A Little Night Music

It’s rare when I’m very surprised by my theatre experiences.  I try to keep my expectations balanced, and don’t ever think too highly or lowly of anything until I’ve seen it.  With a revival whose music I’m fond of, it can be difficult not to compare each moment to something I’ve committed to memory.  And comparisons can be sticky.

That being said, when I saw the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s classic waltz-time musical comedy A Little Night Music, I was, in fact, quite surprised.  The revival, directed by British “Spare Production” Trevor Nunn, is not only in fine shape, the musical reminds you why theatre can be such a thrilling experience apart from any other medium.

Watching actors emote so clearly, and sing with a reflection not necessarily in the words, brings a real gravitas to your viewing experience – regardless of whether the piece is funny, sad, dark, light, witty, inane, devastating or anything else along the emotional spectrum.  A Little Night Music is quite funny, and it beautifully balanced its wit with an emotional punch about how we move through our love lives.  I’ve read a more than a few references to this piece as a masterpiece, and that word is absolutely accurate.

As much as I’ve listened to the original cast’s soundtrack over the years (especially recently), I knew the material quite well.  As for that surprise feeling I mentioned, I wasn’t expecting the humor of the script – and the bon mots tossed out, particularly by Lansbury, are hilarious.  Coupled with a gorgeous score (in 3/4 waltz time), the piece of theatre really is outstanding.

Cast with stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury, the revival transfers from the West End with lead Alexander Hanson in tow.  The production is, as advertised, quite spare.  The opulent Mansion referred to is nowhere to be seen, but frankly, only one scene needed more production work.  While cast with these names, you would think the show is really a star vehicle, when its much more of an ensemble piece – more Into The Woods than Sunday In The Park With George, if you will.

As I mentioned, Lansbury’s zingers are delivered with the zest and energy the legendary performer has come to stand for.  She looks great, sounds good, and generally stands out as the put-upon widow dealing with her daughter’s shenanigans.  Having more than a few original cast soundtracks with her on it, I can now say I’ve seen Angela Lansbury perform in a musical.  While I saw her in Deuce and Blithe Spirit, her presence in a musical is quite special – much more so than in a play.

Zeta-Jones makes her Broadway debut in the central role that Glynnis Johns created, and while she was a hit in the West End before her Hollywood career took off, there was some consternation about how she would do in New York.  While I loved her Oscar-winning role in Chicago, some of the theatre community weren’t sure her talents would work here.

She displays a luminous stage presence, and uses a combination of sultry sexiness, humor, and melancholy to wonderful effect here.  Normally a very throaty singer, her voice isn’t ideally matched for Sondheim’s more classical style, but she more than does justice to the elegant material.  Stunningly beautiful, she holds your eyes for more than when she’s in the spotlight.  There were a few moments shifting between several groups onstage, and I was so taken by her presence that I didn’t always focus on the characters in motion.

The most well-known song from the show is Send In The Clowns.  Having a number of versions on my iPod, I always wondered how it would play in the scene.  Heartbreaking is all I can say.  When the woodwinds begin the song’s intro, I knew what was coming.  Zeta-Jones, to her credit (and likely Sondheim’s influence & Nunn’s direction), underplays the song as a wistful revelation about this moment in her life.  The voice isn’t exactly a match, but she subtly pulls out the emotions and delivers a masterful performance – both in this song and in the play as a whole.  Calling the Tony committee…

Alexander Hanson very much deserves his above-the-title billing.  While not nearly as famous on these shores as Lansbury & Zeta-Jones, he gives a full, generous performance balancing his character’s desires, obligations, and expectations.  He provides a good balance to Zeta-Jones’s melancholy, and makes the hesitations and impulses the character experiences more impactful than I was expecting.  And his voice is wonderfully suited to Sondheim’s songs.

Erin Davie is a performer I often overlook.  She was quite good in Grey Gardens, but her performance in Encores: Applause didn’t work for me at all.  She delivers a lovely performance here, ably bringing real heartbreak to the aptly titled Every Day A Little Death.  And her sniping is delicious.  I love a good snarl, and she delivered.

Leigh-Ann Larkin also has a mixed history for me.  While I loved the recent revival of Gypsy (with La Lupone), her performance on Dainty June was a bit too large for me.  She has a fantastically powerful voice and a sense of fun at all times, so I was unsure how she’d fit here.  She brought a fun sense of sexuality, but once again, went a bit over the top at times.  And her performance of The Miller’s Son, while hilarious, was a bit too big for my tastes.

Generally, the spare production works for me.  There was some chatter about the lighting, but I didn’t see any issues.  My first complaint is the orchestra.  I tend to be a fan of the horns, and there didn’t seem to be enough of them.  While the Sunday In The Park With George revival had the same issue (both came from the same company in London), I assumed it was an issue with the Roundabout.  While this wasn’t as spare as that orchestra, it wasn’t as lush a sound as it could have been.  Given that the Walter Kerr theatre feels so small, perhaps they went with a smaller group.  I disagree.

I also disagree with one piece of staging.  There is a scene is the second act that takes place at the end of dinner.  In no uncertain terms would this dinner have taken place anywhere but a dining room of a residence.  And, given that this is supposed to be a mansion, there isn’t much excuse other than sparcity for staging this as an outdoor moment, on blankets and pillows.  It should have been an opulent dining room, and all of the characters would have changed into dinner attire.  But, Nunn choose to keep it simple – which is exactly the opposite of what should have been done.

To not outfit Zeta-Jones in a regal gown of a deep, lush color is simply a mistake.  The day whites would be gone for dinner, and she deserved evening wear.

Despite those disagreements, this is a lovely production of a masterwork of theatre, filling with excellent performances.  While the elapsed run time is about three hours, the time flows by quite quickly and enjoyably.  I thoroughly recommend it, and am looking forward to seeing it again.

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