Theater Review: A Little Night Music

Angela Lansbury, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and
Kearon Whittaker in A Little Night Music
Photo © Joan Marcus

Perpetual Anticipation is Good for Sales, But Bad for the Heart
By Lauren Yarger
I’d been looking forward to a revival of Stephen Sondheim’s marvelous A Little Night Music perpetually, ever since the last time I saw it on April 10, 1974.

It was magic. The lavish set whisked people and entire rooms on and off the stage. The beautiful score was meticulously performed by a full orchestra and some of Broadway’s most skilled voices (sans Glynis Johns, who as Desiree acted, rather than sang her songs). The staging (directed by Hal Prince) seemed to be in constant movement, and brought all of the elements, and Sondheim’s lyrics together in one fantastic story waltz. It changed the way I looked at musicals and changed the face of musicals on Broadway for all time.

It received 12 Tony Award nominations in 1973 and won best musical, score, book (Hugh Wheeler), costumes (Florence Klotz), best actress (Johns) and best supporting actress (Patricia Elliott) and until I had seen Wicked’s “Defying Gravity” number, I hadn’t seen an act-one closer that could hold a candle to Night Music’s “A Weekend in the Country.” So you can imagine with what great anticipation I was looking forward to the first Broadway revival of this show which opened this week at the Walter Kerr Theatre.

About two minutes into the show, it was apparent that this isn’t a recreation of the original’s magic, and under the direction of Trevor Nunn, it isn’t even trying to be. It’s a pared-down version of the show, in keeping with other recent scaled-back Sondheim revivals. I’m sort of surprised Nunn didn’t have Catherine Zeta-Jones, making her Broadway debut as Desiree, carting around a French horn à la Patti LuPone in the revival of Sweeney Todd, where the actors also played all the instruments to cut costs. Instead, there is an orchestra, albeit a small one conducted by Tom Murray, housed behind the set.

So in an effort to be fair, and not compare this show with the original which it isn’t trying to be, I quickly swallowed my disappointment and tried to evaluate it on its own merits. To start with, there are some good things. Zeta-Jones is beautiful and playful as the actress hoping she’s finally found love with Frederick Egerman (an excellent Alexander Hanson, who should receive a Tony nomination). She has a pleasant, if not strong Broadway voice, and delivers a moving version of the show’s signature song, “Send in the Clowns.”

Playing her mother, Madame Armfeldt, a woman with a colorful past, is the incomparable Angela Lansbury who is a hoot and delivers with perfection the matriarch's humorous observations on life and love. Madame Armfeldt cares for Desiree’s daughter, Fredrika (the role is shared by Katherine Leigh Doherty and Keaton Whittaker). I saw Doherty, who stood out among the cast with her delightful stage presence and excellent singing voice. Also standing out, perhaps, unexpectedly, was Marissa McGowan, who plays one of the waltzing/singing quintet members who link the scenes (Lynne Page, choreogrpahy).

I had seen McGowan recently in her turn as Guenevere in Camelot at Connecticut’s Goodspeed Opera House and was blown away by her beautiful voice and command of the stage. The two elements are clearly on view here as well.

Aaron Lazar gives a fine comedic performance as pompous Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, who is jealous of lover Desiree’s liaison with Frederik, but who expects fidelity from wife Charlotte (Erin Davie). His fine baritone is strong and particularly lovely when paired with Hanson’s for “It Would Have Been Wonderful.”

Disappointing, however, is Ramona Mallory, terribly miscast in her Broadway debut as Anne, Frederik’s flirtatious, but virginal (after 11 months of marriage) child bride. I’m sure the decision to cast her may have come from the fact that she is the daughter of Victoria Mallory, who created the role of Anne in the magical original version. Victoria has one of the most pitch-perfect voices I ever have heard, and while daughter Ramona’s voice is up to the task of the high Sondheim soprano role, her portrayal of Anne comes off as mean spirited, selfish and stupid instead of delightfully naïve. I would have cast McGowan.

Also appearing dense, rather than amusingly geeky, is the character of Henrik (Hunter Ryan Herdlicka), Frederik’s son who is studying to enter the ministry, but who secretly is in love with his stepmother, Anne. I didn’t get humor from him, just a rote saying of his lines, and again I tried hard not to compare him with the original Henrik, Mark Lambert, who blew me away in the role (and who, ironically, is Ramona’s father – apparently life imitated art as Lambert and Victoria Mallory got together just as Henrik and Anne do in the show). He performs the song “Later," but the morphing of man to cello and cello to man that makes this a genius number just doesn’t happen.

Lee Ann Larkin as Petra, sings “The Miller’s Son” well, but looks too refined to be a country girl romping around in the hay. She looks more like she’s lost her way from the elegant quintet.

And then there are the rather non exciting sets and costumes designed by David Farley. Everyone pretty much sports turn-of-the-century black in the first act and white in the second act in front of a semi circle of mirrored panels that occasionally switch out mirrors for wall pictures or trees. Some birch trunks are added in the second act to complete the country setting.
So if you’re looking to relive the past, this show isn’t for you (the famous logo with the naked couples camouflaged in the leaves of the tree is as missing as the sweeping trees themselves are from the sets). If you want to see some stars and some good performances and hear the lovely score, this revival will satisfy, even if the music lacks the oomph of a full orchestra.

It runs at the Walter Kerr, 219 West 48th Street, NYC. For tickets, call (212) 239-6200.

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