This week the Victoria College Drama Society (VCDS) put on their very own adaption of the Sondheim Broadway musical Company, their final production of the year. Director Kevin Wong did an excellent job of leading the performers to great performances; at just over two and a half hours, the play flies by in a rush of great entertainment.
The musical centers around Bobby, a bachelor living in New York with a commitment problem and a group of comical best friends who all adore him. These friends, all in relationships, are throwing him a surprise thirty-fifth birthday party. When he arrives, they immediately begin to sing his praises. The rest of the musical centers around his visits to all of their homes where he witnesses marital troubles, a bride with cold feet, a closeted gay friend and his wife who are more than excited about their ensuing divorce. Bobby also goes on dates with his three girlfriends, all of whom have their own quirks and colourful personalities, and none of which he is able to commit to. Throughout his travels, Bobby discovers the importance of love and commitment through the help of his friends and, by the end of they play, his mindset towards it changes. The musical ends where it began — at Bobby’s birthday party.
The timing of the musical feels brisk because of its entertaining songs and sequences, all carried out by a very talented cast. Bobby, played by Korin Thomas-Smith, was an especially notable performance, as were Maddy Foley as Amy, Dan Newton as Paul, and Jaymie Sampa as Joanne. Beautiful singing voices and great comedic timing were the driving force behind an exceptionally entertaining adaption.
