Getting Married Today (song)

"Getting Married Today" is a patter song from the musical Company (1970) with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It is sung by the manic Amy, as the thought of marriage sends her into a panic on the day of her wedding.[1] It is often incorrectly referred to as "Not Getting Married Today." The song has been described as one of the most difficult songs to perform in musical theatre, with one verse containing 68 words to be sung in roughly 11 seconds; one expert says that successful performance “depends on clear diction, implicit pitch accuracy and breath support alongside imperative comedic timing.”[2][3]

Getting Married Today
by Stephen Sondheim
GenreShow tune
FormPatter song
Published1970 (1970)

The Evening Standard cited Jonathan Bailey in Marianne Elliot's 2018 gender-swapped West End production, and Katie Finneran in a 2011 New York Philharmonic concert version as stand out performances.[4]

Production

"Getting Married Today" was conceived as "Sondheim's psychotic notion of a patter song"[5] to simulate the sensation of having a mental breakdown through verbal diarrhea and constantly changing the subject mid-sentence.

Stephen Sondheim gave a masterclass on some of his songs, including this one, at London's Guildhall School.[6]

The song features operatic interludes described by Edge Boston as "soprano intermezzos",[1] sung by a priest who comically comments on the bride's breakdown and extols the glory of marriage.

Lyrical content
Beth Howland
Jonathan Bailey
Beth Howland as Amy introduced the song on Broadway in 1970, while Jonathan Bailey originated the gender-swapped role of Jamie who first performed the song as a man in the West End revival in 2018.

In her meltdown, Amy discusses the very nature of a wedding, and how it is not relevant to a modern society:[7]

Wedding, what's a wedding? It's a prehistoric ritual where
Everybody promises fidelity forever, which is
Maybe the most horrifying word I ever heard, and which is
Followed by a honeymoon, where suddenly he'll realize he's
Saddled with a nut and wanna kill me which he should.

Critical reception

It has been described as "one of Sondheim's toughest songs".[8] Journal Sentinel said the song captures "both the crazed humor and darker undertow within this manic bride".[9] White Rhino Report wrote "Amy's frenetic rant about not being ready for marriage is a rapid-fire patter song. Set off against this insanity is the ironic counterpoint of Jenny's operatic aria about the beauty of a wedding day."[1] Commenting on Stephen Sondheim's 'Company' With The New York Philharmonic, The AV Club wrote "it'd be hard for anyone to sing the patter-iffic 'Getting Married Today' as fast as it's meant to be, even with months to work on it".[10] Chichester Observer said Amy is a "jittery bride-to-be" with an "epic breakdown and breakneck teeth-rattling delivery".[11]

The Guardian wrote the show "boasts the most astonishing score of any Stephen Sondheim work, and at the same time a book demonstrating an almost complete lack of commitment to coherent narrative", adding that the show has a "large dollop of irony". It continued by saying: "The result is numbers, such as 'The Little Things You Do Together' and 'Getting Married Today', that are sheer bliss to listen to, but often unexpectedly disappointing and distancing in performance."[12]

Performances

References
  1. "Reviews — Teresa Winner Blume". TeresaWinnerBlume.com. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  2. Libresco, Leah (October 5, 2015). "'Hamilton' Would Last 4 To 6 Hours If It Were Sung At The Pace Of Other Broadway Shows". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  3. Paskett, Zoe (May 22, 2020). "The most difficult musical theatre songs to sing of all time". Evening Standard. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  4. Paskett, Zoe (May 22, 2020). "The most difficult musical theatre songs to sing of all time". Evening Standard. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  5. Ouzounian, Richard (June 27, 2014). "Theatre 20's Company a disappointment: review". Toronto Star. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  6. "Sondheim teaches 'Not Getting Married'". RogerBourland.com. January 4, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  7. "v2n2". The Sondheim Review. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  8. "Theatrical Review: Company by Theatre 20 at the Berkeley Street Theatre". Jeremythinksthings.wordpress.com. June 26, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  9. Fischer, Mike. "Smart staging makes good 'Company' at Theatre Unchained". Jsonline.com. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  10. Murray, Noel (November 14, 2012). "Stephen Sondheim's Company With The New York Philharmonic". AVclub.com. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  11. Parnell, Sarah (April 14, 2014). "REVIEW: Stephen Sondheim's Company". Chichester Observer. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  12. Gardner, Lyn (December 6, 2011). "Company - review". The Guardian. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  13. Chu, Henry (April 7, 2019). "'Come From Away,' 'Company,' 'The Inheritance' Score at Olivier Awards". Variety. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  14. Wise, Louis. "Jonathan Bailey: brilliant from top to bottom". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
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