“Old Friends” is the perfect musical for lovers of Stephen Songheim music.
The show is a tribute to Sondheim, who died in 2021, leaving behind an unparalleled musical legacy. There are more than 40 numbers in the show, and even if you aren’t already a Sondheim fan, you are bound to hear one of your favorite songs. In total, Sondheim wrote 18 musicals, spanning five decades.
Devised and produced by Cameron MacKintosh, this revue stars Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga, headlining a cast of 17 British and US theater performers. There’s no script and little dialogue about Sondheim’s life or career, only a few photos of the composer/lyricist and one very brief video of him at the piano with Andrew Lloyd Weber.
The show begins with “Comedy Tonight,” from Sondheim’s first show, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” featuring the full 17-member cast. (Choreography by Stephen Mear and costumes by Jill Parker.)
Peters has a personal history with Songheim, having performed in some of his musicals, including “Sunday in the Park with George.” Peter’s voice seemed a bit tired and strained. Perhaps that’s why she sang the gentle song “Hello, Little Girl,” Little Red Riding Hood’s song from “Into the Woods” rather than the powerful witch’s song. Peters is cute and perky and funny though depressive, when she performs with Beth Leavel and Joanna Riding in “You Gotta Get A Gimmick.”
Salonga is wonderful, with a pure, strong, true voice. Her rendition of “Children Will Listen” is touching, and she displays comic flair in “A Little Priest.”
The music seems to have no specific order. In the first act, songs from the same show were presented, and then the revue transitioned into another show.
Besides showing the breadth of Sondheim’s work, “Old Friends” demonstrates the versatility of his music, from ballads such as “Somewhere,” “Being Alive, “and “Losing My Mind” to playful “Everyone Needs A Maid,” “Getting Married Today,” and clever songs such as “A Little Priest” and “You Gotta Have A Gimmick.”
With direction and musical staging by Matthew Bourne, the musical reinforces how many of Sondheim’s most powerful pieces have become anthems for female singers. Among them are ”Send in the Clowns,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” and “Children Will Listen.”
Save for a few words by Peters, there is little dialogue and no real story. But the audience at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater didn’t care; they are already fans and they know Sondheim’s story.
The cast is extremely skilled and individual songs highlight their talents. Beth Leavel brings the house down with “The Ladies Who Lunch.” Bonnie Langford’s version of “I’m Still Here” is awesome, and Jacob Dickey creates chills when he performs “Being Alive.”
At any given time, a Sondheim musical is being performed somewhere. (Sondheim wrote “Somewhere” for “West Side Story.” )
In 2023, his musical “Merrily We Roll Along,” which originally had been poorly received by critics, was revived, winning accolades and Tonys. While “Old Friends” was performing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, “Gypsy” was playing nearby on 44th Street.
Sondheim may no longer be here to create, but old friends, we are lucky because his music lives on.
