DAVID BIANCULLI

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GREAT PERFORMANCES: “STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S ‘COMPANY’ WITH THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
November 8, 2013  | By David Bianculli  | 1 comment

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

 

When this Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical premiered on Broadway in 1970, it changed my life a little. I saw it that season, just after it opened, as part of a trip hosted by the Glee-like Contemporary Music program at Nova High School in Fort Lauderdale. And even though I was a naïve teenager at the time, something about Sondheim’s lyrics and music, and Furth’s sardonic, romantically cyncical comic vignettes, hit me in the gut, and gave me a lifelong love of Broadway theater in general and the works of Stephen Sondheim in particular.  So I was there at one of the performances when the New York Philharmonic, under the direction of Paul Gemignani and utilizing the original full-orchestra arrangement by Jonathan Tunick, staged this excellent concert revival of Company. Neil Patrick Harris stars as Bobby, and is just right in every scene – funny when it’s called for, wistful when it’s called for, and in strong voice for the twin musical tentpoles of his role, the originally dropped, subsequently added “Marry Me a Little” and the iconic closer, “Being Alive.” But there’s so, so much more here to enjoy, including impressively effective supporting turns by Stephen Colbert (who leads a strong version of “Sorry/Grateful”), Katie Finneran (who nails the breathless verses of “Not Getting Married Today”), and especially Christina Hendricks from Mad Men, whose comic performance as flighty flight attendant April is the most revelatory performance in this concert staging. She’s hilarious – even if, on this telecast, her funniest line is censored by a too-timid PBS. Other stars include Patti LuPone as Joanne, Jon Cryer as David, and Anika Noni Rose as Marta. Check local listings.

 
 
 
 
 
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1 Comments
 
 
Jon Delfin
Certainly glad to see this again, with the operative word being "again." I wonder why my DVR and the New York Times's TV page are listing this as "new."
Nov 8, 2013   |  Reply
 
Jon Delfin
Possibly answering my own question: Did I see this on DVD, and tonight really is the broadcast premiere? Could be. Okay, nothing to see here, move on.
Nov 8, 2013
 
 
 
 
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