Le monde des musicals

Side by Side by Sondheim is a revue, and as such, has no plot. But, for a little history on how it came to be...

Original Cast Member David Kernan was playing Carl-Magnus in the Original London Production of Sondheim's A Little Night Music. He as contacted by Cleo Lane and her husband John Dankworth, who wanted Kernan to put together a revue of some kind as a benefit for a theatre they owned in Wavendon. Kernan contacted director Ned Sherrin and suggested that they do a revue of Sondheim material. When they wrote to Sondheim for permission, Kernan received a telegram back saying "By all means try, but I can't think of anything more boring except possibly the Book of Kells".

Fortunately, audiences did not agree, and their little benefit (with Millicent Martin, Julie McKenzie, Kernan, and Ned Sherrin as the narrator) went over very well. Cameron Mackintosh, just starting out as a producer, saw the show and agreed to move it to the Mermaid Theatre. Sondheim agreed to come over and work with the cast, and ended up essentially directing. The show ran there for eight weeks and then moved to the larger Wyndham Theatre, where it ran for three years.

Hal Prince agreed to produce a Broadway version, and persuaded Actors' Equity Association to allow the original British Cast to transfer with the show. After several months and Tony nominations for the show and all four actors, the British cast was phased out and replaced by Nancy Dussault, Larry Kert, Georgia Brown, and Hermione Gingold as the Narrator. (Gingold also sang "I Never Do Anything Twice" in that production). After a move up the street to the Morosco Theatre in 1978, the show was hosted by Burr Tilstrom and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie until it closed on March 19, 1978.

This show became very popular with regional companies, and is perhaps the single biggest reason for the spread of Sondheim's popularity beyond sophisticated NY and London Theatre circles. Since it was put together in 1975, the show only contains material up through Pacific Overtures, and is the only official Sondheim revue that uses music written by other composers with Sondheim lyrics. The continued success of the show inspired companies to continually ask for permission to "update" the show with new material. While Sondheim was resistant to such efforts, he did eventually agree to put together another compilation containing newer material - 1992's Putting it Together.

The revue had its première on May 4, 1976 at London's Mermaid Theatre, where it ran for 59 performances. It subsequently transferred to Wyndham's Theatre and then the Garrick for a grand total of 806 performances. Ned Sherrin directed, but Sondheim also worked with the cast and made many suggestions.
Hal Prince produced the Broadway version, and persuaded Actors' Equity Association to allow the original British cast to transfer with the show. The production, again directed by Sherrin, opened on April 18, 1977 at the Music Box Theatre, and later transferred to the now-demolished Morosco Theatre. Between the two venues, it ran for a total 384 performances and 6 previews. It is one of the few shows to have the distinction of its entire cast being nominated for Tony Awards (Best Featured Actor in a Musical and Best Featured Actress in a Musical). A subsequent 1978 U. S. national tour starred Martin, Larry Kert, Barbara Heuman, and Hermione Gingold as the Narrator.
A London West End revival opened at the Venue Theatre on May 1, 2007, and closed June 23, 2007, after 62 performances and 4 previews. The cast included Abbie Osman, Alasdair Harvey and Josie Walker, with rotating narrators. The musical was directed by Hannah Chissick with musical staging by Adam Cooper.
International
Numerous international productions have been mounted, including a production in Ireland in 1996 which starred Rebecca Storm, Brendan O'Carroll as the Narrator with Susie Fenwick, Enda Markey and Sarah-Jane Bourne.
A production at the Seymour Centre in Sydney, Australia ran in 2011, and starred Amelia Cormack, Margi De Ferranti, Enda Markey and Jessica Rowe as the narrator. This production toured Australia in 2012, with Rachael Beck and then Lucy Maunder replacing Amelia Cormack; Michael Falzon replacing Markey and Geraldine Turner replacing De Feranti.
On Friday 20 April 2012, a gala performance of the show took place at Theatre Royal, Sydney. Headlined by Ruthie Henshall and starring an array of Australia's leading musical theatre talent including Rachael Beck, Geraldine Turner, Peter Cousens, Enda Markey - who also produced, Lucy Durack, Ben Lewis, Stephen Mahy, Amanda Muggleton, Michael Falzon, Virginia Gay and many more.

Act I
• Comedy Tonight - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
• Love Is in the Air - Dropped from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
• If Momma Was Married (Music By Jule Styne) - Gypsy: A Musical Fable
• You Must Meet My Wife - A Little Night Music
• The Little Things You Do Together - Company
• Getting Married Today - Company
• I Remember - Evening Primrose
• Can That Boy Foxtrot - Dropped from Follies
• Company - Company
• Another Hundred People - Company
• Barcelona - Company
• Marry Me a Little - Dropped from Company
• I Never Do Anything Twice - The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
• Bring on the Girls - Follies
• Ah, Paree! - Follies
• Buddy's Blues - Follies
• Broadway Baby - Follies
• You Could Drive a Person Crazy - Company

Act II
• Everybody Says Don't - Anyone Can Whistle
• Anyone Can Whistle - Anyone Can Whistle
• Send in the Clowns - A Little Night Music
• We're Gonna Be All Right (Music By Richard Rodgers) - Do I Hear a Waltz?
• A Boy Like That/ I Have a Love (Music By Leonard Bernstein) - West Side Story
• The Boy From... (Music By Mary Rodgers) - The Mad Show
• Pretty Lady - Pacific Overtures
• You Gotta Have a Gimmick (Music By Jule Styne) - Gypsy: A Musical Fable
• Losing My Mind - Follies
• Could I Leave You? - Follies
• I'm Still Here - Follies
• Conversation Piece
• Side By Side By Side - Company

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