Review: Putting It Together - A Musical Review (Playground Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s nothing like a celebration of the legendary Stephen Sondheim, but how do you decide which of his classic shows to see? Sometimes you just want to be able to create a pick ‘n’ mix of songs from multiple shows of his and put it together like Mrs Lovett creating a new recipe… only with less murder and cannibalism. Luckily, that’s exactly what happened this weekend as Sondheim review (we are told in the opening moments, the spelling was at Sondheim’s request) Putting It Together took over the Playground Theatre in London. Would it ever be able to live up to his legacy?

Named after a song from Sunday In The Park With George, Putting It Together: A Musical Review was devised by Stephen  Sondheim and Julia McKenzie in 1992 and has been performed in the West End and on Broadway in the decades since. Comprising numbers from Sondheim classics including Follies, Company, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music and Merrily We Roll Along to name but a few, a loose plot ties all the numbers together, setting the action at a party where an older couple play host to a younger couple while a narrator comments on the various goings-on, relationship dynamics and jealousy between both couples.

No stranger to Stephen Sondheim after performances in shows such as Follies as well as her scene-stealing turn in Old Friends, Janie Dee directs this new production, showing a natural creative flair in interpreting the bones of this show and bringing it up to date in inspired ways – namely with the use of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Kate Butch as the narrator. In the intimate surroundings of the Playground Theatre, the couples’ home is realised with seating areas and a bar, allowing each of the five actors to sit on the sidelines while still being part of each number, with their reactions meticulously thought out and adding multiple levels to each musical number.

Janie Dee also stars in the five-strong cast in the role of “Wife” showcasing her undeniable talents with knockout performances of Sondheim classics ‘The Ladies Who Lunch’ and a particularly scorning ‘Could I Leave You?’. It is her take on the iconic and incredibly difficult ‘Not Getting Married Today’ that really brought the house down, impressing with her abilities and even putting her own spin on the number.

Having just been seen in Steps musical Here & Now, Edward Baker-Duly gets to show his versatility as the Husband with his highlights including ‘Hello Little Girl’ and a gorgeous take on ‘Pretty Women’ with Tom Babbage. Speaking of Babbage, he and Miriana Pavia delight in their turns as the Younger Man and Woman respectively – their highlight together comes from a truly rousing ‘Unworthy Of Your Love’ from Assassins, in a standout of the entire performance. It’s not just Sondheim stage musicals that get the treatment, with movie Dick Tracy represented on several numbers, including a glorious take on ‘More’ from Pavia.

The cast is completed by Kate Butch who already steals the scene from the opening moments with an extended sequence including her interacting with (and berating) audience members (I was one of the victims as always) and enjoying the opening number. Initially dressed in Drag, a twist in act two sees Butch gradually transform with an enrapturing performance of ‘Buddy’s Blues’ completely wowing. A group number of ‘Being Alive’ featuring all five transports the audience to musical theatre heaven, while a finale of ‘Old Friends’ feels familiar and joyous, ensuring you leave the theatre feeling blessed by musical theatre genius spanning multiple generations.

Jordan Paul Clarke and Archie McMorran’s musical direction pays fitting tribute to Sondheim himself, performed only by a pianist accompanying the performers. Never losing the grandeur in his music, it also highlights the intimacy in his lyrics, making some of the moments in the show all the more poignant and emotive.

Though Putting It Together was co-created by Sondheim, it feels all the more resonant in the years since his passing with so many of his classics crammed together in one place, allowing audiences to enjoy a sort of greatest hits performance which only gores to highlight his genius and the versatile way his numbers are able to be interpreted. With Janie Dee’s faultless direction and an exemplary cast, this was an evening more than fitting of his genius and a production I would like to see return for a longer run in the future.

Putting It Together: A Musical Review played at the Playground Theatre on 14th and 15th December.