Mrs. Owen is somewhat reminiscent of the part of Mama Rose in Gypsy, which she has played.

Although some dance numbers are entrancing (especially the “Light on Our Feet” tap routine), others are less impressive, presumably because of the heterogeneous dancing skills of the cast. I am grateful that they did the full “Imagine” ballet (a wonderful number expressing the young performers’ love of performing — the first one in a series going up to A Chorus Line), but there were moments when it was less than breathtaking. Also, the sound coming from the 12-piece orchestra was at times regrettably thin.

But that didn’t prevent the show from being a very enjoyable experience. The build-up to the finale, in particular, is expertly done, and it lets the audience go out into the night with their heads full of enchanting music, clever and touching lyrics and a wonderful feeling of warm-hearted dizziness.

“La Cage aux folles”

Volksoper, Vienna (Austria) • 10 June 2007 • 4:30pm
Music & lyrics: Jerry Herman. Book: Harvey Fierstein, based on the play by Jean Poiret. Translated into German by Erika Gesell & Christian Severin.

Musical director: Michael Tomaschek. Directed by Dennis Callahan, Heinz Ehrenfreund & David Scala. With Erwin Windegger (Albin/Zaza), Kurt Schreibmayer (Georges), Sascha Oskar Weis (Jean-Michel), Isabel Weicken (Jacqueline), Klaus Ofczarek (Edouard Dindon), Sigrid Martikke (Marie Dindon), Johanna Arrouas (Anne Dindon), Ferdinando Chefalo (Francesco), Norman Stehr (Jacob)…

This production of the Vienna Volksoper has been playing intermittently in repertoire since 1991 and it looks as if it may be leaving the stage for good as there are no performances scheduled during the 2007/2008 season. I’ve had the 1993 CD in my collection for ages and the plan to see the production had never materialised, so I ran to see this very last performance.

It was apparent from the onset that this would be a very enjoyable production. Most notably, the 30+ musicians in the pit gave an enthralling rendition of Jerry Herman’s beautiful score and Jim Tyler’s glorious orchestration, with violins aplenty, a big and generous brass section, a seductive harp, two enchanting flutes and a most beguiling oboe… That sort of sound just isn’t heard any more on Broadway these days, and it is striking that one must go to Austria to hear a Broadway score in its full glory.

The production itself is very faithful to the show and it is, as far as I can remember, the first production of La Cage I’ve seen that uses a revolving set, which in retrospect appears to be a pretty obvious choice given the demands of the numerous changes of locales. A strong and committed cast gave justice to what, in my book, remains one of the most enjoyable musicals of recent times. Well worth the trip.

“Sweeney Todd”

Gate Theatre, Dublin • 2 June 2007 • 7:30pm
Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Hugh Wheeler.

Director: Selina Cartmell. Musical Director: Cathal Synnott. With David Shannon (Sweeney Todd), Anita Reeves (Mrs. Lovett), Simon Morgan (Anthony), Lisa Lambe (Johanna), Robert Bannon (Tobias), Camille O’Sullivan (The Beggar Woman), Barry McGovern (Judge Turpin), Kenneth O’Regan (Beadle Bamford), Mark O’Regan (Pirelli/Fogg)…

Without doubt the best production of Sweeney Todd I’ve seen… and also one of the most thrilling experiences of my theatre-going life.

It’s a shame that we have to be content with seven musicians… and also that some dialogue has been cut, but the achievements of this production are such that those quibbles are quickly forgotten. The depth of Director Selina Cartmell’s work on the text (both dialogue and lyrics) is outstanding. Combining Brechtian grittiness with metaphoric representations and a solid dose of humour, the end result may be the best exploration of the work to date.

This production also shines through its use of space on the somewhat cramped stage of the Gate Theatre. It benefits greatly from the set design of David Farley, who has designed most recent productions at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. Even the last scenes, notoriously difficult to stage due to the fast-changing locations, are a master-class in the clever usage of space.

One highlight follows another: the virtuosic staging of the first act quartet, the breathtaking “Epiphany,” a perfectly hilarious “Little Priest,” the way Johanna is represented in the asylum as a caged bird, etc… Even the two curtains are awe-inspiring.

The cast is talented and dedicated. Anita Reeves, in her purple wig, is irresistible as Nelly Lovett. David Shannon is a great Sweeney. And Pirelli is given a first-rate treatment by the excellent Mark O’Regan.