Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends
Gielgud Theatre | ★★★★✩

That is old as in long-standing. Bernadette Peters may be 75 but there is nothing aged about this most Broadway of stars.

In Cameron Macintosh’s tribute to the late musical theatre genius Stephen Sondheim who died in 2021 Peters will be the main draw even for the lyricist composer’s most loyal fans.

Gavin Lee, Damian Humbley and Jason Pennycooke. Photo by Danny Kaan

Gavin Lee, Damian Humbley and Jason Pennycooke (Photo: Danny Kaan)

Peters is billed side by side with fellow Broadway star Lea Salonga. Much of the rest of the cast are used to being top of the bill (Joanna Riding, Janie Dee, Damian Humble to name but a few).

But let’s face it, the one performer whose absence would cause greatest disappointment here would be Peters.

In at the beginning of many a Sondheim show it is right that Peters gets a little more than her fair share of the spotlight.

Janie Dee, Bonnie Langford and Joanna Riding. Photo by Danny Kaan

Janie Dee, Bonnie Langford and Joanna Riding (Photo: Danny Kaan)

Send In The Clowns from A Little Night Music brings on the tears, it is sung with such desolate poignancy.

Peters is also revealed to be the girl in the red cloak darting around the stage before duetting with Bradley Jaden’s Wolf for Hello, Little Girl from Into The Woods.

The evening directed by Matthew Bourne does its best to finesse these gear changes.

Clare Burt as a pitch perfect Elaine Stritch singing The Ladies Who Lunch manages the segue beautifully by giving a sceptical glance towards Sweeney Todd (Jeremy Secomb)and his partner in mass murder Mrs Lovett (Salonga) as they disappear into shadows down stage.

Inevitably with a greatest hits show the whole amounts to less than the sum of its brilliant parts.

But with this cast, that star, and Sondheim’s long time friend and collaborator Mackintosh behind the production, the evening has an air of musical theatre history about it that Sondheim fans will regret missing.