I live a barely middle class living AND theater was never really an option for us. Its either the TV or the movies, though in my defense I do not live under a rock AND had at least heard of Sondheim, in passing.

A genius apparently of an artform I barely know. Then I heard the Ladies who Lunch, a song about a group of rich ladies and their formal 'deaths'.

Soto summarize, I wiki'd his name and the musical AND discovered his death and the musical is highly revered for its stylistic and innovative narrative structure AND is famed by its witty lyrics.

And It was really great. I am shocked that nobody had tried to replicate it in film. Its just superb and shockingly filmic in concept. The way the story shifts in and out timelines and seemingly revolves inside Bobby's imagination is such a bizarre concept for me,since its a musical. The music is topnotch and the pacing is such a delight.

A great introduction to the works of Sondheim and George Furth(another writer of the play). Wonderful and just an interesting concept done in such gusto and smoothness [4.5/5]

Just saw it in Herndon, VA; a small but enthusiastic audience. Masterful stage film enhanced by the use of the original orchestrations from the seventies plus an appropriate inclusion of "Marry me a little". "Getting married today" brings down the house while "Another hundred people" received only a warm ovation even though Anika Noni Rose performed it brilliantly. Stephen Colbert shines in his section, and Martha Plimpton does wonders as Barbara Barrie did almost 40 years ago: a great performer like her father Keith Carradine. The real surprise is Neal Patrick Harris, who even though is too Generation X to play Robert, does provide insight and credibility to what originally should be a shallow character. And Patti LuPone delivers the best "The ladies who lunch" since Elaine Stritch did in 1970!