Stephen Sondheim’s final musical, Here We Are, arrives at the National Theatre with the weight of expectation and the bittersweet knowledge that this is the last new work we will ever see from the late titan of musical theatre. Directed by Joe Mantello and boasting a star-studded cast – Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jane Krakowski, Rory Kinnear, Tracie Bennett, and Denis O’Hare among them – this UK premiere is as much a theatrical event as it is a production.
The cast is, without question, the show’s greatest asset. Kinnear and Krakowski, bring a sharp comedic edge to Leo and Marianne Brink, a couple whose search for the perfect brunch spirals into surreal chaos. Tracie Bennett and Denis O’Hare, returning from the original production, are standouts in a versatile supporting ensemble, while Martha Plimpton’s Claudia provides much-needed warmth and wit. Chumisa Dornford-May adds a fresh dynamic as Fritz. ensuring the ensemble feels both cohesive and unpredictable.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson gives a standout performance as Paul Zimmer. While Richard Fleeshman and Harry Hodden-Paton delight the audience as Soldier and Bishop respectively.
Based loosely on the surreal films of Luis Buñuel, and with a book by David Ives, Here We Are follows a group of affluent friends whose simple plans for brunch unravel into an existential crisis when they find themselves unable to leave their host’s home. The show opens with a flurry of sharp dialogue and visual gags, poking fun at the trivialities and hypocrisies of the upper class. Sondheim’s score, while intricate and often witty, lacks the melodic hooks that made his earlier works so memorable.
The first act is brisk and engaging, with director Joe Mantello keeping the pace lively and the tone playful. However, as the narrative progresses, the energy dissipates. The second act becomes increasingly abstract, with characters mired in repetitive existential debates that sap the show of its initial spark. The lack of music here (Sondheim passed before the musical was complete) also transforms the production from a musical to a play and that exposes flaws in the script.
Visually, the production is a treat. David Zinn’s set design cleverly morphs from chic, abstract New York restaurants to the elegance of the surreal prison, underscoring the characters’ growing sense of entrapment. The costumes are characterful, adding to the sense of a world that is both familiar and slightly off-kilter. Mantello’s direction is assured, but even his steady hand can’t always overcome the script’s unevenness.
Whilst the comedy in Here We Are won’t be to everyone’s taste, it is undoubtedly well crafted. Those audience members enjoying this genre were really enjoying it, but there was a clear divide in the audience.
But regardless of any flaws, and the somewhat niche subject matter, Here We Are will forever and always be the final work of Stephen Sondheim, and nothing should dissuade fans of musical theatre from missing this thought-provoking, if not wholly satisfying, farewell to a legend.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
