What a show! Honestly, I had to pinch myself and doublecheck the programme: are these really amateur performers with regular day jobs? “Company,” based on the book by George Furth with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, feels far closer to a polished Broadway production than something you’d expect to find in the unobtrusive, little known Bridewell Theatre tucked just off Fleet Street in London.
The production comes courtesy of Sedos, a London amateur theatre company that stages between five and ten shows each year. Sedos has been resident at the Bridewell since 2012, where they’ve built a reputation for delivering ambitious, high quality musicals and plays. Even so, this staging of “Company” feels like a standout achievement.
At first glance, squeezing fourteen cast members onto such a compact stage seems like a recipe for chaos. Instead, it’s a masterclass in precision. The choreography — courtesy of Lauren Williams — is tight, inventive, and executed with razor sharp timing. Not a single performer drifted out of sync or missed a cue. Director Emily Phillips clearly had a strong vision for the show, and together she and Williams have created something that feels both meticulously crafted and full of life.
Vocally, the cast is just as impressive. Whether singing solo or in ensemble numbers, they deliver Sondheim’s notoriously intricate music with confidence and warmth. The harmonies are rich and beautifully balanced, and I found myself particularly drawn to the moments when the men’s voices blended — a sound that filled the theatre with emotion and individually each of the female voices had an air of outstanding power.
The set design deserves its own round of applause. The stage has been transformed into Bobby’s apartment, complete with sofas arranged around the playing space where some audience members can sit and watch the action unfold from within the world of the show. Most of the audience remains in the traditional staged seating, but if you’re planning to book, it’s worth trying for one of those sofa seats for a more immersive experience. The set was funded by a grant from the Jeremy Lewis Fund, and it’s money very well spent — the space feels intimate, stylish, and cleverly used.
The story centres on Bobby (played with charm and a hint of sadness by Will Garrood), who is celebrating a birthday with friends whose lives are far more complicated than they first appear. Although the show sparkles with wit and humour, it also dips into darker, more reflective territory. Beneath the veneer of a charmed New York existence lie the familiar strains of adult relationships: marriages under pressure, the monotony of family life, being with someone dull, the fear of settling, and the quiet ache of loneliness. Bobby, convinced that marriage might be the cure for his own sense of isolation, views his friends’ relationships through rose tinted glasses — but as the show unfolds, those glasses start to reveal more.
All of this is delivered through Sondheim’s brilliant score, including standout numbers such as “Getting Married Today” and “Being Alive.” Under the musical direction of Thomas Marples, with Ellie Bell as Assistant Musical Director, the songs feel fresh, emotionally charged, and beautifully supported by the ensemble.
And what an ensemble it is. This is a truly eclectic group of performers who have clearly bonded into a tightknit company. Their energy, commitment, and vocal strength elevate the entire production to something that wouldn’t feel out of place on a major West End stage. A huge shoutout to Natalie Emden, Keith Walters, Anna Toogood, Adam Hargreaves, Lauren Clarke, Ashton Charge, Amy Foden Lloyd, Jacob Foden Lloyd, Helen Parsons, Tom Harper, Charlotte Field, Adrianna Cordero Marino, and Yasmin Devlin Dean. I hope every one of you knows just how fantastic you were on opening night.
Sedos has delivered something genuinely special with this production of “Company.” If you can get a ticket — and especially if you can snag a sofa seat — go. You’re in for a treat.
Not suitable for under 16s: This show contains scenes of alcohol consumption and intoxication, smoking, drugs, sexual content and innuendo, adult language, themes of infidelity, and emotional conflict.
Company runs from 7th- 16th May 2026 https://www.sedos.co.uk/shows/2026-company
Reviewer - Penny Curran
On 7th May 2026
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