Stephen Sondheim's Final Musical "Here We Are" Receives Mixed Reviews, Ends Abruptly in Second Act
Sondheim's unfinished masterpiece integrates two classic Luis Buñuel films into a musical satire, ending unfinished with dialog in the second act as a result of Sondheim's passing.
- Stephen Sondheim's final musical, 'Here We Are,' integrates elements from two Buñuel movies – 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie' and 'The Exterminating Angel' – into a musical satire, with joyful and detailed musical adaptations particularly found in the first act.
- Despite the anticipated release and celebrated line-up of performers, the second act sees a drastic decrease in musical numbers, leading to a general consensus that it feels incomplete, likely due to Sondheim’s passing before the end of production.
- While the first act is described as 'a dizzyingly joyous send-up of some of the master composer’s most wonderful moments' and 'a tightly wound music box,' the second act struggles, described as a 'tedious, drawn-out denouement' and 'mystery.', causing the production to only fulfil around 60% of a whole musical.
- The production attempts to delve deep into themes of wealth, privilege, and society's impending doom. However, despite its source material's sharp satire, 'Here We Are' only lightly grazes these themes, leading to a disconnect between intention and execution.
- Despite its flaws, 'Here We Are' shines through its cohesion of creative features, such as the sparkling physical design, the bustling choreography, engaging performances, and Sondheim’s characteristic lyrical genius.