Amazing!!! Imo, it’s the funniest and best acting performance of the song I’ve ever seen. They slowed it down considerably, but it is wonderful to be able to catch those brilliant lyrics!
This production is over 25 years old. It's so easy to criticise productions from a different era. But it was pretty cutting edge at the time. There you go, as they say, each to their own. Anybody who was anybody saw it and was it was much lauded at the time.
Personally, I like her rendition. Her lack of precise melody gives the sense of her character falling apart, which she is during the song. I also love the way she uses her voice. It emphasizes the comedy of the song. Just because it doesn't sound pretty doesn't mean it's no good.
You know, I think she made a bold choice, and it works for me. It gets tiring to see a song done one way every time. Amy is supposed to be neurotic and nuts. I like it.
Oh my God... you have to check out Heather Laws doing this in the 2007 Broadway revival (it's on RUclips) !!! She has the speed (that manic freaked out intensity) and she is almost paralized by her fear. Her performance is comic genius. AND she sings it as it should be phrased; ONE BIG BREATH for each verse. It's a showstopper!!!
This song does actually have a melody, and so few actresses seem aware of it, including Madeline Kahn (who was otherwise wonderful) and Carol Burnett (who was hilarious but not musical). If you watch the excerpts from the documentary of the studio sessions with the original cast, you'll see that Sondheim wanted the song sung, not talked. But kudos to *anyone* who can pull off Amy even a little bit. If you're a singer and have seen this sheet music, you know how demanding it is.
The soprano is great. It seems a nice production but I think that's because I know the characters. I can't imagine this enticing anyone who hasn't seen the show before.
I agree with ljay889: Sophie's performance is a brilliant interpretation that would do Sondheim proud. The world doesn't need another Madeline Kahnish monotonal rendition.
This is probably the best ever version i have ever seen or heard. Fabulous actors and sorry if their accents arn't tip top to some of you, but as an Englishman I rekon they had a pretty good crack at it! Also watch "Ladies who lunch" Ms. Gish is fantastic.
This cast was just amazing. Adrian Lester's being alive... I saw the original in 1995 and then a concert version with the original cast back in 2010. When Adrian Lester finished Being alive, I heard something I , as an avid theatre goer and musical actor myself, never had heard before. There wasn't a standing ovation which Americans love to do, but the audience roared! I don't think I will ever experience something like that ever again in my life.
@jemjean I just saw your reply, and I want to emphasis that I was complimenting the use of her voice. I was actually stating the point that you are defending. That was the entire point of my comment.
wasn't that subplot added in to all productions of company after he revised it in the early 90's? Or am I mixed up, and it only came after this? I'm really not sure. :S
@sherryzmezzo, what do you mean by being sung and not talked? Recall Sondheim saying he thought the brilliant actress who originated the role did it the best and times she seemed like she was speaking. Reading some of these comments truly puzzle me sometimes lol
This voice seems weird to me. But I think she manages to do a little more acting than the other versions I've seen. Still, though, I think there's more to be done in the very fast sections.
does anyone have this actual song in just audio format? i really like it and i haven't been able to find it or download it. Someone reply to this comment if you have the actual song! thanks :)
Oh, come on, do you think every movie critic around has made a movie before? Do yoo think every book critic has written a book? We're aloud to express our opinions, regardless if we're "sufficiently experienced".
she does this a bit like joan cusak might do this. there are some funny moments in it, but to my taste, she's showing a bit too much personality. maybe because i'm used to it, i kind of prefer the catatonic versions of the song. it's great that the donmar version is available on youtube. i'm looking forward to viewing it now.
Which works both ways I'm afraid. Many Broadway cast recordings are rendered almost unlistenable to me by American performers botched interpretations of English accents. Many seemed to have gone to the Dick Van Dyke School....
Yeah, I agree, I really don't see what makes this "darker." Company is not a "dark" show in the sense people seem to be talking about. It's a very conceptual show, and dim lighting and black metal levels does not make it "dark." And I'm sorry, Amy is supposed to be frantic at this point, yes, but she's at least supposed to talk like a normal human being. She's supposed to be singing very fast, and she's supposed to be frantic, but the way this woman is singing is just odd.
can i just say omg soooooo funny sohpie is THE best @ this the funnyst @ this just watched madeline kahn so BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no humor in it @ all ulyk this ha ha lol sophie thompson is The BEST she makes is sooooooo funny wiv suiced not roc on sophie cnr blive steela died she woz ma fave
the accent is not the biggest problem here, I'm usually a fan of Donmar, Cabaret and Threepenny were brilliant there but this is just a butchered version of this song. Heather Laws still does the cleanest version if you ask me. This seems like a cheap cabaret performance, the character is contrived and the tenor of her voice doesn't exactly fit.
I am really not impressed by ths production at all, it seems very strange and the voices are really weak in a lot of places. I also REALLY don't understand Amy and April's character choices in particular, they both just seem a little....off.
She seems very incapable of saying the word "MARRIED", and is obviously not usually a singer (which seems to be the case of... everyone in this clip), and shouldn't have even attempted the accent. Though I do like her expressions.
These Donmar "Company" excerpts are ballz. They seem to always be the worst versions of the songs available on RUclips. Are all of the characters supposed to be from Jersey or the Bronx? Looks and sounds wacky.
It's a surprise, I usually love Sophie T (she's great as Miss Bates in Emma), but she waaaaay overdoes it here, ruins all the punchlines. Madeleine Kahn had MUCH better comic timing in this part.
Amazing!!! Imo, it’s the funniest and best acting performance of the song I’ve ever seen. They slowed it down considerably, but it is wonderful to be able to catch those brilliant lyrics!
This production is over 25 years old. It's so easy to criticise productions from a different era. But it was pretty cutting edge at the time. There you go, as they say, each to their own. Anybody who was anybody saw it and was it was much lauded at the time.
I saw it twice, bought the cast recording and loved it!
Sophie Thompson was certainly worthy of the Lawrence Olivier award...well done.
Personally, I like her rendition. Her lack of precise melody gives the sense of her character falling apart, which she is during the song. I also love the way she uses her voice. It emphasizes the comedy of the song. Just because it doesn't sound pretty doesn't mean it's no good.
You know, I think she made a bold choice, and it works for me. It gets tiring to see a song done one way every time. Amy is supposed to be neurotic and nuts. I like it.
Oh my God... you have to check out Heather Laws doing this in the 2007 Broadway revival (it's on RUclips) !!! She has the speed (that manic freaked out intensity) and she is almost paralized by her fear. Her performance is comic genius. AND she sings it as it should be phrased; ONE BIG BREATH for each verse. It's a showstopper!!!
This song does actually have a melody, and so few actresses seem aware of it, including Madeline Kahn (who was otherwise wonderful) and Carol Burnett (who was hilarious but not musical). If you watch the excerpts from the documentary of the studio sessions with the original cast, you'll see that Sondheim wanted the song sung, not talked.
But kudos to *anyone* who can pull off Amy even a little bit. If you're a singer and have seen this sheet music, you know how demanding it is.
I will try
sophie you're a star...i saw you in this...good job
The soprano is great. It seems a nice production but I think that's because I know the characters. I can't imagine this enticing anyone who hasn't seen the show before.
i love this version!
I agree with ljay889: Sophie's performance is a brilliant interpretation that would do Sondheim proud. The world doesn't need another Madeline Kahnish monotonal rendition.
To be fair, Madeline made her interpretation as if Amy was losing touch with reality because of her anxiety taking over.
To be perfectly fair, Madeline Kahn sung effectively the whole thing.
Madeline Kahn does best version I’ve ever heard.
This is probably the best ever version i have ever seen or heard. Fabulous actors and sorry if their accents arn't tip top to some of you, but as an Englishman I rekon they had a pretty good crack at it! Also watch "Ladies who lunch" Ms. Gish is fantastic.
This cast was just amazing. Adrian Lester's being alive... I saw the original in 1995 and then a concert version with the original cast back in 2010. When Adrian Lester finished Being alive, I heard something I , as an avid theatre goer and musical actor myself, never had heard before. There wasn't a standing ovation which Americans love to do, but the audience roared! I don't think I will ever experience something like that ever again in my life.
Sophie thompson my favourite ♥ ❤ 💕
Incredible!
Beautiful 💕💕
@jemjean I just saw your reply, and I want to emphasis that I was complimenting the use of her voice. I was actually stating the point that you are defending. That was the entire point of my comment.
So fuckin spicy. I love it.
Haha, this is awesome. I remember doing this once before. Sophie does it so well.
Stella ❤
i like it!!
wasn't that subplot added in to all productions of company after he revised it in the early 90's? Or am I mixed up, and it only came after this? I'm really not sure. :S
totally agree with ya
@sherryzmezzo, what do you mean by being sung and not talked? Recall Sondheim saying he thought the brilliant actress who originated the role did it the best and times she seemed like she was speaking. Reading some of these comments truly puzzle me sometimes lol
This voice seems weird to me. But I think she manages to do a little more acting than the other versions I've seen. Still, though, I think there's more to be done in the very fast sections.
Wow. This cast is a train wreck and I can't stop watching!
There is really some bizarre shit going on. Makes me wonder what the Brits think when we do Shakespeare or Gilbert & Sullivan.
This cast was absolutely incredible. It was directed by a little director called Sam Mendes
Wow, imo this is one of the best casts ever. It’s certainly some of the best and most touching and hilarious acting Company has ever received.
Wait, the subplot about Peter wasn't in the OBC?
Hm, what other changes were made in the revisions?
does anyone have this actual song in just audio format? i really like it and i haven't been able to find it or download it. Someone reply to this comment if you have the actual song! thanks :)
me 2!
@RyJo I have to agree...
In this production, they are fine, but they can't beat the original cast of Teri Ralston, Beth Howland and Steve Elmore.
I love when Carol Burnette sings this song ^_^
Oh, come on, do you think every movie critic around has made a movie before? Do yoo think every book critic has written a book? We're aloud to express our opinions, regardless if we're "sufficiently experienced".
i like the Amy. she's quirky.
i couldnt say it better...
Hearn is the best X0)
she does this a bit like joan cusak might do this. there are some funny moments in it, but to my taste, she's showing a bit too much personality. maybe because i'm used to it, i kind of prefer the catatonic versions of the song. it's great that the donmar version is available on youtube. i'm looking forward to viewing it now.
To your taste! LOL.
I made an accidental typo, so now I'm "thick"?
And I thought it was dumb when someone called me an idiot for liking George Hearn over Johnny Depp...
better than Kahn's
Which works both ways I'm afraid. Many Broadway cast recordings are rendered almost unlistenable to me by American performers botched interpretations of English accents. Many seemed to have gone to the Dick Van Dyke School....
What the hell kind of accent is she doing?
Yeah, I agree, I really don't see what makes this "darker." Company is not a "dark" show in the sense people seem to be talking about. It's a very conceptual show, and dim lighting and black metal levels does not make it "dark."
And I'm sorry, Amy is supposed to be frantic at this point, yes, but she's at least supposed to talk like a normal human being. She's supposed to be singing very fast, and she's supposed to be frantic, but the way this woman is singing is just odd.
can i just say omg soooooo funny sohpie is THE best @ this the funnyst @ this just watched madeline kahn so BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no humor in it @ all ulyk this ha ha lol sophie thompson is The BEST she makes is sooooooo funny wiv suiced not roc on sophie cnr blive steela died she woz ma fave
True, but there's a line between putting character into song and ruthlessly murdering the song for the sake of comdey, and this is on that line.
Blame the director. He' a little unknown guy called Sam Mendes. I saw her perform this twice 1996 and 2010 and it was a dream cast.
the accent is not the biggest problem here, I'm usually a fan of Donmar, Cabaret and Threepenny were brilliant there but this is just a butchered version of this song. Heather Laws still does the cleanest version if you ask me. This seems like a cheap cabaret performance, the character is contrived and the tenor of her voice doesn't exactly fit.
I'm all for being open minded but...uh....no! No-most emphatically,Today is NOT for Amy.
i agree that she did a great job getting the character down.. but Im am really sorry..but.. She got a little annoying at some parts.. Like massively
she was in eastenders.
lulz.
I am really not impressed by ths production at all, it seems very strange and the voices are really weak in a lot of places. I also REALLY don't understand Amy and April's character choices in particular, they both just seem a little....off.
don’t give up your day job.
She's too focused on getting the words out to actually act.
Oh dear, I'm too used to the Heather Laws version, this just seems awful in comparision.
in musicals acting is more important than singing, but i agree she is over acting
She seems very incapable of saying the word "MARRIED", and is obviously not usually a singer (which seems to be the case of... everyone in this clip), and shouldn't have even attempted the accent. Though I do like her expressions.
These Donmar "Company" excerpts are ballz. They seem to always be the worst versions of the songs available on RUclips. Are all of the characters supposed to be from Jersey or the Bronx? Looks and sounds wacky.
It's a surprise, I usually love Sophie T (she's great as Miss Bates in Emma), but she waaaaay overdoes it here, ruins all the punchlines. Madeleine Kahn had MUCH better comic timing in this part.
She’s English and she’s classically trained. Just move along if you don’t get it.
she is quite positively crap.......??? on
the other donmar version the blonde girls rocks it!
This is pretty terrible. She just can't sing. Nuff said.
She's trying way to hard. Eh. it's ok. if that. this production looks so horrible