When musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim turned ninety in 2020, a large-scale celebration was planned for March 22nd – his actual birthday. By then, much of the world was in lockdown and the producers pivoted to streaming the celebration online a month later. With live theatre closed, fans of the composer and lyricist got to celebrate the man from the comfort of their living rooms.
Actors who
had been in his shows across the years livestreamed performances from their own
homes and another revue of his work was gifted to the world. Collections of
songs from his career started popping up in the late 1970s, starting with Side
by Side by Sondheim, covering work from the first two decades of his
career.
You can see
the appeal of putting together a tribute to the man – so many of his songs are
like little plays in themselves, with the characters expressing clear wants and
goals, even without context of the full show. Productions can put together
small casts to take on maybe twenty songs and entertain patrons without the
demands of a full show. Because the themes of his work are so rich, a revue can
be funny and moving and dramatic and thoughtful. Wildly entertaining from
beginning to end.
To celebrate
his 80th birthday, Sondheim on Sondheim was created to
showcase some of his famous work, highlight some lesser-known material and some
songs that never made the final cut. An interview with Sondheim was shown
between the live performances, providing insight into his creative process. He
even wrote a new song for the review titled “God” about our (possibly, but not really) overinflated worship
of him.
There’s
even a Sondheim revue on Broadway right now called Stephen Sondheim’s Old
Friends; performers from across his career revisiting his classics.
It’s no
surprise that the Hayes Theatre in Sydney would turn their attention to
honouring the master. They have produced a number of his shows, from well-known
shows like Gypsy and A Little Night Music to cult classics
like Assassins and Merrily We Roll Along. The theatre is intimate
and is known for its innovative productions of forgotten works of the musical
form and reinventions of classics for their tiny stage.
As a Melburnian,
I’ve only seen shows that have made it down here – and their co-production of Into
the Woods that was staged at Belvoir in 2023. That one was remarkably
innovative; a cabaret-style take on a work with a large cast and potent themes
of love and loss. I kept an eye on the theatre from afar, wishing I could see
more. Finally, this past weekend, I made it to the Hayes Theatre for the first
time to see Being Alive.
Director
Sonya Suares (co-founder of Melbourne’s Watch This, Australia’s only Sondheim
repertory company) along with Musical Supervisor Luke Byrne have fashioned a beautifully-crafted gift of a show. The theatre has been turned into a rehearsal room. The
actors are warming up when the audience enters. One of them is running late and
his arrival – running in through the curtains at the back – marks the start of
the show proper. We’re already on their side, because it feels comfortable here
behind-the-scenes.
One of the
rarities this show rolls out is the “Invocations and Instructions to the Audience”
song from The Frogs, a show that debuted in the Yale swimming pool in 1974
and didn’t make it to Broadway until 2004. It’s the opening song of Being
Alive, of course. It tells us how to behave. It’s the perfect way to begin.
The show
slides into “Colour and Light”, showcasing Raphael Wong’s gorgeous vocals. It’s
one of Sondheim’s most beautiful songs, about an artist and creating art.
Suares and
Byrne shape the show into thematic sections and find ways to string things
together, without worrying too much about setting up the songs. We get that “Agony” (from Into the Woods) is about two men lusting after women they can’t
have. “Sooner or Later” (from the film Dick Tracy) is a woman setting her sights on the man she wants; Blazey
Best’s rendition is silly and sexy.
The show
gives us powerful renditions of songs as we expect, but also isn’t shy at messing
with medley and orchestration. The disco version of “Losing My Mind” coupled
with “You Could Drive a Person Crazy” is deliciously fun. “Send in the Clowns”
and “Not While I’m Around” paired together is emotionally wrenching. “The Gun
Song” leading into “Witch’s Lament” is powerful stuff.
As with all
these things, Blazey Best’s “Send in the Clowns” makes me wish I’d seen her in
the Hayes production of A Little Night Music and after seeing his rendition
of the “Ballad of Giteau” let Lincoln Elliott be him in Assassins
somewhere, please!
Rounding
out the cast is Kala Gare, who blew Melbourne audiences away with her leading
turn in My Brilliant Career at Melbourne Theatre Company last year. Here
she ably supports the rest of the cast, until her leading lady moment as
Bobby/Bobbie singing the title song “Being Alive” from Company. If Hayes
wants to do the gender-swapped version of that show someday, they’ve already
found their lead.
Amy Zhang’s
choreography under Lucia Haddad’s lighting makes for numerous striking tableaux
throughout the show. The three-piece band of piano, double bass and clarinet is
surprisingly versatile.
My first visit to the Hayes Theatre was a delight. The black box theatre invites creative thinking and the bar and balcony lend a real elegance to the experience. Getting to visit this inventive, innovative company to watch a Stephen Sondheim sampler was really magical. I hope to get back there soon!
Being Alive – The Music of Stephen Sondheim is playing at the Hayes Theatre until July 12
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