Putting it Together: Stylish Black Tie Cabaret

Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim is certainly prolific.  19 stage shows, a number of film and TV scores, seven Tony Awards - including a special Lifetime Achievement award, as well as an Academy Award, a couple of Grammys and a Pulitzer.  Among his works are Sweeny Todd (the movie version starred Johnny Depp), A Little Night Music, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Into the Woods, songs for Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy, the lyrics for West Side Story, and famously, Send in the Clowns.

Putting It Together is something of a sampler (Sondheim's fourth), containing the recontextualised songs from 14 shows in what can only be described as a black tie cabaret.  Sondheim has taken 34 songs out of their original contexts, and redistributed their sophisticatedly acerbic lyrics and complicated scores amongst five people at a New York cocktail party.

Younger couple 'Barry' and 'Julie' are all over one another while older couple 'Amy' and 'George' are just over one another.  Fifth character 'The Oserver' offers commentary and is often a foil - especially for 'Amy's' extra-marital desires and escapdes.

A little stilted to start with, the ensemble gradually warmed to lay on what evolved into an exceptional review - rather than revue.  As 'The Observer' commented during the introduction, a review gives the audience something to think over.

Be that as it may, the trick is all in the presentation and execution.  Enhanced by cleverly choreographed movement, Andrea Potts, Amy Hunt, Chris Green, Bradford Meurk and Andrew Norman delivered polished vocal interpretations, enhanced by appropriate poses, poise, expressions and interaction.

Many of the numbers are highly theatrical - several being little spats in song - and while the first act felt about three songs too long, the second came together with panache.  Back in Business, Ladies Who Lunch, the super-bitchy There's Always a Woman, Buddy's Blues, Pott's superb Not Geting Married Today, and the ensemble work from Merrily We Roll Along, made it a second half to savour.  Detracting slightly from this was some patchy lighting.

Partially visible through a backstage screen, Barry Jones' terrific four-piece combo provided perfect accompaniment for this tuneful and witty expose of well-heeled cosmopolitan style.