Is Stephen Sondheim the Shakespeare of musical theatre? | Michael Ball
His work is challenging, exhilarating and powerful to watch and to perform. Michael Ball, who has done plenty of both, pays tribute to a musical heroThe first time I encountered Stephen Sondheim was like everyone else: through snatches of old songs people performed in drama school, through Send in the Clowns, which everyone knew. I wasn't aware at the time that he was the writing force behind West Side Story and Gyps…