Among the first shows canceled by The Long Beach Playhouse following the quarantine in 2020 was Company. Due to health codes, the show and many others were put into jeopardy with many concerned that they would never return. At the time, it would’ve been a fun summer romp but in 2022, it has come to take on a more emotionally significant connection. With many Zoom telethons taking to singing songs like “Being Alive,” the show’s relevance has been more evident than ever. In the wake of composer Stephen Sondheim’s death, it also has become a great time to pay tribute to an artist’s incredible body of work, including an early stand-out that helped to create the concept musical.
The premise is simple enough. Bobby (Cris Cortez) is celebrating his 35th birthday surrounded by his friends. A major difference between them is that whereas everyone has created the façade of a happy couple, Bobby is single and juggles a series of girlfriends. Even if they don’t inspire him to settle down, every character is presented in vignettes that emphasize what happens when one ties the knot. Is marriage really all that it’s cracked up to be? It’s a comedy that may be very critical of societal norms, but it also recognizes the inherent loneliness of the bachelor not only to conform, but to feel like his life has had any value without someone to share it with.
Given the limited space of the venue, Company does an impressive job of using LBP’s aisle ways to convey the scattered yet claustrophobic attitude of the show. In the opening song “Company,” various couples stand at opposite ends of the room calling for Bobby to join them for dinner. Acoustically, it elevates the tension of the piece, managing to create an imbalance that makes Bobby’s lack of focus all the more striking. Even the way they’re staged allows for the building harmonies to have an aura to them that captures the sense of being trapped, of having Bobby almost trapped on the main stage without a way of escaping.
The couples embody a variety of backgrounds prevalent in 1970s New York. Many of the funniest events are rooted in a sense of miscommunication, such as the number “The Little Things You Do Together” where a central wrestling scene is interrupted by an exterior vocalist wandering around, joyfully describing the “neighbors you annoy together” as if this upbeat tempo is hiding the darkness. Even the jaunty harmonies of “You Could Drive a Person Crazy” reflects Bobby’s girlfriend’s struggle to feel any emotional intimacy with their significant other. The actors are game for some impressive melodies, such as the dizzying, 90-wpm energy of “Getting Married Today.” Even if some of the stereotypes are dated, they are brought to life with an excellent songbook full of incredible hooks and staging that captures the eternal woe intended by the story.
Sonya Randall’s choreography is to be commended for managing to use limited space to effectively portray order within a crowded world. In numbers like “Side By Side By Side,” there are many moving parts like top hats and manic dancing, finding a need for organization that shines as the singers barely scrape by the ones next to them. It may look like it’s on the verge of falling apart at any time, but it’s all part of the plan. Everyone is trying to live their own lives and bumping into someone else allows for a distracting reminder of the greater world around them. While the only criticism is that the choreography often favors the front section of the shoehorn-shaped theater layout, it still manages to be dazzling, making this otherwise mundane story into something all the more entertaining.
Over 50 years later, Company has managed to endure because of its dexterity with audiences. There is something here for everybody to enjoy and relate to. Those who are in their late 30s attempting to figure out the rest of their lives will relate to the existential crisis that centers on Bobby’s story. Others may notice the arguments put on by the various couples, whether it be a stoned couple revealing how tepid their lives are or an aging woman who dates, rather impersonally, much younger men. The cast is colorful and at times absurd, but they all have a humanity to them that is given due diligence by LBP’s cast. Beyond the shtick and the sometimes Brechtian approach to theater, there is something real and honest. By the time the emotional “Being Alive” enters the equation, Bobby is singing from a place that is full of uncertainty but is deeply understood by everyone in attendance.
Everything about the recent production makes up for the lost time, managing to reflect what made the story purposeful and engaging. The cast delivers an entertaining rendition that effectively plays all of the big moments while perfectly honing in on the intimacy. So much is on display and it’s a perfect reminder of the potential of theater. Seeing performers sing such challenging tracks is something that never gets old, and Sondheim has given a fair share here that’s worth viewing for oneself. Everything about Company works as a character study of how one can feel lonely even as a socialite. It’s a reminder of why it’s important to be alive and find meaning in your own way. It’s a perfect conclusion to Long Beach Playhouse’s 2021-2022 season and an exciting teaser for what is on the horizon. Hopefully, it will be enough to draw out another kind of company very soon.
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