Even a fully stellar line-up can’t fairly give this televised model of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends that magic sparkle it wants
“Knock, knock, I’m working all my charms”
I think I could also be within the minority right here however the televised model of the all-star Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends left me somewhat chilly. A 12 months on from his demise, this tribute live performance each celebrated his legacy and regarded to the long run by elevating cash for the Stephen Sondheim Foundation which helps new writers. And because it introduced collectively a galaxy of West End and Broadway stars, you’d’ve thought it might be a slam dunk.
As producer Cameron Mackintosh picked out the plum names from his rolodex – Julia Mckenzie! Dame Judi! Imelda! Bernadette! – you surprise although, if there was any thought-about thought behind what it was they might be doing. For the limitless conveyor belt of a spread present of Sondheim’s most well-known numbers executed conventionally can apparently change into a bit sporting over its 2 hours+ operating time, even with an organization like this.
None of it was unhealthy in any respect, don’t get me incorrect, I simply didn’t discover hardly any of it to be heart-thumpinglyexciting. I can’t assist however evaluate it to the divas part of Sondheim’s eightieth birthday gala – Patti LuPone’s ‘Ladies Who Lunch’, Marin Mazzie’s ‘Losing My Mind’, Donna Murphy’s ‘Could I Leave You?’, Elaine Stritch’s ‘I’m Still Here’ and extra, these are iconic interpretations of the songs that I nonetheless watch on a weekly foundation, so thrilling is their work.
Sadly, I don’t assume there was any efficiency right here that made me assume ‘ooh, I want to watch that again’. An factor of familiarity breeding contempt presumably is at work right here – Judi Dench’s plaintive ‘Send in the Clowns’ is really iconic however it’s properly over 20 years previous now and featured in lots of such concert events earlier than. And an absence of adventurous within the alternative of fabric and its interpreters felt disappointingly conventional – solely Michael Ball acquired to play with a few sudden numbers in ‘Loving You’ and ‘Could I Leave You?’.
Other points had been extra personally felt for me. What was Rob Brydon doing there? After Jonathan Bailey’s current refreshed tackle ‘Not Getting Married Today’, why had been we saddled with Anna-Jane Casey gurning by means of it (additionally, try Madeline Kahn’s nigh-on excellent model on YouTube)? Speaking of that manufacturing, why wasn’t Rosalie Craig featured extra? I do know logistics can have had an enormous half to play in lots of of those however the total really feel was simply overstuffed and missing actual emotion.
The relentless roll name on show right here was certainly a humiliation of riches however I’d’ve beloved to have heard some extra private recollections from those that knew him, some extra deep cuts of Sondheim’s extra fascinating songs, and a extra concerted nod to the long run with among the youthful performers featured extra (I like Michael Ball however not sufficient for a number of numbers in a present like this). It might have been electrical dwell however this didn’t actually dwell as much as the billing for me, sorry.