Close your eyes. Now try to picture a musical, any musical. What do you see? If I’d have to guess, you were probably thinking about spectacle, right? Dancing, big set pieces, huge ensembles, the works. These are staples of the genre, and have been part of the medium since its early days. Company took one, long look at these tropes and decided to throw a sledgehammer in their face. It does not concern itself with musicalisms. It has no ensemble, there is no dancing. The orchestra is small. In fact, in the specific production being reviewed, the cast also plays the instruments, not requiring an orchestra to begin with. And the the setting. Well, it feels more like a play all things considered. A play which was contorted by its makers into a musical.

Now, you might be wondering, how did a play in musical clothing somehow gain a 10 from me? Well, somehow, it made it work. In fact, the form makes the entire show so much better. This is not a spectacle, this is an intimate portrayal of a person and his friends. Nothing more. So, what is company?

The story of Company centers around Robert, or Bobby, a 35-year old bachelor living in the Big Apple. At the surface, his life seems to be perfect. He is surrounded by company, the people in his life, his friends. Sure, he does not have a long-term partner, but this to him is no issue. After all, his friends, all of whom are married or about to be married, seem to show him that marriage isn’t all that. At the surface he is content.

But, he’s not. His monologue at the start of the play clearly signals that to us. He just turned 35, his friends are throwing him a surprise party. Though he is glad that his friends think of him, through the copious use of sarcasm he hides his true feelings. The party follows. A cake with candles presents itself. Bobby makes a wish, blows out the candles, and… Well the candles don’t go out. Classic. His wish was unobtained.

What follows is a three hour long montage play. Each scene sees us visit a different couple of friends, or sometimes, a romantic interest, with very few additional exceptions. All the dysfunctionality around him, the missed opportunities in some romantic partners, it drives him into the belief that maybe he doesn’t want to get married. That is, until the very final song, where he finally gets the realisation that although not perfect, having someone around you is the one thing in life that makes life livable.

And that’s Company. It’s about finding people in the life to keep you company.

It’s not a complicated play. In fact, this type of story is quite common. The bachelor leading his single lifestyle. Seemingly happy, but deeply requiring connection underneath the surface. Yet, what makes company great is it’s execution.

The different scenes are incredibly enjoyable. Sometimes its simple: Bobby is smoking pot with two of his married friends. Sometimes it gets a little more complication. In one of the most famous songs of Company, Amy, a neurotic, is getting married (Getting Married Today). But she is not having it, having thoughts of suicide as not to get married. Bobby is there for her throughout. I will not spoil what happens then, but it’s one of my favorite scenes from the show.