In New York, there's the revival of ``Assassins'' about the four killers of U.S. presidents (and others who tried and failed), which won five Tony Awards last month yet will close on Sunday. His comic ``Frogs'' -- a 1974 collaboration with Burt Shevelove first seen at the Yale swimming pool -- is in previews at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater, reworked by its star Nathan Lane.

London, meanwhile, is hosting revivals of two other Sondheim musicals: ``A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' and ``Sweeney Todd.''

Sondheim, 74, thought he would get on a plane for that doubleheader, though he enjoys staying put in New York. He spoke on the telephone with David Benedict in London.

Saturday Night's Slave

Bloomberg: I hear one of your leading actors has just left ``The Frogs.''

Sondheim: Yes. Chris Kattan from ``Saturday Night Live'' is very good on TV, but his role of Xanthias the Slave is the ever- present sidekick to Nathan Lane. So it's absolutely crucial that he works well on stage.

We've replaced him with Roger Bart, who worked with Nathan in ``The Producers.'' He's seen a preview and is already starting. It's like a rewrite of that line from the ``42nd Street'' musical: ``You're going out there a slave and coming back a God!''

Bloomberg: ``The Frogs'' is Shevelove's 1974 rewrite of Aristophanes's play from 405 B.C. in which Dionysus goes down to hell in a boat in search of a great playwright. It played eight performances at Yale University with the student chorus including Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver. How different is the new production?

Wake Up, Folks

Sondheim: Nathan Lane has stuck largely to Burt Shevelove's script. He's added numerous one-liners, some of them very contemporary. Before it was about art and power. Now it has been carefully infused with overt political comment.

Bloomberg: Sounds like Michael Moore and ``Fahrenheit 9/11?''

Sondheim: No. The essence of the show is comedy. We've had a few hissing moments in previews from die-hard conservatives, but it's not anti-Bush. It's passionate; it's examining the qualities of leadership, but not Bush's leadership. We're referring to the complacency of this country when all about is falling apart.

Bloomberg: There's plenty of politics in ``Assassins'' too - - most of its characters have all tried to kill a president. What made this revival work when the original 1991 production never made it to Broadway?

An American Icon

Sondheim: Timing. The first Gulf War broke out during rehearsals and a wave of patriotism swept the country. Our show looked like we were attacking that -- which we weren't. The characters question the ideal of the pursuit of happiness American- style, and the icon of that in America is, of course, the president. Things are different now.

Bloomberg: Despite the awards, you're closing on Sunday.

Sondheim: This production is as good a production of anything I have been connected with. Each cast member is better than the next one. We haven't had a loss-making week and we've run two weeks more than the engagement, but after July 4 Broadway sales always slump.

I am more upset about this production closing than any I can recall.

Bloomberg: Will it have a future?

Sondheim: A big producing company I cannot name believes there's an audience for it. If they can make it work financially, they will tour it. We'll hear very soon.

Bloomberg: London's Royal Opera House recently produced your musical thriller ``Sweeney Todd,'' which many regard as your masterpiece. Is it true that you disliked it?

Not These Pies

Sondheim: The leading actors, Thomas Allen and Felicity Palmer, were excellent, but I didn't like the production. If the opera house wants to revive it, I would feel honor-bound to let them. But when the Los Angeles opera asked to buy the production I said no.

Bloomberg: Later this month, London will see a far more intimate version performed by just nine actor-musicians. Do you approve of this approach?

Sondheim: It's very flattering when your work is done in more than one way. It means it's alive and not dependent upon a given production. I've seen it on tape -- and it's not the first time it's been done as a chamber work.

Bloomberg: Your 2003 musical ``Bounce'' played Chicago and closed in Washington. Will New York ever see it?

Sondheim: The problem was John Weidman, the book-writer, and I liked what we saw but the critics were tepid. That's hard to fix. We know there's a structural problem, but we don't know how to solve it. We don't want to just let it lay down and die, but there are no specific plans.

Working Together

Bloomberg: You mention Weidman and you have often praised your mentor Oscar Hammerstein. Are there other stand-outs from your history of collaboration?

Sondheim: Writing with someone is like a marriage: I stick with it as long as I can. I had a terrific time with Lenny -- Leonard Bernstein -- writing lyrics for ``West Side Story.'' Whereas with Richard Rodgers, the writing of ``Do I Hear A Waltz?'' was fine, but our relationship became very difficult when we went into rehearsal.

Bloomberg: What do you do when you're not working?

Sondheim: Whenever there's something good on I go to the theater.

Bloomberg: Seen anything good lately?

Sondheim: The two best things I've seen this year were Lynn Nottage's ``Intimate Apparel'' and Bryony Lavery's ``Frozen.''

Bloomberg: What about getting away from work completely?

Sondheim: I like spending time at my place in the country and having dinners with friends. I don't do as much traveling as I did. I'd like to do more, but a good traveling companion is hard to find.

What Else?

Bloomberg: Collect anything over the years?

Sondheim: I used to collect late 19th and early 20th century playing cards and games. But about 25 years ago I ran out of space so I stopped. But they sit there and decorate my rooms.

Bloomberg: As you sit admiring that collection, are you having ideas for new shows?

Sondheim: Six weeks ago, someone came to me with an idea. I'm as excited about it as I was when I came across a play with the title of ``Assassins.'' I shall pursue it. But I'm not going to tell anyone any more about it. Not even you.

``The Frogs'' is at Lincoln Center, New York, until Oct. 22. For more information, see http://www.lct.org or call (1) (212) 239- 6200.

``A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is at the Olivier, National Theatre, London, through Nov. 2. http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk or call (44) (20) 7452-3000.

``Sweeney Todd'' is at Trafalgar Studios, London, to Oct. 9. http://www.theambassadors.com/trafalgarstudios or call ((44) (870) 060-0032.

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