I like his interpretation of the song, but it was little too all over the place for me. Props for taking on the role though, it's a difficult show and role to take on.
I don't get all the hate for this bobby and this production. I think it's really great. I think both Lester and director Mende's have both done really original stuff with this piece. Does not stick to close to any of the 'expectations' of Company. Really good stuff.
no no no no no......voice is just not strong enough to pull off this song, and as it was at the Donmar, it should have been better. Shame, as, mentioned above, nicely acted, just let down by to fragile voice.
There will, of course, always be a place for great singers to sing great songs beautifully, I don't dispute that... but f***ing John 'false laughter, all eyes on me please' Barrowman?!? I would truly cry if I saw that bland poseur hamming up my favourite, Sondheim.
John Barrowman is a self-indulgent ham. Adrian Lester, though not a singer, performs this song realistically and with a hint of theatrical presentation.
And though I admire small and subtle acting, Esparza was robotic and mechanical in his performance. It was inhuman.
I think this production of Company was great. Adrian Lester does an amazing job. This is more like a play set to music than a musical; it feels more truthful and speaks to an audience more than surface-level note-perfect singing.
Adrian won the Best Actor in a Musical Tony for this, so obviously many others agree!
The truth is, there will always be people who want a song to be sung perfectly in pure 'musical theatre' style, and those who will choose a performance with perhaps less perfect vocals but some real depth.
It's a darn hard song to sing, but I still don't like his interpretation... However, the middle part is way better, but the beginning and the end... no. The beginning is too incertain, the end in the high notes... is ugly. The outburst is too short and too preticipated.
I've heard it said that Sondheim actually prefers actors to singers...of course there is always a matter of preference and what would come first for you someone who can treat a song as text or a pretty song...if you can't have both, which would you choose? Personally, I'd chose someone who could convey the words and move the story along, not a pretty sound, short of being tone deaf...
um, not amazed with the vocals, or with his emoting or whatever, but what i do like is that he seems to have it all figured out even though its obvious that the character doesn't. that is an intersting approach.
I prefer Esparza's muted touch with the acting. But then again, I saw Esparza first, this after. The first time you see a song done, it always seems to be the best one doesn't it?
Ah....that's the way it ought to be. he's alone and he makes me feel for him. A fine performance by Adrian and the rest of the cast. Now I'll read the rest of the comments.
His voice, as many have stated, is utterly atrocious. His acting is solid, but Raul Esparza's is better. Just because it's an acting-first role doesn't mean that a horrible voice should be put in there...I also disagree with his character choices for Bobby. Double-threats are what musical theatre is all about...Lester isn't one.
Sam Mendes cast him, possibly one of the highest rated directors in the world.Sondheim said in an interview recently that Adrain Lester was the best actor ever to play Bobby. I think the journey in this song and the show is awesome.. Sondheim isn't about singing.
I think you guys are nuts, I think his acting is worse than his singing. He's so mechanical, you can tell he's not singing in character at all. Plain awful. Whoever casted him should be smacked.
To all of the people knocking this mans singing, what about Glynis Johns from A Little Night Music and Angela Lansbury from Sweeney Todd. These were voices that were not the best to listen to but the acting is what carried their performances. That is the same here. In England in musicals it is all about the acting first....here we are all about the vocals first and many times we get hollow performances because of it. It's about different focuses
I saw Glynis Johns in Night Music - she wasnt the greatest singer but she did her songs with musicality and was not painful to listen to as I find this actor to be.
...what a wonderful, eloquent, and verbose comment. i disagree entirely. in my opinion the only flaw with this entire production is that i heard it was made for television, which means that it is bound to lose something in translation.
with a book as pedestrian as furth's the actor needs to act during the song, as opposed to just sing the notes correctly. that's why the casting of a lead whose forte is acting (instead of singing) exploits the weaknesses in the production-- namely, furth's script-- and leaves the complexities in the score unable to be explored.
the music to company is really wonderful, yes, but without proper acting to help back it up, the musical would be worthless, as with all musicals. that is also why actors used to only say their lines in the past instead of signing them (refer to one version of "the music man" to Rex Harrison in "my fair lady" and to the dad in "mary poppins".) and if any of you dare claim he has bad acting, i dare you to do a better job
this singing is objectively bad. poorly produced, and with a tambour that exudes stupidity. the way he sings this song makes him sound borderline retarded, stripping the song of the necessary internal conflict. this is disgusting.
his singing might be a bit off from time to time, but im willing to look past that to see the good acting he does. his acting helps him pull through even though he seems to be singing out of his range (note the falsetto at the end, showing that he could not hit the notes without going into falsetto or belting).
it makes him more of an outsider character. Sondheim agreed with the casting and the whole production, thought it brought things back into balance and reflected the original production.
elmer fudd as bobby.
megan132 3 months ago
Oh dear, oh dear!!! Vocal not up to scratch and OVER acted. Sorry - slate me if you like but this isn't great :/
22professional 9 months ago
he aint the best singer but i like how acted it.
puronicoya 10 months ago
This is the best acted version of this song I have ever seen.
Vizzy90 10 months ago
Oh dear...
JoshySmoshy56 1 year ago
...was english his second language or something?
YTaceofspades19 1 year ago
@YTaceofspades19 LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!
TritoneTrickster 3 months ago
why is kermit the frog singing this?
elphbwckd 1 year ago
I like his interpretation of the song, but it was little too all over the place for me. Props for taking on the role though, it's a difficult show and role to take on.
ebergsven 1 year ago
I don't get all the hate for this bobby and this production. I think it's really great. I think both Lester and director Mende's have both done really original stuff with this piece. Does not stick to close to any of the 'expectations' of Company. Really good stuff.
littlepipandcowbell 1 year ago 7
I really like this version, it has an angst that kinda works for the song...
TheHammerOfJustice1 1 year ago
I went to see this production when it transferred to the West End, and it was genius.
It is not important how well the actors sing in Company. It is important how well they interpret the songs, and this cast was stunningly good.
My friend and I, who are both ex-pats, and from NY got some of the jokes that the rest of the audience seemed to miss, but it was SO worth it.
My recommendation: go see it this year, as they are doing a concert version with the original cast at the Donmar.
Boston2London 1 year ago 4
no no no no no......voice is just not strong enough to pull off this song, and as it was at the Donmar, it should have been better. Shame, as, mentioned above, nicely acted, just let down by to fragile voice.
GeeFunk752 1 year ago
i do not get it...is it the parody for company or smt like that?
caritas83 1 year ago
There will, of course, always be a place for great singers to sing great songs beautifully, I don't dispute that... but f***ing John 'false laughter, all eyes on me please' Barrowman?!? I would truly cry if I saw that bland poseur hamming up my favourite, Sondheim.
Rant over! ;)
rufuslovesjess 2 years ago
so, you DON"T like Barrowman, correct? What do you think of this guy?
lifeisart37 2 years ago
Barrowman does do it a little too 'cutesy' but it isn't that bad.
missbabyice 2 years ago
I totally agree with you.
John Barrowman is a self-indulgent ham. Adrian Lester, though not a singer, performs this song realistically and with a hint of theatrical presentation.
And though I admire small and subtle acting, Esparza was robotic and mechanical in his performance. It was inhuman.
AtLastOnTheGround 2 years ago
@AtLastOnTheGround ...I agree on the comment with john barrowman but Raul played Bobby how he was supposed to be played, intelligent and urbane.
Kornwolf91 1 year ago
@AtLastOnTheGround agreed on Esparzan robotics.......
gabsylv 1 year ago
I think this production of Company was great. Adrian Lester does an amazing job. This is more like a play set to music than a musical; it feels more truthful and speaks to an audience more than surface-level note-perfect singing.
Adrian won the Best Actor in a Musical Tony for this, so obviously many others agree!
rufuslovesjess 2 years ago 2
The truth is, there will always be people who want a song to be sung perfectly in pure 'musical theatre' style, and those who will choose a performance with perhaps less perfect vocals but some real depth.
rufuslovesjess 2 years ago
Man Adrian Lester is really working those acting beats...its a great study in treating song as text.
nycbased 2 years ago
I prefer him to Esparza who seems kinda bland.
44Lester 2 years ago
It's a darn hard song to sing, but I still don't like his interpretation... However, the middle part is way better, but the beginning and the end... no. The beginning is too incertain, the end in the high notes... is ugly. The outburst is too short and too preticipated.
RickvanVeldhuizen 2 years ago
Oh god....its so bad.....
JoshySmoshy56 2 years ago
Oh dear... this singing is a bit... well... bad. His acting is good though.
asmileisspecial 2 years ago
embarressing, there are people who can actually sing who could have played this part, so stupid!!
mycodenameisdeon 2 years ago
I've heard it said that Sondheim actually prefers actors to singers...of course there is always a matter of preference and what would come first for you someone who can treat a song as text or a pretty song...if you can't have both, which would you choose? Personally, I'd chose someone who could convey the words and move the story along, not a pretty sound, short of being tone deaf...
nycbased 2 years ago
This cast recording is just really bad all around, too.
TreMc 3 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
And when I thought it couldn't get worse than Raul
b0b3rt831 3 years ago
i think he's cracking. i understand he's fighting the accent. but i was so drawn into his performance. x
Markyzevicon 3 years ago
He's SO NASALLY!
blackberryjuice1 3 years ago 2
I have to say, although his vocals are unique, I much prefer them to Esparza's. Esparza is WAY too nasally for me.
Lester's voice is unusual, but not in a bad way, I think.
But we're all entitled to an opinion, aren't we?
priestson1 3 years ago
um, not amazed with the vocals, or with his emoting or whatever, but what i do like is that he seems to have it all figured out even though its obvious that the character doesn't. that is an intersting approach.
doomveg 3 years ago
I prefer Esparza's muted touch with the acting. But then again, I saw Esparza first, this after. The first time you see a song done, it always seems to be the best one doesn't it?
dobar821 4 years ago
Not always. I first saw Idina as Elphaba but after seeing Julia Murney I thought she was much better.
bohemiawelcumsyou 4 years ago
I saw John Barrowman before Esparza on most of the signature songs for the musical, but I still like Esparza better. But I've seen Esparza much more.
colossus999 3 years ago 3
Ah....that's the way it ought to be. he's alone and he makes me feel for him. A fine performance by Adrian and the rest of the cast. Now I'll read the rest of the comments.
ronwilliams753 4 years ago
His voice, as many have stated, is utterly atrocious. His acting is solid, but Raul Esparza's is better. Just because it's an acting-first role doesn't mean that a horrible voice should be put in there...I also disagree with his character choices for Bobby. Double-threats are what musical theatre is all about...Lester isn't one.
Wardhelper 4 years ago
ew, dude, sure robert needs to act but he has be able to sing his face off, and this guy makes the art sound weak and nerdy
dlefs 4 years ago
TERRIBLE!!!
sibbisebastian 4 years ago 2
Hmm... as a small comment: I don't think Sondheim would be happy with the way Adrian enunciates "ought to" as "oughta".
HomeStarRunnerTron 4 years ago 2
He sings like a mentally disabled cartoon! I don't care what you say about acting: the guy sucks!
Judill 4 years ago
Sam Mendes cast him, possibly one of the highest rated directors in the world.Sondheim said in an interview recently that Adrain Lester was the best actor ever to play Bobby. I think the journey in this song and the show is awesome.. Sondheim isn't about singing.
griste25 4 years ago
I think you guys are nuts, I think his acting is worse than his singing. He's so mechanical, you can tell he's not singing in character at all. Plain awful. Whoever casted him should be smacked.
kenny1189 4 years ago
I agree the acting fine and if the singing were only passable that would be fine
but its a MUSICAL
if you cant sing it , you shouldnt do it
SOndheim deserves better!
evans54 4 years ago
To all of the people knocking this mans singing, what about Glynis Johns from A Little Night Music and Angela Lansbury from Sweeney Todd. These were voices that were not the best to listen to but the acting is what carried their performances. That is the same here. In England in musicals it is all about the acting first....here we are all about the vocals first and many times we get hollow performances because of it. It's about different focuses
Song27 4 years ago
I saw Glynis Johns in Night Music - she wasnt the greatest singer but she did her songs with musicality and was not painful to listen to as I find this actor to be.
evans54 4 years ago 3
Lansbury can sing.
bosley28 4 years ago 2
dreadful
evans54 4 years ago
...what a wonderful, eloquent, and verbose comment. i disagree entirely. in my opinion the only flaw with this entire production is that i heard it was made for television, which means that it is bound to lose something in translation.
gibsohen 4 years ago
with a book as pedestrian as furth's the actor needs to act during the song, as opposed to just sing the notes correctly. that's why the casting of a lead whose forte is acting (instead of singing) exploits the weaknesses in the production-- namely, furth's script-- and leaves the complexities in the score unable to be explored.
bleedingtown 4 years ago
the music to company is really wonderful, yes, but without proper acting to help back it up, the musical would be worthless, as with all musicals. that is also why actors used to only say their lines in the past instead of signing them (refer to one version of "the music man" to Rex Harrison in "my fair lady" and to the dad in "mary poppins".) and if any of you dare claim he has bad acting, i dare you to do a better job
gibsohen 4 years ago
this singing is objectively bad. poorly produced, and with a tambour that exudes stupidity. the way he sings this song makes him sound borderline retarded, stripping the song of the necessary internal conflict. this is disgusting.
bleedingtown 4 years ago
his singing might be a bit off from time to time, but im willing to look past that to see the good acting he does. his acting helps him pull through even though he seems to be singing out of his range (note the falsetto at the end, showing that he could not hit the notes without going into falsetto or belting).
gibsohen 4 years ago
awesome performance!!!
Bloorain82 4 years ago
Hey, that's the London 1996 Revival production. Some say it's the best ever of "Company".
rrltds 4 years ago
I get what you're saying, but the color of his skin isn't central to the plot. And he can sing. So who cares?
clarklesparkle 4 years ago
it makes him more of an outsider character. Sondheim agreed with the casting and the whole production, thought it brought things back into balance and reflected the original production.
bohemianscara 4 years ago
Because Adrian Lester is a very talented actor. Does the color of his skin really matter? If you think so,than you really need to open your mind.
G4Rat 4 years ago