THEATER REVIEW : Sondheim Captures Complicated Feelings : Survey of early career of the American composer and lyricist is imbued with charm and inviting warmth.

A newly revised version of “Side by Side by Sondheim� at Santa Barbara’s Center Stage Theater sports a fully professional cast and some welcome surprises--well worth the attention of any Sondheim aficionado.

The focus of this revue, originally compiled by Ned Sherrin in 1977, is a survey of Sondheim’s early career--including selections from “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,� “Gypsy,� “West Side Story,� “Company,� and “A Little Night Music.� As the four-member ensemble takes great pains to note at the outset, “Side by Side� is “more a show than a play.�

Perhaps to compensate for the less than fully theatrical nature of the evening, Sherrin injected inane banter between songs that has been replaced with newer, equally inane banter in this production.

The introductory conceit of the cast’s quest for something to perform establishes a loopy chemistry among the performers that’s not without charm. But it’s not enough to win over those who aren’t already favorably disposed toward Sondheim’s work--and if they are, this initial clowning around isn’t really necessary.

The appeal of the piece lies in the songs themselves, songs that in the words of narrator Michael Frym reflect Sondheim’s “capacity to capture the complexities of human feelings.�

Frym makes a superb guide, bringing an inviting warmth to his prefaces and supplying the informative background without a trace of pretension. He also provides memorable renditions from “Follies�: “Buddy’s Blues� (with those “God-why-don’t-you-love-me-oh-you-do-I’ll-see-you-later� anguished pangs) and a gender-bent version of “Could I Leave You,� dripping with sarcastic venom for an unfulfilled married life.

Romantic ambivalence, a recurring theme in Sondheim’s work, is viewed from different stages of life. Youthful infatuation and fear of commitment is poignantly reflected in “Company’s� “Barcelona,� a lovely duet between Frym and Pamela Winslow in which a couple face a turning point after their first night together.

But the real treat of this production is the inclusion of newer material from “Into the Woods�--a smart choice, since the archetypal nature of these songs enables them to hold up particularly well outside their dramatic context. Winslow, who originated the role of Rapunzel in the original Broadway staging, pulled some strings to obtain the composer’s blessing for the substitutions. She repays the favor with stunning versions of Cinderella’s tremulous entree into womanhood, “On the Steps of the Palace,� and Sondheim’s haunting anthem of interdependence, “No One is Alone.�

The versatile Don Stewart belts out a show-stopping “Being Alive,� a meditation on the importance of a relationship despite its burdens, and later switches to a hilarious spoof of the stripper’s song “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,� from “Gypsy.�

Karyl Lynn Burns is an engaging comic presence in the frenetically paced wedding-day neurosis of “Getting Married.�

Polished musical direction and accompaniment is by David Potter. Michael Barnard’s staging is generally agreeable, though during the opening silliness you might find yourself wishing to send back the clowns. Stick with it--when the piece gets down to the songs, it’s a winner.

Details

* WHAT: “Side by Side by Sondheim.�

* WHEN: Through Sunday; Thursday through Saturday at 8, Sunday at 2 p.m.

* WHERE: Center Stage Theater, Paseo Nuevo Mall, 2nd level, corner of De La Guerra and Chapala Streets in Santa Barbara.

* COST: $18.50.

* FYI: For reservations or further information, call (805) 963-0408.