Stephen Sondheim is the present genius-in-resident of the American musical. Over the last 20 years, he has singlehandedly staked out new territory for the musical theatre. This past summer he chose for the first time to create for Off-Broadway, a Work-in-Progress entitled Sunday in the Park with George. Only the first act was on view and this not open for critical review. The musical's inspiration is Georges Seurat's painting "Un Dimanche à la Grande Jatte" and the show contrives to reveal Seurat's relationship to the characters in the painting. This is fragile and subtle stuff for a musical. As yet James Lapine's book is convoluted and cloudy, while Sondheim, who lyrically can never be dull, seems hesitant to commit himself melodically to any straightforward song or emotional thrust. This arrangement, however, that allows Sondheim to work in freedom without Broadway pressure, is a significant move. (p. 31)

Karl Levett, "New York...