Company
Produced by Kookaburra Theatre Company

Cast: Tamsin Carroll, Simon Burke, Natalie Alexopoulos, Trisha Crowe, Rodney Dobson, Pippa Grandison, Scott Irwin, Anne Looby, James Millar, Chelsea Plumley, Katrina Retallick, Christie Whelan, William Zappa.

Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Book: George Furth
Director: Gale Edwards

Publicist: Michelle Guthrie

Australian Premiere: Theatre Royal, Sydney. July 5, 2007.


The Lowdown:
The second show from the Kookaburra Theatre Company's inaugural season. While the production was widely acclaimed, it was thrown into controversy when Kookaburra CEO Peter Cousens ordered cuts to a performance, angering composer Stephen Sondheim.


AussieTheatre.com Review:
Kookaburra has arrived.

The luke-warm response to the national music theatre company's debut production of Pippin had many concerned about what may lie ahead, but no matter what you thought of the company's treatment of the Stephen Schwartz tuner, there is no doubt in the world that its second effort - Stephen Sondheim's Company - is a runaway and outstanding success.

While the history books and programmes will tell us differently, Kookaburra really kicked off its existence on July 5 with a production that is most definitely in line with its promises, its vision and its want to be a first class provider of musical theatre. Company proves Kookaburra has a future and indeed the ability to produce a musical that is among the best staged here in the last five years.

Let's get one thing straight: Company is David Campbell's show. He commands the stage from the very moment he walks on, building with every scene until his emotional, incredibly moving rendition of 'Being Alive', which rightly brought the house down. His portrayal of central character Bobby and his journey of discovery is first class, and one feels this may just be the role Campbell was born to play.

Of course, Campbell is ably supported by an ensemble cast that is nothing short of breathtaking at times, Tamsin Carroll in particular re-enforcing her status as the country's leading female performer by presenting an outstanding rendition of 'Another Hundred People', a song that is almost out of place as the character of Marta never really develops; lacking the sub-plot others enjoy. Still, it is part of the Company tradition and Carroll's performance is stellar.

A star is born in young Christie Whelan, who in a role with limited range shows incredible potential - watch out for her in the future in any realm of entertainment. She has the looks, the charm and the talent of someone destined for a very bright and successful future.

Company's structure quite simply allows each cast member to have their five minutes of fame - almost like an audition in front of the audience. For Carroll, that moment is 'Another Hundred People', for Whelan, it's the simple but memorable 'Barcelona', and so on. What shines through here is each performer's dedication to making that five minutes work, and while all don't succeed and there's a few moments of disappointment, most pass with flying colours.

James Millar's Peter, a character that relies more on straight acting ability than vocal strength (Millar has plenty of both), is first class, his scene with Bobby on the balcony of his New York apartment achieving the emotion and revelation it is supposed to; while Anne Looby's 'The Ladies Who Lunch' is most definitely entertaining, though a little over-stated.

So many musicals claim to "stand the test of time" but so few really do. Company is one that does - dealing with issues still prevalent and noteworthy today as they were when this show was originally staged on Broadway in 1970. It also still achieves its goal of being different, shying away from the traditional Broadway book musical to almost be like a straight play.

The subtlety and emotion of Company is a welcome alternate to the blockbuster musicals that rely on expensive sets, soap-star names and familiar songs to sell tickets. This show relies on heart and soul, and the fact that no matter what stage of life you're in, revelence to your own world will be found.

Could there be improvements? Of course. The set looks more like a Christmas tree than anything else at times and perhaps needs just a little tweaking, particularly during the balcony scenes in which even more lights greet the apparent festive season, and there's one or two performances that are way too over-acted and pushy, though that could well be put down to a little unguided passion.

Before you see Wicked, Spamalot and Billy Elliot, get along to the Theatre Royal to see the show that should and will give all those shows a run for their money when it comes to the 2008 Helpmann Awards.

In Company, Kookaburra has found an outstanding success. Titanic, which was at the Theatre Royal just eight months ago, had similar foundations in terms of its fantastic cast, story and passion. Let's hope that Company meets a much better fate, because it deserves to be seen by everyone who has even the slightest interest in music theatre.

We have a winner.


Production Shots:



Further Information:
The Company Scandal