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I love Sondheim, and I cannot imagine not viewing anything I can get my hands on. I liked the new Company. I'd heard a story on NPR explaining that all of the actors would carry and play instruments in lieu of an orchestra. Often, It was too much, and it felt like a way to cut costs rather than be creative. It greatly slowed down "you can drive a person crazy", as those poor women were expected to play and sing the difficult, fast song. However, it made "Sorry-Grateful" very intimate and touching.

Finally, I'm not sure about Bobby. Well, I'm pretty sure I was disappointed. I'm not sure if it was Raul Esparza who played Bobby, or John Doyle who directed Bobby. Either way, Bobby was this soul searching, intense, kinda downer guy through the whole musical. At the beginning, he is suppose to take his friends kids to the zoo, the women to the Opera (and like it), he sleeps around without apologizes, and he knows where to score if you want a bit of something-something for a party. In other words, Bobby was supposed to be the life of the party until his epiphany that he wanted to grow up and get married, have a family. Since he was already intense, there was no where to go.

Still, watch it, especially it you haven't seen it before. It isn't done often, and it might a long time before you get a chance to see it live.

If you like Sondheim you will like this. This version is very sophisticated and well performed. There is not a character I did not enjoy. I have never seen the actors singing and playing the instruments but I found it fascinating and not at all distracting. I would give it 5 stars but I never give 5 stars unless perfect. This is close.