Bway-A Little Night Music

[edjames]

I saw A Little Night Music last night and I thought it was a terrific show! This is Sondheim at his best and this production does not disappoint. A wonderfully talented cast works well with this elegant and sophisticated story of love on summer nights in Sweden.

 

Angela Landsbury does not disappoint and practically steals the show whenever she is on stage. I see a sixth Tony in her future!

 

Catherine Zeta Jones is appropriately glamorous in the role of Desire and my only criticism was that I found her singing just a bit "pitchy", still she add the appropriate touches of elegant naughtiness to her role.

 

A terrific evening of theater...a must see.

 

ED

 

PS - Just announced - an off, off, off Broadway revival of Boys in the Band coming early in 2010..

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/135498-Hammond-Innvar-Isola-Levenson-Rowat-and-More-Are-The-Boys-in-the-Band-Off-Broadway

[+ Lucky]

A "...sophisticated story of love on summer nights in Sweden."

 

Sounds just delightful...if you are Swedish!

[Guest alanm]

This is Sondheim at his best and this production does not disappoint.

 

 

Many people have complained about cheap scenery and the tiny orchestra, which is a concern given the $135 price of tickets and no discounts.

 

I bought a rear mezz. seat for January 3 only because I have never seen ALNM on stage.

 

Were you upset about the small orchestra playing one of best scores in the last fifty years? I seems like a production Sondheim should

stopped from coming to Broadway.

 

I shall be interested in your response.

[operalover21]

Many people have complained about cheap scenery and the tiny orchestra, which is a concern given the $135 price of tickets and no discounts.

 

I bought a rear mezz. seat for January 3 only because I have never seen ALNM on stage.

 

Were you upset about the small orchestra playing one of best scores in the last fifty years? I seems like a production Sondheim should

stopped from coming to Broadway.

 

I shall be interested in your response.

 

I saw the original in 1973, I think, and have seen it many times since. The small orchestra didn't bother me all that much. This is a trend for shows like this. Sometimes it works really well (Company) sometimes it doesn't work at all (I hated when they did this to Sweeney Todd).

 

The scenery wasn't cheap. And Sondheim was in the theater for most of the rehearsal process giving notes to the actors, etc. He was very much involved.

[Guest alanm]

The small orchestra didn't bother me all that much. This is a trend for shows like this. Sometimes it works really well (Company) sometimes it doesn't work at all (I hated when they did this to Sweeney Todd).

 

Well it is certainly the trend for Sondheim shows. IMO you can add the "Sunday in the Park with George" revival to the list of his show that did not work. ALNM should be getting the same top-of-the-line revival that "South Pacific" received from LTC. The shows are both classics.

 

"South Pacific," "Finian's Rainbow," "West Side Story" (yes, I know that it is a Sondheim show also) and other revivals get full orchestras.

 

But, I am not seeing the musical until next Sunday, so I may change my mind. My comments are based on having seen the Sondheim revivals mentioned in your post and my post. I am surprised that someone with the screen name opera lover seems to have given in so easily.

[edjames]

Scaled back...

 

I guess my first comment would be that one does not leave the theater humming the sets in a musical, they are secondary to the production of any show. Unless you're Julie Taymor and ripping out the interiors of theaters along 42nd St, well, then I think we've gotten into the age of the scaled back productions. This one, originally from London's Menier Choclate facotory theater was presented in a very small theater with less than 300 seats, hence they cannot stage full blown, over the top productions.

 

Those that complain about this production's set and music should have read the reviews or the pre-opening publicity which specifically mentioned the scaled back version. I thought the music and orchestra were terrific. I had no problem with it, at all. In a way, it forces the audience members to concentrate on the more important aspects of the show.

 

First and foremost to any Sondheim musical is the music, itself, and the lyrics, and how well they are sung. I found both to be a-one in this production.

 

ED

[Guest alanm]

Those that complain about this production's set and music should have read the reviews or the pre-opening publicity which specifically mentioned the scaled back version. I thought the music and orchestra were terrific. I had no problem with it, at all. In a way, it forces the audience members to concentrate on the more important aspects of the show.

 

Anyone who reads the New York newspapers and surfs the Internet casually knew a long time ago that this production of ALMN is scaled back greatly from the original version.

 

The complaint (and I am far from the only person who has made this complaint) is the price of tickets ($135+) and that the first revival of such a great musical is being done on the cheap. But, I shall judge for myself next week.

 

By the way, I would be interested to know if you ever disliked a production of any Sondheim musical. Operalover did not like the Sweeney Tood revival, which gives him props for objectivity.

[operalover21]

Well it is certainly the trend for Sondheim shows. IMO you can add the "Sunday in the Park with George" revival to the list of his show that did not work. ALNM should be getting the same top-of-the-line revival that "South Pacific" received from LTC. The shows are both classics.

 

"South Pacific," "Finian's Rainbow," "West Side Story" (yes, I know that it is a Sondheim show also) and other revivals get full orchestras.

 

But, I am not seeing the musical until next Sunday, so I may change my mind. My comments are based on having seen the Sondheim revivals mentioned in your post and my post. I am surprised that someone with the screen name opera lover seems to have given in so easily.

 

I have no idea what I have "given in" to. I don't think this is going "on the cheap." It's a different concept. I am open -- like any person with an open-mind should be -- to different concepts and interpretations of a work.

 

I think this is a perfectly valid route for an artist to take and the fact that Mr. Sondheim has wholeheartedly embraced this way to look at his work is enough for me.

 

The Sweeney Todd production was roundly applauded as visionary but it simply didn't work for me. In the quasi-operatic piece I wanted an orchestra. In ALNM you get an orchestra, it is just reduced. More of a chamber version. I see nothing wrong with that and it works for me.

 

I really don't want to live in a world where this is only ONE interpretation of art. I'm open to anything. That doesn't mean it will all work, but sometimes it does.

 

Funny that you cite "Finian's Rainbow" as somehow more authentic because they use a full orchestra. However, the current revival -- which I love -- is far less authentic than the current ALNM as they have severly altered the original book while ALNM leaves the book completely intact.

 

So, it's not just about the music. As for ticket prices, I don't get that complaint at all. Ticket prices have nothing to do with the size of an orchestra. There are fixed costs on Broadway that dictate ticket prices plus the show has a lot of actors and two named people who are well paid. The ticket price seems just what it should be given that climate.

[edjames]

Not everyone reads the NY Times or checks on preshow publicity, but that said, no, I cannot recall not liking a Sondheim show. I am a fan of his work so therefore I am probably a bit more jaded than others when it comes to watching one of his shows. Sorry to hear that ALNM didn't work for you.

 

As far as ticket prices go, well, a lot of factors go into the price of a ticket. First of all there are the backstage unions and theater rents add to the price. I'm still not sure what the hell that charge for a facility fee is that is included in ticket prices! Second, I'm sure Ms Zeta-Jones and Ms Landsbury do not come cheap. Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig were making $100K per week with a piece of the box office when they did "A Steady Rain." And there were only 2 people on stage, no orchestra and the ticket prices were comparable to ALNM. Alas, high ticket prices are a fact of life on Bway these days.

 

I've noticed this year that many producers are not discounting ticket prices comparable to previous years.

 

ED