Stephen Sondheim Old Friends - Sondheim / TV / Gielgud

Yes. I have seen Bernadette Peters smile. Many times.

I think in Cam Macs speech at the beginning of the show he mentions that the concert would mainly feature music from shows he was involved with and apologised that everything could not be included.

A great snapshot of a concert I'd love to have attended.
Well produced, though possibly they got carried away with the artistic licence of the video production; Dutch Tilts and overzealous cross-fading got distracting.
Absolute criminal travesty fading out 'Out Time'. Can only assume they did so leave people wanting more.
The enthusiasm and respect of the audience shone, though I'm not sure it would have the atmosphere and response with a few less names on the bill and less fanatics in the house. And the cameras could have done with better positioning for audience shots. That poor cramped camera swinging round in the stalls didn't do much. 
Someone needs to tell Cameron he doesn't need to stretch his arms out with every adjective though, chap didn't know what to do with his hands.

As others mention, some standout moments (Sweeney) and some less appealing (I'm Still Here really was a disappointment).
I'd never heard "The Boy From..." from before. When I tuned in I didn't not expect to be hearing reference to a tiny town on Anglesey!

I'll try to make the reappearance of it, though as mentioned early not sure it'll be the same spectacle of the one-off.

I enjoyed it, but I was screaming at the telly all the way through - PUT THE NAMES OF THE SINGERS ONSCREEN FOR EACH SONG! I knew some of them obviously, but my Mum was racking her brains with some of them. So annoying.

Watched about half an hour last night and was gutted I had to leave. Caught the rest of it this afternoon and what a delight!

Highlights for me -
Not getting married today
Agony
A weekend in the country
The worst pies in London
The ladies who lunch
Sunday - this really made me emotional. Not sure why as I'd never heard it before but it was wonderful.
Broadway Baby
Everybody ought to have a maid
Waiting for the girls
Everything's coming up roses
And finally Being alive.


Other thoughts -
Michael D Xavier and Julian Ovenden were standouts in every song they were in. Their Agony is everything.

Charlie Stemp and Shan Ako cameos were fun but would've loved to see more of them.

Haven't seen Holly-Anne Hull in anything yet but I'm now really looking forward to the day I can. What a talent!

Imelda Staunton is perfection and Julia Mckenzie is adorable.

Odd song choices for Into the Woods. I understand why but would've loved It takes 2 at least.

This year I've been loving discovering sondheims shows and this was a wonderful tribute. This has only made me realise how much I'm still yet to discover and hope we see more of his shows reach the west end or tour this year!

Not sure how this show is going to work in the west end later this year. I think 1 or 2 tweaks to the set list and it could be something really special again!

Was Shan Ako singing Anita in the Tonight quintet?

If so, that was my least favourite vocal of the night. That music doesn't need modern vocal stylings ...

Cameron mentions in his speech that Julia Mackenzie was returning to the stage for the first time in 24 years. I was therefore lucky enough to see her last stage performance (Hey Mr Producer) and this performance.

I loved EP in her prime, but I wouldn’t really be surprised if she is as good as retired from singing now. Her voice nowadays is, unfortunately, not in good shape and, from what I’ve read, she has suffered quite significant hearing loss. I’d be surprised if she puts in more than a very occasional appearance nowadays.

But being in love with oneself is in character when you’re playing the Prince, I’d have thought….😀

I always wonder why Ovenden isn’t a bigger star. You’d have thought that being in Downton Abbey might have boosted his profile somewhat.

Can't believe we're talking about people who are full of themselves yet Michael Ball hasn't been mentioned.

Agree with this 100%. I was there and the broadcast was a wonderful reminder of my favourite night of 2022. I appreciate this is a board for sharing comments, but why does it feel like there’s a desperate need to criticise some of the greatest musical theatre performers in the world? I honestly expected this thread to be full of musical theatre lovers singing the highest praises for a truly special night but some of the comments are just depressing.

People who may have heard Sondheim’s lyrics 500 times still laugh because they are genius and it remains a constant joy to hear them, particularly performed by some of the greatest interpreters of his work. Even if you have heard a song hundreds of times, you can still pick up new nuances or jokes that you may not have picked up on before or forgotten. It is also part of the magic of live theatre to share that joy with others in the audience and laughter can be infectious.

I really don’t understand the Bernadette Peters or Michael Ball hate. I thought both were sensational and particularly remember Bernadette’s entrance as Red Riding Hood being a proper coup de theatre, although that didn’t necessarily come across on screen. What did very much come across was that Michael Xavier was playing the prince exactly as the role is written - an arrogant self-obsessed buffoon - and suggesting that the actor playing the role loves himself too much seems a completely unfair accusation. I have particularly fond memories of him in Love Story and The Sound of Music, where he brought a wonderful humanity to the Captain which can often come across as a two-dimensional character.

My other special memory which didn’t have the same immediacy on screen was the presence of 4 fabulous women who have all played Dot on stage for Sunday (Bernadette, Maria, Jenna and AJ). The camera barely showed AJ and for those of us who remember that far back, she originated the role in the Menier revival.

The only thing I could have done without was the Hey Mr Producer clip - it’s been seen before and it took up space on the broadcast that could have allowed us to hear Our Time in full. That was my only low point of the evening, given that it was in praise of Cameron as opposed to Sondheim. At the time of the concert, it also came in the aftermath of all the Cinderella drama and I recall ALW’s presence on screen wasn’t exactly greeted with unanimous joy in the theatre.

I mean…no.