Summary: beautifully staged, brilliantly performed, and wonderfully entertaining. Four monocles out of five.

The Grand Theatre opened its 2010—2011 season by celebrating celebration itself — the occasion marked not only the theatre's return to form after renovation or the start of a new season, but also the recent 80th birthday of American composer Stephen Sondheim by way of the opening of their sensational new musical revue.

Side By Side By Sondheim is a whimsical collection of songs from the composer's many, many works. Music from original works like Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, and works from collaborative efforts, like West Side Story with Leonard Bernstein, is presented here with a conversational flow from theme to theme.

All sharing the duties of character and narrator, the show stars four actors that not only perform the songs, but that also provide commentary and insight into the shows, scenes, or stylings of the songs themselves. This informal lowering of the fourth wall — the actors acknowledging both the existence and participation of the audience — made for a sense of intimacy as the audience connected with the performers that much more completely.

It also works to bring the performers together while they're on stage; by slipping back and forth between their narratives and performances, the principles all had an ability to draw the viewer right into the show. Luckily, no cheesy connecting plot was constructed at all — just a collection of good music segued by anecdotes and information about the themes found in the music itself.

Directed by Valerie Moore, the company performed on a versatile yet playful stage, able to transform into hallways, walls and even rooms within our own home by clever employment of light and colour cast upon them. Such a means truly captures the essence of a scene, all the while celebrating the creativity and subtle brilliance involved in performing an entire revue that is limited to changing only by value of light and shadow.

Watching the performers it becomes very easy to understand how Sondheim could become so revered as an American composer; the social observations and curiosities in his lyrics ring incredibly true in society, as much today as when they were conceived, and the talent onstage work brilliantly and fluidly as they carry the show together.

The cast is led by female actors Charlotte Moore — a stage actor with a long history of work at The Grand — and debutante Glynis Ranney, both very amusing and talented. Ranney's performance in Losing My Mind is turbulent and passionate, while Moore will have everyone in the audience hanging on her every breath during Send In The Clowns.

Also making their debut appearances at The Grand are actors Shawn Wright, so entertaining he seemed years younger, and Michael Torontow, a singer so talented that his every second performing is simply captivating. Torontow singing I Remember from the show Evening Primrose is hands-down the single most beautiful, haunting performance of the night.

The only spot on the entire evening apparently comes from musical director Mark Camilleri, a few of whose choices in coaching the singers seem somewhat regrettable; all the actors are particularly gifted, but at times during the first Act they seemed to be holding back, belting out songs in covered voice (case in point, Moore singing The Ladies Who Lunch) instead of being true to their gifts and singing wholly. Camilleri's choice to direct the singers in such a way must serve some unknown purpose, yet it isn't immediately apparent what that may be.

Side By Side By Sondheim runs until November 6 at The Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St. just south of Dufferin. For more information about the show, its cast and crew or to purchase tickets, visit GrandTheatre.com.

While you're there, consider the calendar for the remaining seasons as well, there are some intriguing shows coming up the in future — like Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure and The Hobbit to name a few.