Rosalie Craig performs Being Alive from Company at the Olivier Awards 2019 with Mastercard

[@icarusstudio6960]

Just for anyone that didn't get to see the show. They also switched around the scripts of some of the married couples. So you ended up with some VERY dominant wives and submissive husbands. So it was alot more clever than just making the lead female 😁

[@memetastic100]

woke piece of shit. got it

[@lailadobb9221]

@@memetastic100 It’s a lot more complex than that. It’s an very inventive take on the original source, (That Sondheim himself rewrote!) also the term woke (for the past few years) has been used very extremely and out of context: the show isn’t “woke” because of the change of stereotypical gender roles, it is not even woke. It’s the same story in a brand new different perspective, also when I watched this revival of the show (same cast and all) it was not like the originally commenter suggests: all the characters are changed slightly to fit the new story - some characters are meek, other more strong willed - no gender mentioned. In conclusion, it is a beautiful show - please stop labelling it as “woke shit” because of a few over the top opinions and other people’s beliefs about the show.

[@richardmayora1289]

@@lailadobb9221 I thought it was crap. I saw the American production and it was a mess. They should’ve left a shower alone, except for the wedding scene, which did work

[@imawizarrd]

now i can say that this is one of my dream roles

[@RogueWJL]

Amazing show and cast. Fortunate to work at the Gielgud during this production and I can honestly say this is one of the nicest group of performers I have had the pleasure to meet and work alongside. The chemistry of the cast was perfection. Masterstroke of casting Patti LuPone was absolutely pleasure to meet night after night and hilariously naturally funny.

[@paulcook8449]

Do you know if they did a recording of the show? I have the music but I'd love to see it again!

[@teainortakoy]

Yes, when I was 20, I flew out from the UK to New York to see Patti in concert and asked if I could backstage to give her a gift. She let me come backstage both nights I was there and was so sweet and kind.

[@anonamouse.p4115]

Rest in Power SONDHEIM, Thanks for Decades of the finest musical theatre, the finest songs x!

[@ascotberks2018]

This was a beautiful show in London. I will never forget. Now waiting for Covid 19 to end so I can see it in NYC.

[@marcuswallace4702]

Rosie was ill the first time I saw this production, the black Lady who played Bobbie was absolutely superb (risky statement - maybe better). I loved this so much I went back another 3 tiimes!

[@bean3550]

Off night. I saw this revival live and it honestly worked a lot better than people give it credit for

[@sarahmichelle4421]

I put the album on Spotify in like oh cool a revival I'll clean to this and suddenly a female Bobby and I had to take a minute that's amazing to me ! So thrilled with this !!!

[@LaurenSnowofLondon]

Who do I need to talk to to get this show back? Loved it so much.

[@Gnostic72]

The Covid-19 virus.

[@sandrabuckley9520]

Me too! Saw it 10 times but regret not seeing it more

[@archielouiser.blanca560]

you need to talk to Mr. Sondheim he made this song and this musical and many others

[@CV-Moore]

@@archielouiser.blanca560 ):

[@archielouiser.blanca560]

@@CV-Moore ):

[@morley247]

Mama Rose made an appearance. Love it.

[@a1a1luis]

best musical i have ever seen..... miss it.. please,, world tour !!!!!! NOW Canada first hahah

[@chocolatesouljah]

It's opening over here/Broadway next March on Stephen Sondheim's birthday with an American cast and of course La La Lupone!

[@The.Lilomay]

Wow got an introduction like that from Patti LuPone ~ that’s something

[@youtubeloverforever1761]

her voice is stunning!!!!

[@TheTradge]

I sadly missed this when it was in London but caught it on broadway in the spring, I prefer Rosalie Craig’s voice and performance over Katrina Lenk’s but still absolutely loved the production, Patti LuPone was obviously still phenomenal!

[@aimeesmith001]

was about to comment saying how great this was and then i saw everyone else's comments... did we just watch the same video or...?

[@spencer2571]

I miss this show so much.

[@whish67]

I LOVE any show that has a gender swapped cast, although this version made me realize that what drives Company as a story is all of the really strong female characters surrounding Bobby, ESPECIALLY in 2006* Raul Esparza's version. Seeing those dynamic characters be turned into men, made me realize that this gender swap inadvertently made it lose a lot of original, dynamic female characters. A solution? I propose this: make female Bobbi a queer woman. You wouldn't have to rewrite any of the music, you'd maintain the strength and importance of the previous female characters, it would normalize queer female protagonists, AND it would involve A LOT of humor in songs like "Have I Got A Girl For You." That's what I thought they were going to do with this show, and while it is still brilliant, i think a female, gay Bobbi would make a more dynamic, modernized change, while also maintaining the original story of being about love, not making her sexuality the primary plotpoint.

[@choisojeong]

Casey Miller this is SUCH a good idea!!!

[@whish67]

@@choisojeong THANK YOU!!!

[@AdderTude]

Correction: Esparza's cast was in 2006, not 2009. Also, making Bobbie a lesbian would lose the meaning of the joke between her and Peter about having a gay experience. It's a joke that's meant to be awkward between Peter and Robert (or in this case, a hetero Bobbie).

[@laurenw6120]

this is the real, honest, truth tea.

[@whish67]

@@laurenw6120 😎

[@IonicApple]

Idk if this was an off night for her or what, but her vowels were so wack in this performance, and I think the subtlety of what the character is thinking is totally lost. It just seems so overacted, not really genuine. She could be great in actual performances though, idk

[@IonicApple]

Also, on some random notes she just jumps like two steps up for no reason

[@AllGreyEverything]

Hard agree, and isn't a matter of opinion or taste. What she's giving is just plain wrong. This has gotta be an off night or she never would've gotten such an incredible role.

[@deerheart87]

She's a lovely person but not that talented , unsure why she's the golden girl of the moment , her husband is more talented than her , it's very weird that she's being so lauded

[@bernaraccount6302]

@@deerheart87 it’s totally okay to have critiques of her performance but this feels a bit mean tbh...

[@blackvbird]

So many people in the comments are talking shit, but I think this performance was stunning. It’s not like the original but it’s not supposed to be. It’s her take on the role and considering that this was just one song compared to a whole entire performance I thought she did amazing!

[@_TheBendyOne]

It was technically very poor. Poor support and breathing and a LOT of bum notes. Waaaayyyyy over the top acting, waving her arms all over the place, where this song is incredibly introspective, so often less is more with this, that's why people (myself included) didn't like it much. Her performance on the cast recording is much better.

[@scorpioninpink]

@@_TheBendyOne I agree with that.

[@Alex-nf1jy]

i was really hoping Patti was going to sing Ladies who lunch

[@lamarlatrell5045]

The little things you do together was perfect though

[@nylesodom6509]

I've been searching for this. I do love Company. I think it's a grand idea to flip flop some things around. Hell, make it work. As long as you can captivate the audience and make them FEEL. That's the most important part. If perhaps the story was written for a certain character to be a certain race or gender because it adds to the story itself... sure you can keep it the same. Bobby can be done both ways. The human venture, after all.

[@StringSun]

Company is gender neutral. It may not have been written and imagined that way originally but how beautiful the realisation.

[@Pww642]

This didn’t work. At all. Her pitch is really weird and I don’t understand why she’s running all over the stage. I think women sing the song amazingly well! Often better than men. Look at Patti or Bernadette. They give a clinic on how to sing it

[@katies7415]

These comments are so mean. Rosalie was incredible in this video and in the show♥️

[@bluerisk]

They are not mean enough. Go woke, go broke.

[@deerheart87]

She was dreadful and the acting is terrible

[@sandrabuckley9520]

Oh my goodness she was amazing! What is wrong with you people!!!!

[@burnicle1]

@@bluerisk by "go broke" do you mean successful enough to transfer and be playing on Broadway? Or is this more a soap box moment for you whereby you mean the choice to stage material that has only ever been staged with, in this instance a man as the central figure will be considered too self reverential and heavy handed in its inclusivity to be embraced by an audienceship already threatened by a significant move in the arts (and across society) to reflect a wider range of people not just cis white folk, in many instances, cis white male folk? Are people boycotting productions and media that is too female? Too brown? Too black? Too queer? If so, why? I'm white and a man and saw the production in London (it was sublime btw) and thought "what a great chance for a woman to play this role, that hasn't happened in the 30+ years the show has been in existence." That's 30+ years of men only ever playing Bobby and chances are there will be plenty more revivals of it where that will be the case after this production. So once again I ask you, what do you mean?

[@bluerisk]

@@burnicle1 I'm sure, there has been a lot of shows within the two last years... btw: Paul Ezra is Latino, and no, his is no too Brown, but a perfect fit.

[@Maileonsaga]

I love this version, I was just bothered by her squeaky breathing 😂😂

[@tconroymusic]

Stillness would have been golden.

[@solarprogeny6736]

Except Bobby is not still in this scene

[@augustinopulliam7458]

ishei except she’s doing way too much and it takes away from the complexity of the song. The song is simple and just a cry for someone anyone. He doesn’t care who he’s not passionate aboyt it. All he is passionate about is becoming like those around him. So In my opinion this performance loses everything that the others had. She changes the story and meaning. Works for some, just not me.

[@user-rz9iw4jc7m]

In the Broadway revival they fixed the excess movement! Plus Katrina Lenk acts this song better than possibly anyone I’ve ever seen!

[@stephenhavenner6954]

BRAVO!

[@felixvenbetho]

So will there ever be a recorded version of the play?

[@CV-Moore]

Due to the fact you called it a play, the answer is no.

[@jimmyblackmon2226]

@@CV-Moore Musicals are plays, dumb shit.

[@Analblockage]

@@jimmyblackmon2226 They are not the same. Whats with the name calling?

[@solarprogeny6736]

@@CV-Moore ok boomer

[@bellaz214]

Already on spotify, pal

[@wickedfan811]

Rosalie is amazing, her voice is insane and her acting is one of the best i've ever seen on stage, but i still prefer original version (with male!Bobbie)...

[@MrDarthbono]

I really wanted to like this :/

[@dma69nyc]

I was kind of disappointed with this performance. Maybe it was an off night, perhaps? Katrina Lenk (The Band's Visit) will play Bobbie in the New York production. Can't wait. And yes, Ms. Lupone will be there, too.

[@BertandErnie976]

Are you kidding me? Theres something weong with your hearing. This is an exceptional perdormance

[@olptz737]

i hope this comes back to west end

[@dylansmith1833]

No disrespect to Katrina Lenk, but I wish Rosalie Craig came to Broadway with Bobbie. This woman is too talented and NEEDS to perform in New York! Producers better not pull another stunt as they did with Elaine Paige!

[@sckmindfrud]

Does anyone know where I can watch this version ?:( pls

[@GreatBroadwayFan]

Broadway revival immediately please and thank you!!!

[@chocolatesouljah]

It's opening over here/Broadway next March on Stephen Sondheim's birthday with an American cast and of course La La Lupone!

[@victordunson719]

It’s coming but not with Rosalie😢

[@scorpioninpink]

I am glad that they made a female version but Raul Esparza being Bobby in the 2006-2007? Broadway Revival is still the best in my opinion.

[@legofarm13]

I think that for the major productions of Company the general consensus for who has sung Being Alive the best is: 4. Neil Patrick Harris 3. Rosalie Craig 2. Dean Jones 1. Raúl Esparza

[@madisonsadler6850]

katrina lenk

[@scottc4199]

Patti LuPone* even though it was just for a Concert in the 90s

[@nerdbot37]

Well, then... the general consensus is bonkers. I agree with the other rankings: No one can hold a candle to Raul Esparza. But this performance is abysmal. Atrocious. Amateurish. Neil Patrick Harris was orders of magnitude better than this train wreck. And sure, this might have been an off night. Perhaps she was under the weather. But while that might explain her poor breath control and all the wheezing and gasping, it doesn't explain the poor choice of rushing to belt out the lyrics in lieu of exploring the vulnerability at the heart of the song--and the character, for that matter.

[@alexanderthegreat1270]

Your list is almost correct. Rosalie Craig goes underneath NPH and there is a vast gap between the two. NPH’s performance suffers from his naturally higher vocal range, but he is still able to bring the power. Additionally, NPH is an insanely good actor, so his characters journey is way better handled. Rosalie Craig sounds like she’s drowning. With all that gasping from the weird vocal jumps. I’m sure she’s a great performer, but she clearly doesn’t understand the song and wants to use it as an opportunity to flex her vocal skills.

[@germandarling123]

Aaron Tveit's version is also amazing!

[@nevs1992]

Where can I watch this online? Pleasssse say they recorded it!

[@sarahgibb1735]

I bet no one knows that Rosalie Craig is Hadley Fraser's wife

[@JoshuaJClarkeKelsall]

While the singing is not bad, I don't think Rosalie really captures the spirit of the song, at least in this performance. While the song certainly has the capacity to be belted out in places, it should come from a place of emotional vulnerability that this performance lacks. It's just high theatrical rage and euphoria. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, I just don't think it really fits this song.

[@AdderTude]

Esparza's version resumes _piano_ on the line "Somebody hold me too close" as Bobby finally relents to his friends and wants to give real love a shot. Vulnerability needs to happen on that line or the song loses meaning for Bobby's change of heart about romance.

[@bookofdust]

Is it me or is her breathing too loud and not at the right timing, it seems to be throwing off her phrasing?

[@zodekciw7900]

Oh Rosie ❤️

[@rickyhurtado]

Beyen Alive!

[@victordunson719]

Rosalie Craig should have played Bobbie on Broadway . Katrina Lenk is not up to the task.

[@bobgarrett3367]

BEE-YANG alive?

[@SeikoMeetsWorld]

The excessive exasperated breathing was a bit much for me.

[@ionealena6300]

i,,,,,,,,,, do not like female bobby at all im sorry it just doesnt work for me at all

[@ascotberks2018]

Did you see the show in London? It was pretty amazing.

[@deerheart87]

She's all over the place , vocally and otherwise

[@trex1563]

Somebody get me an asthma inhaler.

[@AAwildeone]

KATRINA LENK that is not!!!

[@bobbieburns9970]

Someone to hold me too close. Someone to hurt me too deep. Someone to sit in my chair, And ruin my sleep, And make me aware, Of being alive. Being alive. Somebody need me too much. Somebody know me too well. Somebody pull me up short, And put me through hell, And give me support, For being alive. Make me alive. Make me alive. Make me confused. Mock me with praise. Let me be used. Vary my days. But alone, Is alone, Not alive. Somebody crowd me with love. Somebody force me to care. Somebody let me come through, I'll always be there, As frightened as you, To help us survive, Being alive. Being alive. Being alive!

[@mgoskay]

A bit of out of tune?

[@Obiwannabe]

I'm all for gender swapping and all that. This looses a lot of the gravity though. Robert worked because of his misogyny that he overcomes because his desire to be loved and to love is more important. It also highlights a lot of pressure unduly put on them and how the strong females around him constantly negate all of his preconceptions of women with their strength and veracity that is lost on him, again due to his preconceived notions of the capabilities of women. I will see it and I'm sure it will be great and of course PL will kill it. Robert should be updated I agree but I think its to easy to just swap roles. Side note I'm not saying these roles are gender exclusive but they do carry there own nuances and very real problems this musical was meant to explore.

[@icarusstudio6960]

I don't think you must have seen it as they swapped alot of the script for the couple's too. So you had some VERY dominant wives and submissive husband's

[@alexanderthegreat1270]

@@icarusstudio6960 Yeah, but at what point are you altering the characters for the sake of fitting the tight lens of your original directorial concept? Another commenter had the solid idea of Bobbi being a lesbian woman, ergo nothing needs to change lyrically or character wise but the production is still refreshing

[@bookemdano7567]

Ooooo... not good. Listening to her inhale was annoying, like Idina Menzel during the Wicked Tony Awards performance. And she overly belted some lines that should have been sung soft and where she should have belted, she sang soft. Maybe an off night?

[@hanonondricek411]

... I'm sure you understand singing live requires oxygen, right? Also, Idina Menzel has asthma and still manages to perform through it most of the time.

[@bookemdano7567]

Yes and if you listen to the old pros, they aren’t sucking in huge gulps of oxygen to sing. And as for Idina... her performance on the Tonys wasn’t good. I saw her twice during the Wicked previews and one more time after the show opened and she was way better, although I did get to see her understudy, Eden Espinosa, one other time and I enjoyed her vocals better.

[@corvusdelicti8853]

Daniel Nault: You are so right.

[@MRoh79]

#olive

[@snatsch]

Why doesn't touch me this performance? I don't know... Maybe to much acting, Maybe it has to less sensitivity. I don't know. 😒 Pls forgive me about my fucking bad English-speaking 😅 Saw Neil Patrick Harris in this Role and It totally blew me away... 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@JP-uk4rk]

It was more touching when I saw the show. It comes at the end of the show and is usually a lot longer song. When I saw Rosalie, it was more emotional.

[@AdderTude]

You should check out Raul Esparza's version from 2006. The cast doubled as the orchestra for that show.

[@corvusdelicti8853]

@@AdderTude Sondheim has stated that Raul Esparza was his absolute favorite Bobby. This chick can't hack it.

[@raymondwiggins354]

I think the song doesn't work as well without the interjections from the other cast members. They're just as much part of the song as Bobby, providing the rhythmic tension. This arrangement and performance feels more like an Andrew Lloyd Webber power ballad for some reason to me.

[@JamesBrown-ij1px]

Not impressed. Looks like 'bad high school acting'.

[@raymondwiggins354]

There are moments of brilliance and moments where it seems nerves got her. Perhaps in the context of the show, slight imperfections may feel appropriate. It's been a number of years since I've seen company.

[@XPRT10R]

Unbearable

[@leslielandberg5620]

Hmmm. Well, that was bloody awful. Why? 1. Very on the nose, zero subtext. 2. Very poor dramatic choice. She sings as if she’s not discovering and uncovering these truths, but preaching them. Makes no sense with the point in the dramatic action. Utter fail as a choice. 3. Nowhere to go, nothing to build to. She starts at 100 and tries to outdo herself on each phrase. Artless. Tasteless. Subtlety is being vicariously stabbed in the heart over and over. It’s a massacre of good taste. 4. Off pitch, screechy, wobbly, grunty, gaspy . THOSE GASPS WHEN SHE TAKES IN BREATH. Want to punch something. Tasteless. 5. She’s a girl now. Why? To pander to #metoo. Just no.

[@leslielandberg5620]

Forgot to Add: 6. Wild, manic gesticulation. Again, completely artless, nonsensical. Self-parodying effect. FAIL Right up there with the snot covered blubbering of Memories in the Cats film. And O didn’t think anything could top that for sheer vileness.

[@StringSun]

@@leslielandberg5620 Just say you’re a failed actress and go 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@MsCalcioo]

I couldn't agree more on the "acting" part. From this performance, the audience will have no idea about the character, what is building during this song etc. A failed interpretation. Thank God, we have Raul Esparza.

[@alexanderthegreat1270]

2:50 That right there was when I knew this was the worst performance I’d seen of this song. I’m not even a professional singer and I can tell that she’s forcing way too hard meaning she needs to dramatically gasp for air. And completely wrong enunciation on “Somebody force me to care” making it seem like she needs the audience to understand that she needs to be “FORCED!”

[@HasToPee]

Bad take

[@JosephNYC66]

God, that was awful.

[@a1a1luis]

Over acted

[@IsaacBD]

Very wrong I'm afraid, Joe!

[@JP-uk4rk]

@@a1a1luis It was more touching when I saw the show. It comes at the end of the show and is usually a lot longer song.

[@davidworobec1673]

Agreed. She keeps taking these big loud inhales before every line. Maybe she's sick, or maybe it's just bad vocal technique. She does it also in the cast recording.

[@BringHimHome24601]

I don't like this song when a lady sings it

[@corvusdelicti8853]

AWFUL performance, just AWFUL. And the gender-swap is just a gimmick that should die, just like race-swapping of historical characters in other musicals. (And you know what I mean.)

[@Sebastianlawl]

hate it, should be a boy

[@christopherdean4119]

Well it's nottt

[@CV-Moore]

I really don't care.

[@leonardo_Fabri]

Well, get over it

[@bluerisk]

@@leonardo_Fabri No, he shouldn't.

[@frogggert3555]

its only one production out of hundreds luv

[@richardmayora1289]

God awful And she is too unattractive for the role. I was dreading Katrina Lenk too.

[@jonldn]

“Too unattractive for the role”. Care to elaborate as she originated the first female Bobbi in Company, would you make the same comment about a male actor i wonder?