I really enjoyed this Sondheim musical at the National Theatre, staring Imelda Staunton as Sally. She is one of the ex-dancers attending a reunion at the Weismann theatre in New York before it is demolished to make way for offices. The play consists of present day drama explained by flashbacks to the time when Sally and her contemporaries were performing. She had a best friend Phyllis and they were suited by Ben and Buddy, a couple of friends who waited for the girls each night after the show. The complication was that Sally really had fallen for Ben but ended up with Buddy. Phyllis seemingly was happy to try and fit to Ben's privileged world but, as we are told by the characters in their present-time coming together at the reunion, she ended up materially comfortable but without intimacy.
Even now Sally still loves Ben and hopes the reunion will be her chance to rectify the mistaken paths of the past. This is not to be, however and she ends the play still with the wretched Buddy who has always felt her lack of ardour for him.
so, essentially we have a quite sad play that explores the follies of human relationships. Each character has their own folly - or paradox and these are explored and made explicit at the end. I found it thoroughly engaging and insightful as well as being the usual high end National Theatre production.
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