What does it mean to be surrounded and still alone? For their 80th anniversary, The Regals Musical Society takes on this daring question with Stephen Sondheim’s Company, a musical that blends charm, complexity, and a touch of neurotic humour.

It’s Robert’s 35th birthday, and he is in the throes of an existential crisis. So this celebration isn’t about candles and cake – it’s about love, marriage, and all the turbulence in between. Over dinners, drinks (one with a hilarious herbal twist), and even a wedding, his friends reveal the charm, contradictions, and peculiarities of committed life, leaving Robert to wonder if bachelorhood really is bliss. Sondheim invites us into the party, but the real guest of honour is self-doubt.

Under Sophie Szecsodi’s direction, Company embraces a non-linear, vignette-driven structure that prioritises character and relationships, in line with Sondheim’s signature focus on intimate storytelling over spectacle. Some passages are quite wordy, slowing or stalling the momentum at times, but they give audiences space to delve into the relationships, love, loneliness, and self-discovery, making Company as much a psychological exploration as a musical experience.

The open set, framed by five metaphoric windows and side wings for changing locations, offers tantalising glimpses into the private lives and inner thoughts of the characters. Answering machine messages and clever minimalism focus attention squarely on character interactions and emotional beats rather than spectacle. Company has no traditional flashy, big show-stopping numbers, so Nikolas Villa Zielinski’s character-driven choreography subtly energises the story. 

Music Director Lindford Gilmour delivered crisp, clear sound throughout, bringing Sondheim’s notoriously layered score to life — a web of shifting rhythms, angular melodies, and unexpected harmonies that mirror the complexities of human connection. The soaring harmonies and intricate ensemble work truly drive this production. With its fast patter, shifting tempos, and rich chordal textures, the score is a vocal workout demanding precision and emotional nuance. The cast meet this head on. 

Blake O’Brien plays Robert (shared with Zara Lake Thompson), conveying charm, warmth, and quiet vulnerability. Outwardly confident yet inwardly conflicted, he reflects on past relationships and “the girls he should have married,” while questioning his own capacity for love. His expressive voice flourishes in the emotional climax, Being Alive, where hesitation gradually gives way to longing and passionate intensity.

The women of Company reveal every shade of Sondheim’s world – smart, funny, flawed. Interestingly, the men seem to have less agency, often overshadowed by the women’s emotional arcs, yet they remain supportive throughout. ‘The Ladies Who Lunch’ is always memorable, and Julianne Horne as Joanne delivers a performance worth noting, balancing biting wit with the depth that reveals layers of cynicism, humour, and reflection. Aja Elshaikh as Marta excels in Another Hundred People, conveying the dizzying pace and rhythm of city life with strong timing and vocal agility—a talent to keep an eye on. In You Could Drive a Person Crazy, Aja Elshaikh (Marta), Grace Johnson (Kathy), and Crystal Coulits (April) bring delightful doo-wop energy, comic timing, and vocal precision that lift the pace.

Amy (Sophie Takatsuka) nearly bursts with turbulent angst in Getting Married Today, her panic matched by crisp comic timing. Her rapid-fire lyrics perfectly convey the confusion and sheer overwhelm of realising she is about to pass the point of no return. The humour is heightened by Susan’s (Amy Fowler) lovely operatic, lyrical counterpoint, creating a delightful irony as two very different voices collide, while Paul (Eddie Langford) adds another layer as Amy’s gentle and sweet fiancé.

Company truly ignites when the ensemble comes together, especially in numbers like Side by Side by Side. The upbeat tempo, melody, and precise timing light up the stage, showcasing the cast’s cohesion, playful interaction, and the sheer joy of collaborative performance.

It’s inspiring to see The Regals Musical Society take on a Sondheim classic with such ambition. Company is complex, witty, and introspective, and the cast meets the challenge head-on with passion and dedication. Just as Robert navigates the topsy-turvy, unpredictable terrain of love and relationships, this production shows how community musical societies can make the joys, heartbreaks, and peculiarities of human interactions leap off the stage.

Company runs until October 19. For details, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/regals-company/tickets

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