The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts stays true to its perpetually high calibre production standard with its performance of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1970s ‘Company’ at Studio Underground.
The show follows a series of comedic vignettes centring on Bobby, a New York bachelor on the brink of his 35th birthday grappling with a group of coupled friends who insist he settle down.
The cast and crew must, first, be congratulated for their commitment throughout a demanding 2.5 hour runtime.
This commitment from the musical theatre student cohort, in particular, is admirable in light of the script’s intricately constructed observations about intimacy, marriage and love. At times, the faithfulness to the script exposes the challenges of sustaining momentum in a show that is deliberately episodic, nuanced and resistant to comfortable musical-theatre-tap-dance escapism. It was clear the performers were working hard to keep the energy buoyant and they should be commended for it.
Company. Photography by Stephen Heath.
One of the most compelling features of the production was the immediate and believable chemistry between the ‘couples’, hit home by the costume and choreography which truly understood each separate dynamic. Their connections feel organic and their petty fights genuinely funny – so much so that seeing a character outside of their couple at moments felt slightly jarring.
The highlight of the show was the opening number to Act 2 (see musical-theatre-tap-dance escapism referred to above) and truly demonstrated the musical theatre cohort’s depth of skills. The wedding scene was also a stand out of acting and musical ability.
Company. Photography by Stephen Heath.
The design element of the production were extremely strong. The stage design was groovy but functional, supporting the intimate moments and spaces for contemplation – all supported by a considered lighting design which lent into the 70s cheese only when appropriate. The props crew was working overtime between presents, top hats and umbrellas at break-neck speed.
Special praise must also go to the orchestra, whose disciplined and well-rehearsed performance honoured Sondheim’s complex score and underpinned the entire production with confidence. It was also a joy to watch them laugh along with the production (even though I’m sure they’ve seen it a thousand times!).
Overall, Company is a marvellous achievement for each WAAPA student who has contributed to the production – the sold out status of the show is proof of this entirely.
Company presented by WAAPA is on at The Studio Underground from June 6-11.