KT Sullivan & Jeff Harnar

Sullivan & Harnar Sing Sondheim

Laurie Beechman Theatre, NYC, July 9, 2014

Reviewed by Elizabeth Ahlfors for Cabaret Scenes

The acting and comedic skills of KT Sullivan meet Jeff Harnar’s breezy charm and smooth tone as they bring their own touch to the Stephen Sondheim songbook. In Our Time, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, Sullivan and Harnar examine 20 Sondheim standards their own way, pulling out all stops to match up with millennial sensibilities. Directed by Sondra Lee, what shines out in Our Time is Sullivan and Harnar’s witty, wise and wistful journey through the decades, giving a harsh glare at relationships today and mixing and matching gender flexibility. Jon Weber adds a spirited, jazz-influenced piano accompaniment.

Sullivan is our generation’s mix of Jean Harlow’s wide-eyed sharp innocence slashed with stinging Bette Davis insight. While she zeroes into the insouciance of “Remember?” (A Little Night Music), a lighthearted flippancy about two long-
ago romantics, the similarly titled song, “I Remember,” (Evening Primrose) reflects a meditative air of nostalgia. Forming a triptych is “Beautiful” (Sunday in the Park with George), a song describing an old lady facing the passage of time.Regarding a long-term marriage that has lost its gloss of excitement is apparent in Sullivan’s look at “In Buddy’s Eyes” from Follies. She recognizes Buddy’s unwavering love for her, but she is trapped in the monotony of their relationship. Sullivan’s gutsy “Being Alive” (Company), usually sung by a man, illustrates the androgynous need for a meaningful other to bring substance to life.

With his own considerable theater skills, Harnar proves that the essence of Sondheim’s songs can be unisexual although they were originally written for specific characters. “Loving You” is sung by Fosca in Passion, but Harnar convinces that obsession swings either way. He proves the same quality with “Losing My Mind” (Follies). These human emotions are not limited to Fosca or Sally. Sullivan also boosts the idea of obsession in two songs from Sweeney Todd: “Pretty Women” and, especially, “Johanna.”

Harnar also shines in his medley from Company (interspersed with an occasional “I’m Calm” from A Funny Thing Happen on the Way to the Forum). The songs circle around the character’s fear of commitment, ending with the fierce tongue-twisting determination of “Getting Married Today.” With Follies’s “Buddy’s Blues” (“The God-Why-Don’t-You-Love-Me Blues”), Harnar, assuming an aged cackle, adds a comic punch of vaudeville.

This mining into subtext is not to say they do not include a deserving nod to the value of “Old Friends” from 1981’s Merrily We Roll Along and “I’m Still Here” from Follies, both delivered with know-how and humor. In an ambitious undertaking, this talented duo took chances and, if there were a few hiccups, they were smoothed over with the wit of experience.

Sullivan and Harnar continue to sing Sondheim July 16 & 23 and August 6 & 13.