More Theater Monday- Here We Are

What: Here We Are 

Where: The Shed

             545 W. 30th St.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up

When: Through January 21, 2024

Here We Are is the last musical of legendary composer, Stephen Sondheim, and as such. it holds an important place in the theatrical canon. On its own, however, it is kind of schizophrenic. The show is based on two different films by Luis Bunuel, and it feels like two entirely different shows that are only identifiable as related because they share the same characters.

The first act which revolves around a group of friends trying to find a place to have brunch is by far the better of the two acts. The story is unique, interesting, and full of humor, and it moves along quickly. The performances are, for the most part, quite amusing. Rachel Bay Jones in the role of the flighty Marianne Brink particularly stands out.

The second act is like an entirely different show. It revolves around a group of people who for whatever reason are physically unable to leave the room they are in. It definitely isn't as good as the first act. It is neither as fast-paced nor as fun as the first act. In fact, the whole thing seems to slow down, and it makes the audience as anxious to leave the theater as the characters are to leave the room. The acting is still good, however, and there are still some amusing moments but not nearly enough to make up for the claustrophobicness of the story.

The songs in the show are fine, but they are not necessarily among Sondheim's best. There aren't any that really stand out or stick in the mind. Sometimes, Sondheim's music really has to grow on you before you can truly appreciate it, and perhaps, that is the case here. Nevertheless as the final work product of a beloved master, Here We Are is definitely a show worth seeing.

And that's our view. For more about Here We Are or to purchase tickets, visitwww.theshed.org/program/301-here-we-are

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Photo credits: 

All Here We Are production photos by Emilio Madrid 

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms.
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