Old Fashioned, New Fashioned

Tonight’s entertainment was old-fashioned musical theatre at a local college, a very polished presentation of Sondheim’s “Company” by theatre program students. This is a vintage piece of what was in 1970 a radical idea — concept theatre, not a narrative play. The form is not such a shock these days, but the context of the time speaks volumes. Does anyone born later than 1965 really get the rich evocation that a mini-dress and Twiggy eyelashes deliver for me? I guess not. The lead was effectively indecisive and the spotlight players exceptionally good, including a latter-day Minelli-esque Joanne delivering “Ladies Who Lunch” with confidence and style. The genre was old-fashioned and even the venue was retro with cabaret tables and drinks and snacks on offer, but new-fashioned technology shone in the tiny microphones subtly protruding from each player’s ear. I will always prefer live performance over digital delivery, but I can appreciate the enhancement I can get when I’m there. Thanks, Janine!