Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy (Book Review)

On one hand, there could never be too many books about Stephen Sondheim. On the other hand, each book should be able to justify its existence through untold stories (are there any?), a new point of view, or access to previously un-interviewed people. 

Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy, by Stephen M. Silverman, justifies its existence in a number of ways. It's thorough (though not quite complete, since Here We Are opened too late to be included, except in passing). It is a large and handsome book, with dozens of photos, many of them in color. It includes a bibliography, source notes, and index, and is all in all a classy book. And yet.

It's just not that good a book. 

Silverman is frequently inaccurate. For example, he writes that Mandy Patinkin won a Tony as Best Actor in a Musical for Evita, when he actually won for Best Featured Actor.

Here's another example, about Night Music: 

A musical duel, set in waltz time, between Fredrik and the Count, "In Praise of Women," takes place before an actual duel with firearms. Said duel leads to young wife Anne running off with Henrik, Fredrik's sexually frustrated seminary student son.

Well, no. The duel takes place after Anne and Henrik run off. In fact, the only reason Fredrik agrees to the duel (Russian roulette, actually) is that he is in shock from losing his wife and son and not thinking straight.

The quote above can also be used as an example of another weakness of the book: an oddness in presenting information. Why specify that "In Praise of Women" is in waltz time when the whole show is in waltz time or variations thereof? Isn't that the more salient point?

And some of Silverman's conclusions are just bizarre. Here is an example:

It was said, just as it later was of Sondheim, that Babbit's "difficult music" required repeated listening before it could be appreciated, even comprehended.* [Asterisk in original]

[The footnote:] *Which might explain the line in Merrily We Roll Along, when the producer tells the crestfallen theatre hopefuls, "It's not a tune you can hum."

Why attach that line to Babbit when it was completely and 100% about Sondheim and his work--and is based on, at least to some extent, Sondheim's experiences getting his foot in Broadway's door?

Here's another example of the klutziness of the writing:

"One of the things I couldn't care less about is posterity," said Stephen Sondheim. "If you can't enjoy life while still alive, what is the point?"

As usual, he gave the statement a quick second thought.

"However, while I'm still alive, I'd like my shows to be done as much as possible.

That's not a second thought! That's more of the first thought!

And, and this is a big and, Silverman tells the famous story about Ethel Merman, Loretta Young, and the swear jar, and makes it not funny. (I guess, in its own way, that's an impressive accomplishment.) Sondheim tells the story here.

Am I picking nits? Yes. But there are an awful lot of nits in this book. Here are some more:

• Pacific Overtures: [The song being referenced is] "Next," of which it could be said that it is to Tokyo what Company's "Another Hundred People" is to New York City. 

• Merrily: The theme of the 1934 play and the 1981 musical and, presumably, the 2040 movie is that ambition trumps friendship. 

• In keeping with the narrative structure of Merrily We Roll Along--which is told in chronological order but backward--this book's account of Sondheim's musical begins in the the future, with what will be [the movie's] 2040 premiere ... 

• Pacific Overtures: The placid "Pretty Lady" is sung by three foreign sailors positioning themselves to take unfair advantage of an innocent Japanese woman. 

• Sweeney: [Mrs. Lovett's] business success is short-lived, however, when Mrs. Lovett herself ends up in the oven at the hands of Sweeney, who disposes of her for having kept secret that the insane beggar woman on the street is, in fact, Barker's wife. After this horrible moment, the apprentice, Toby, slits Barker's throat out of an act of love for Mrs. Lovett. 

• Pacific Overtures: "Chrysanthemum Tea, like A Little Night Music's "A Weekend in the Country," advances the action, but this time with lyrics delivered by a shogun's mother as she slowly poisons her son.

 Completist Sondheim fans may want to own Sondheim: His Life, His Shows, His Legacy. It does cover Sondheim's whole life, and nearly all his work. It does allow a trip down "Memories-of-Sondheim Lane." If only it were better.

Wendy Caster

Suffs

First, how cool is it that Suffs exists, and that it's so good, and that it's been recognized and rewarded? And how sad is it that the show is still timely? But things are changing. The night it became clear that Kamala Harris would be the democratic nominee for president, the audience chatted "Kamala, Kamala, Kamala" as the show started. The cast had to freeze to wait for the audience to wind down, and how moved they must have been! History honoring history. (You can watch a video here.)

Shaina Taub's book, music, and lyrics have been compared to those of Hamilton, and the show has even been called "Hamilton for women." Ignoring the fact that Hamilton is Hamilton for women, and that Suffs is Suffs for women and men, there are certain similarities. Both are excellent shows. They share a more-or-less-historically-accurate depiction of a scrappy, outspoken protagonist; the humanization of people from the past; some nontraditional casting; and occasional similarities between songs. 

But Suffs is its own, unique, excellent show. It is full of joy, comraderie, warmth, and humor. It also depicts the mistreatment suffered by suffs both in jail and on the street--and it acknowledges just how long it took for suffrage to be achieved. 

(And who kept women from having suffrage in the first place? Those ostensible heroes of Hamilton!)

It seems to me that there is something missing from Suffs, some song or scene or something that would unify the show and bring it home. But while it's not perfect, its quality is undeniable, and the festive feel in the audience--full of women and girls when I saw it--is inspiring and moving. The cast is wonderful, and the all-female orchestra is fabulous.

I tip my hat to Shaina Taub for her talent and her heart and also for her ability to make this show happen! To get it to Broadway! 

Suffs depicts history and it makes history. It's a hell of an accomplishment.

Wendy Caster

Illinoise

A lovely, if somewhat overlong, dance revue about humans telling stories and being oh-so-human, Illinoise is based on the beautiful songs of Sufjan Stevens and an original story by choreographer Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury. The singers, musicians, and dancers are nearly all wonderful, and watching the show often feels like being bathed in warm bath of emotion. 

The content of the various episodes is not always clear. The billboard/screen that is part of the scenery is wasted most of the time; it could  be announcing the names of the various songs/stories. Parts of the show take place on the stage floor and cannot be seen clearly by much of the audience. As a result, the people in one row must move their heads to see past the people in front of them, and then the people in back of them must move their heads, and then the people in back of them must move their heads, and so on. From row G, seat 13, it felt like I was part of klutzy choreography that blocked and distracted from the actual dancing on stage.

However, whatever its weaknesses, Illinoise is a unique theatrical experience that is well worth seeing.

Wendy Caster