Company on Broadway was the last show I saw before the Coronavirus pandemic hit the US. I saw this show on Tuesday, March 10th and by Thursday evening of that week, Broadway was shut down and has been ever since.
On one hand, I feel lucky to have been able to see this production before Broadway was shutdown, but on the other, I am sad that others cannot see it. In general, people shouldn’t review shows while in previews (which this one was), but in short: IT WAS BRILLIANT.
I loved the direction, the set & design, and the performances (except for one performance that was a bit rough at times…but again, it was a preview). This show is a “gender-swapped” version where, most notably, Bobby has become Bobbi. The other gender swaps happen with all of Bobbi’s suitors (Kathy, April, and Marta become Andy, Theo, and P.J) and Paul’s spouse (Amy becomes Jaime).
These gender swaps are a nice touch to modernize the show but don’t do much to change the underlying story (and that’s a good thing). It does show how flexible Company is as a musical theater piece by being able to take on such changes without hurting it.
Company was written as a “modern” musical in the 70s and the previous times that I’ve seen Company, it has always felt like it was caught in the 70s. This production has been updated to fit with our current day but aside from the gender swaps, is the same Company that I’ve known and loved. I think that is what makes this piece remarkable, while it is a “modern” show, it deals with the age old topic of love, relationships, and life.
If, nay, WHEN Broadway opens up again, I pray that Company is one of the shows that returns. It deserves to be seen.
