Review: National Tour of 'COMPANY' at Providence Performing Arts Center

In 1970, the Playbill for Company announced the time and place of the show as "New York City, NOW." And indeed it was. The process of taking a work so much of the times and bringing it to life for a new audience fifty years later was always going to be a heavy lift, but the rewards -- for a new generation of Stephen Sondheim fans and the musical theatre canon -- promised to be substantial. The national tour of the 2022 multiple-Tony-winning Broadway revival largely fulfills that promise, with energetic performances, delightful vocals, and clever staging.

The original production of Company was epochal, marking the beginning of Sondheim's collaboration with Hal Prince, and, not entirely coincidentally, the introduction of the "concept" musical driven by George Furth's episodic book. It earned 14 Tony nominations and scored six wins, including Best Musical.

This radically re-envisioned, gender-swapped revival, launched in 2018 in the West End, came to Broadway and met similar success (five wins, including Best Revival), thanks to a collaboration between director Marianne Elliott and Sondheim, who worked to update some of the dated aspects of the book and lyrics and reset the piece in a contemporary New York, where we follow the 35-year-old single "Bobbie" and her circle of married (or soon-to-be married, or formerly married) couples exploring the ups and downs of long-term relationships.

Like all of Sondheim's shows, the score is gorgeous, intricate, and challenging, and this touring cast does a tremendous job. Britney Coleman's Bobbie is charming and expressive as she enacts some of the most recognizable standards of musical theatre ("Marry Me a Little," "Side by Side by Side," "Being Alive") with rich, powerful vocal styling. Other standout numbers are the darkly ironic "Ladies Who Lunch," vividly performed by Judy McLane, and, of course, the impossibly staccato patter of "Getting Married Today," delivered in a flawless, astounding performance by Matt Rodin as Jamie (supported by fiancé Paul and Marina Kondo's hilarious apparating priest.)

A word is in order about Jamie and soon-to-be husband Paul, played with great sensitivity by Jhardon DiShon Milton. The change to a same-sex marriage is one of the most significant -- and deeply affecting -- aspects of this production, and the beat at the end of the song where Jamie delivers their exit line is deeply satisfying. It was reportedly of great personal significance to Sondheim, and it is a powerfully touching moment.

The entire cast is full of energy and talent, and they execute Elliott's clear directorial vision superbly. There is never a flat spot, and the nearly three-hour runtime flies by.

The work of the entire creative team exemplary. Bunny Christie's set, featuring modular boxes and charming giant rolling letters, works well, as does their smart contemporary costuming, vividly presented under Neil Austin's crisp lighting. The traveling orchestra (with Charlie Alterman conducting from the keyboard) works seamlessly with the local musicians and the result is a sumptuous rendition of this wonderful score.

It's not a perfect production. The sound balance was a bit off at times with the accompaniment overpowering the vocals (particularly percussion). And there is an odd costume gaffe: flight attendant Andy (Jacob Dickey, who is charmingly obtuse) has two stripes on their uniform sleeve, but three on their shirt epaulettes. Perhaps we are meant ignore the shirt and focus more on their briefs, as Elliott seems to be inviting us to do in Dickey's steamy beefcake turn in bed with Bobbie. But it's a puzzling error in a national tour.

There will be those who quibble about the book, and whether, even given the thoughtful changes that have been made, whether these characters and situations which were so profoundly anchored to the time period still have relevance. On opening night at PPAC, the marquee announced the names of several local schools which were attending, and this reviewer could not help but wonder what sense they made of a show that takes marriage as a default. The truly groundbreaking aspects of the book in 1970 may perhaps be hard to spot, and some of the updates -- like adding mobile phones -- could feel more like a gimmick than a significant revision.

Nonetheless, this is a show worth seeing. For those familiar with prior productions, there will be much to appreciate about the updated book and lyrics, and the questions those changes raise about the work and its place in the canon. And for those who have never seen it live, it is a worthy introduction to one of the unquestioned classics of the genre.

Company, directed by Marianne Elliott, at the Providence Performing Arts Center, Tuesday-Sunday April 23-28. Tickets $38-80, available at the box office, 220 Weybosset Street, (401) 421-2787, or online at ppacri.org.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

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