Australia's Kookaburra Makes Amends for Diced 'Company'

An Australian production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Company recently made a snafu with unauthorized last-minute cuts, according to Variety.

"According to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald, numerous lines and at least two numbers were omitted from the musical last week after Christie Whelan, who plays April, opted out and there was no understudy to replace her. The audience was not notified of the cuts and the perf wrapped 20 minutes early," states the article.  Company is the second production by the Kookaburra Musical Theater Company.  Kookaburra, which previously presented Pippin, was previously described as Australia's only national musical theatre company.

Sondheim was reportedly very displeased with the production cuts.  After making the error (which was acknowledged by Kookaburra founder and creator Peter Cousens, though not personally), the company canceled the next evening performance, issued a statement of apology to Company's creators and informed the audience of the trimmed-down performance that they could have free tickets to another one.  The statement read: "In response to the adverse reaction to an edited performance of Company at the Theatre Royal on Wednesday 18th July, caused by the serious illness of a cast member, Kookaburra would like to restore the integrity of this performance, by holding a special charity performance of Company in support of Oz Show Biz Cares, one of the writers' favorite charities and the Actors Benevolent Fund...Kookaburra celebrates the work of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth and apologizes for interfering with the integrity of their work."

Kookaburra's Company, starring David Campbell as Bobby, is directed by Gale Edwards.  The production is described on the company's website thus: "Company is the classic musical set in New York about Bobby, a single man celebrating his 35th birthday, and the five married couples who are his best friends. Among the memorable and energetic songs in the show are 'The Little Things You Do Together', 'Another Hundred People', 'The Ladies Who Lunch', and the hit musical theatre anthem 'Being Alive'. Company ran for 706 performances on Broadway and went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and the Tony Award for Best Musical."  The show features music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by Furth.  The recent Broadway production, directed by John Doyle, won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

Visit www.kookaburra.org.au for more information on Kookaburra.