Warner Music Group's Arts Music digitally released a cast recording of the current West End revival of Company February 1. The new album, available to download and stream on various platforms, preserves the newly-revised gender-swapped version of the Sondheim-Furth musical, with performances by two-time Tony winner Patti LuPone (Gypsy, Evita) and West End star Rosalie Craig. A physical release will release later this year, with pre-orders "available soon."
The cast also includes Jonathan Bailey (Broadchurch, King Lear) and Alex Gaumond (Matilda, We Will Rock You, Sweeney Todd) as Jamie and Paul, Mel Giedroyc (The Great British Bake-Off) and Gavin Spokes as Sarah and Harry, Richard Henders and Jennifer Saayeng as David and Jenny, Ashley Campbell and Daisy Maywood (The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk) as Peter and Susan, Ben Lewis playing opposite LuPone as Joanne's husband Larry, Richard Fleeshman (Ghost) as Andy, George Blagden as PJ, and Matthew Season-Young as Theo. Michael Colbourne, Francesca Ellis, Ewan Gillies, Grant Neal, and Jaimie Pruden make up the ensemble.
Helmed by two-time Tony-winning director Marianne Elliott, Company opened to rave reviews October 17 at London's Gielgud Theatre. Elliott, in collaboration with Company composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, has re-imagined the 1970 Broadway classic with several gender swaps. The perpetually-unmarried Bobby at the center of the story has become a woman, Bobbie (Craig), and the character's three girlfriends (Marta, Kathy, and April) are now boyfriends (PJ, Theo, and Andy). Newlyweds Amy and Paul have also become the newlywed gay couple Jamie and Paul.
The revisions also include text changes throughout made by Sondheim, including new lyrics to match the gender swaps and a handful of updates to bring the show's setting into present day. David Shire's "Tick Tock" from the original production has been replaced with a completely new piece of music arranged by Sam Davis (Holiday Inn, An American in Paris), and new orchestrations for the entire score have been penned by David Cullen (The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard).
The production's creative team features choreographer Liam Steel, musical supervisor and conductor Joel Fram, scenic and costume designer Bunny Christie, lighting designer Neil Austin, sound designer Ian Dickinson (for Autograph Sound), illusions designer Chris Fisher, and casting directors Alastair Coomer CDG and Charlotte Sutton CDG.
It is speculated that the production is eyeing a Broadway bow, though an official announcement has yet to be made.
