Review: MARRY ME A LITTLE, Stage Door Theatre
Photography: Peter Davies
It’s always good to visit a new performance space and the Stage Door Theatre in a room above the Prince of Wales pub in Drury Lane has announced a varied opening season. First up is Marry Me A Little, a fascinating compilation of Sondheim songs that were cut from his shows, and only seen briefly in London and not for many years. Hearing these songs delivered very well, without amplification and in a small room, was a delight.
The (very green) room is set out with seating at tables and the venue offers the option of dinner before the show – a welcome addition to London’s theatregoing possibilities. The space worked well for a musical compilation despite the limited staging, and Richard Lambert’s lighting was impressive in such a small space with such a low ceiling. It will be intriguing to see how plays work here under Artistic Director Robert McWhir, who did such memorable work at the late lamented Landor.
The two characters in Marry Me Are Little are unnamed and do not interact since, although sharing a stage, the conceit of the piece is that they are in different apartments. Musical Director Aaron Clingham accompanies non-stop throughout this sung-through piece from what looks like a tiny space at the edge of the stage. Musically, the evening is very impressive, and it is fascinating to hear these songs, especially where they were intended for well-known shows like Follies or Company.
As Man, Markus Sodergren creates an intriguing character well suited to the loss, longing and yearning that characterises much of Sondheim’s work. When he sings Bring on the girls while looking through his phone contacts this works well and the song was presumably replaced by the more familiar Those Beautiful Girls. Opposite him as Woman is Shelley Rivers, her voice soaring beautifully but also absolutely clear in the all-so important lyrics of some of the faster songs like Can that boy foxtrot, itself familiar from other compilation shows.
Both singers make the most of All Things Bright and Beautiful, another loss from the score of Follies. A number of the songs, including Your Eyes are Blue, are unmistakably Sondheim, although in that case it’s from 1962’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. His lyrics there have that familiar trope of making a proposition, correcting it and then changing it back again, and always with the perfect lyrics. Silly People seems to have been no great loss to A Little Night Music, but There won’t be trumpets from Anyone Can Whistle is vintage Sondheim and builds to a great climax.
Robert McWhir’s direction makes the most of these three talented performers and ensures a fascinating and well-sung hour or so. Where the production struggles – and not surprisingly – is in putting over the concept that these two people are in different apartments, as was intended when the show was conceived and developed by Craig Lucas and Norman Rene in the 1980s. To do so on the shared set for one apartment is a steep hill to climb, and it seems unlikely that audiences will be aware of this, although they will notice that the characters do not acknowledge each other in the space.
Despite these reservations about the original conception, the production is best approached as a fascinating Sondheim compilation and an opportunity to hear some lost songs, well sung, in a welcoming new venue.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by: Chris Abbott