Sondheim on Sondheim - Alexandra Palace October 24

There is and it is £8. 

Thats quite a lot. Is there much to read in it?

Well this was a delight! I had the biggest smile on my face for the duration. Massive thanks to the woman sat next to me who gave me a tissue after Sunday. Fantastic performances throughout, and a lovely surprise having Ah, but Underneath as a big dance number.

As the lovely gentleman who I spoke to at the interval said, it was a great evening of entertainment and education. The videos of Sondheim describing his working process and the development of most of his shows are genuinely fascinating. Still giggling when I remember of his Ethel Merman anecdote.

Interesting to see Fra Fee in the audience who had originally been in the cast.

Oh I thought I saw Reece! Nice to have that confirmed.

I wasn't there so don't know, but I'm assuming the Ethel Merman anecdote is the one about her swearing in the rehearsals of Gypsy and the woman with the swear jar?

Did anyone else find it slightly amusing while watching the projection footage of Sondheim discussing Sweeney Todd, that he said it he saw a staged play production OUTSIDE London at Stratford East.

I could hear most of what was sung from all the performers.

It definitely sounded like it still needed to be turned up on Monday, which was a real shame as it was hard to pick him out in group songs. He's got power in his voice so it definitely was the mic. (I might have turned the mic down on one of the others personally, by that's my personal taste...)

The arduous journey from south of the river to the Alexandra Palace’s restored theatre was certainly worth it. This astounding company carried on where Old Friends left off when it closed earlier this year and, for just two evenings, brought the magic of Stephen Sondheim alive once again.

Sondheim on Sondheim is an extra special production because, as well as Alex Parker’s wonderful 13-piece orchestra and eight brilliant musical theatre actors, the great man himself features as the narrator, offering up anecdotes and an insight into his sacred compositions.

The staging was exquisite. Despite the uneven surface, projecting Sondheim on to the faded brick work behind the stage only added to the sense of atmosphere, while the Alexandra Palace Theatre’s shabby chic surroundings gave several numbers a haunting quality - as others have said, let’s see Follies in that space one day please!

But this sparkling revue really was about the cast who made it so special. Each and every one of them. Josefina Gabrielle was stunning, with the highlights proving to be the contrasting Smile Girls (cut from Gypsy) and Send In The Clowns. Jak Malone dazzled (audibly and visually!) and gave a wonderful Franklin Shepherd, Inc.

Georgina Onuorah was vocally outstanding as ever, while Scarlett Strallen, Jack Wolfe, Lucca Chadwick-Patel and Clive Rowe were equally as impressive. But Jenna Russell deserves a special mention for reprising her Not a Day Goes By at the start of Act Two, mashed up with Strallen’s Losing My Mind. Stunning.

I only wish I could relive it all over again. Sondheim’s music endures like nothing else and the desire to see it performed over and over again by new and different voices never seems to wane. I hope we get a big Sondheim musical in London again very soon.

Five stars.