American composer and lyricist. Inescapable if contentious doyen of the American musical. The book is by George Furth, and takes us backwards through a Faustian show-biz life story, which may or may not relate to the authors' early lives in the music business. The personable and versatile cast is first seen on stage in bright red undergraduate academic garb, conversing animatedly whilst the audience is coming in - setting the tone for what follows. A Mephistopheles impresario seduces the up-coming composer, Franklin, to postpone the shared desire to create something truly original with his young writer buddy Charlie, to the latter's foreboding.
Marriages break up, and their best friend ends up a drunk.
The show is framed with a successful but bruised, older and wiser Franklin returning to his alma mater to lecture the undergraduates rather sententiously on the theme of 'be true to yourself'. The scheme creaks somewhat and the backward presentation does not provide any blinding insights into a conventional tale of frustrated idealism and the sinister power of commercial reality. Helped by three TV screens for visibility, he keeps a firm yet delicate grip on the proceedings with minimal finger gestures of one hand, whilst demonstrating real pianistic skill with the other. His ever-watchful restraint assured that the delivery of Sondheim's own lyrics took centre stage, and it was quite a surprise at the interval to see how many musicians emerged from behind their box. Musicals are team efforts and this team worked well together under Michael Grandage's direction.