ALPHABET SOUP (12): SPECIAL EDITION! FEATURING A RANDOM LETTER OF THE ALPHABET AND SOME SHOWS THAT BEGIN WITH THAT LETTER

ALPHABET SOUP (12): SPECIAL EDITION!

FEATURING A RANDOM LETTER OF THE ALPHABET AND SOME SHOWS THAT BEGIN WITH THAT LETTER

L

All about a Sondheim masterpiece in three-quarter time. For sophisticated tastes. 

Cue the strings….

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

"Good God! – an adult musical!" was how New York Times' critic Clive Barnes ended his review of Hugh Wheeler, Stephen Sondheim, and Harold Prince's A Little Night Music upon its premiere on February 25, 1973. Nearly forty-five years later, this musical, suggested by Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night, remains a work of sophistication, elegance, and musicality that few musicals since then, if any, have even approached, let alone surpassed. Wheeler's book is clever and witty and compact with nary an extraneous word. Sondheim's score, written in variations of three-quarter time, envelops the entire show with melodies that both caress and soar, and lyrics that are filled with finesse, style, and, frankly, brilliance. The last of the triumvirate of musicals in the early 70s that cemented Sondheim's place as our greatest contemporary lyricist/composer, the other two being 1970's Company and 1971's Follies, A Little Night Music charms and enchants. This is not Sondheim's masterpiece. That title belongs to Sweeney Todd. (Sorry, kids. Sunday in the Park with George is wonderful, but I find the score often unapproachable, and the second act is a letdown from the first act. Into the Woods is pure commercialism…with a message. Nothing wrong with that, mind you. It just doesn't create a masterpiece.) A Little Night Music still has us waltzing to its three-quarter beat and that's a reason to celebrate.

 – Majestic Theatre, New York

Barbara Lang, one of my favorites, was Glynis Johns' understudy.

April, 1974/June, 1974. The glittering design trio of Boris Aronson (scenic), Florence Klotz (costumes), and Tharon Musser (lighting) created the gorgeous environment that complemented A Little Night Music's story of love: young, puppy-like love, past love, mature love, and good, old-fashioned lust. Jonathan Tunick's orchestration were, as always, a joy and the sizeable orchestra in the pit, especially in the string department, gave the score a glorious instrumental voice. Patricia Birch's choreography/musical staging flowed with grace, and Harold Prince's seamless, effortless direction seemed almost invisible. William Daniels was now playing Fredrik and he gave a solid, musically strong performance. You felt his frustration at the unrequited love from his still-virgin bride and his desire for his great love, Desiree. Follies' Victoria Mallory (Young Heidi) and Mark Lambert, in his Broadway debut, were delightful as the hormonally-challenged youngsters. D. Jamin-Bartlett, in her Broadway debut, oozed barely suppressed sexuality and her "The Miller's Son" was one of the show-stoppers of the show. Laurence Guittard as Carl-Magnus was a sexy, vain, and handsome strutting peacock of a man. And acting as a sort of a Greek chorus was that wonderful quintet of singers, Benjamin Rayson, Joy Franz, Gene Varrone, Beth Fowler, and one of my favorite performers, Barbara Lang. Wonderful as everyone was, however, much of the critical praise, and in my opinion deservedly so, fell to three remarkable ladies, each in a different season of life. At seventy-six years old, the legendary Hermione Gingold was a wise, seen-it-all-and-then-some Madame Armfeldt, gruffly affectionate to her daughter and granddaughter, and showing us all how it's done…and from her character's wheelchair, no less. Patricia Elliott, as Charlotte, was a young thirty-five when I saw the show, and her cynical acceptance of the vicissitudes of love was dignified and truthful, and her duet with Ms. Mallory, "Every Day a Little Death" was a highlight. Leading it all was Glynis Johns, then fifty, whose radiance and breeziness as Desiree gave A Little Night Music its glorious heart. And when she sat down in that gorgeous red dress and sang "Send in the Clowns," as it was meant to be sung, you could hear a pin drop, and you felt all her regrets expressed in that smallish, unusual voice. Divine. But this was not the showstopper of the evening. Nope. That distinction fell to the first act finale, the dazzling "A Weekend in the Country," a number so brilliantly conceived and executed, I didn't want it to end, and when it did, I didn't want to stop applauding. – at the Majestic Theatre, New York

Sidebar: A Little Night Music won six Tony Awards at the 1973 Tonys: Best Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Glynis Johns), Best Supporting Actress in a Musical (Patricia Elliot), Best Costumes, Best Book, and Best Score. At 601 performances, it was a financial success. At 23, I was terribly excited to see Glynis Johns, an actress I'd admired since her delicious turn in Mary Poppins and in the little-known aviation potboiler, No Highway in the Sky. I was not disappointed. Favorite Barbara Lang was Johns' understudy and both times I saw the show in New York, I kind of hoped she'd be on as Desiree. No such luck, though. (Johns became ill before the New York opening and Lang took over for a bit, a turn praised by Harold Prince in his autobiography.)

– Shubert Theatre, Chicago

October, 1974/November 1974/November 1974/December 1974. Okay, so I was a teensy bit obsessed with the show when the National Tour stopped off at the Shubert. But, it was so good, I had to see it more than once. This was a duplicate of the original production: gorgeous to look at and listen to, expertly staged, and well-cast. Original cast alum (the original Frid) George Lee Andrews was perhaps, at thirty-two, a bit too young to play Fredrik, but he was handsome and a superb actor and singer. Ed Evanko, who became a priest in his sixties (!!), Virginia Pulos, Andra Akers, Stephen Lehew, and Mary Ann Chinn were cast in the major supporting roles, and they were all excellent. The big difference between this production and the original was in its two primary ladies, Desiree Armfeldt and her mother, Madame Armfeldt. In New York, Glynis Johns was an earthy, bawdy Desiree, with a full-throated laugh and an obvious love for life. Hermione Gingold was equally earthy and though cynical as she went down memory lane in "Liaisons," you knew she had a grand time doing it. Johns and Gingold complemented each other perfectly. For the tour, Harold Prince had the good sense to cast two actresses who would give their own takes on these roles and complement each other as well. Film star Jean Simmons took a break from her cinematic career to take on the role of Desiree Armfeldt. Arguably, Simmons was more glamorous than Glynis Johns, and her Desiree was a bit more sophisticated, a bit more reserved than Johns'. The Wicked Witch of the West as Madame Armfeldt? Seriously? Yes, indeed. Margaret Hamilton's long career was more than just one movie, of course, and she worked constantly for decades, but The Wizard of Oz and the WW of the West, are what she will forever be remembered. So let's give her some props for going on stage at seventy-two, in what would be her final stage role, in a role identified by its originator. Unlike Gingold, Hamilton was more regal, haughty even, as she prowled the Shubert stage in her wheelchair, dismissing the people who invaded her house as though they were beneath her. Her "Liaisons" was more spoken than sung, and you got the impression her affairs were truly more business transactions that paid off handsomely than affairs of the heart, a performance truly in harmony with Simmons' more reserved Desiree. They were both magnificent. The show received a warm reception from the Chicago critics and had a successful run of nearly three months. – at the Shubert Theatre, Chicago

– Melody Top Theatre, Milwaukee

The Melody Top sign on Good Hope Road, Milwaukee

 The interior of Melody Top. It was not a small venue.

The dinner at the top of Act 2. Lois Hunt, center, looks years older than Earl Wrightson (behind her) even though he was eight years her senior. That's David Holliday at the right and a young and quite glam Holland Taylor, as Charlotte, behind him.

Melody Top

August, 1976. It's not especially often that I don't remember much about a show I've seen. That usually means there was nothing particularly memorable, good or bad, about the production. Curiously, both shows I saw at Melody Top Theatre in Milwaukee that summer, Bells Are Ringing with Tab Hunter and Rita Moreno, and this production of A Little Night Music, fall into the "don't remember much" category. As summer stock goes, Melody Top was highly-regarded. They hired really good people, and if the production values weren't on a par with, say, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse or Marriott Lincolnshire, the shows still had a professional sheen to them. I do remember not especially liking Zoya Leporska's Madame Armfeldt. Not-married-to-each-other-but-everyone-thought-they-were performing duo of Earl Wrightson and Lois Hunt played Fredrik and Desiree. Company alum Alice Cannon played Anne. David Holliday, all blond and good-looking, and the rather insipid male romantic lead in Coco, played Carl-Magnus and, most interesting of all, a young Holland Taylor, already known from television and who go on to great fame as the lead in Moose Murders, played Charlotte. I suspect everything was done well, if not especially compelling. What I remember most about the evening was what I wore that night: a dark blue (roughly the color of my car) suit made out of Qiana, that god-awful, completely unnatural faux-silk fabric popular in the 70s because it flowed really well on the dance floor. Didn't breathe, you sweated like a pig, but you looked good. Designed and impeccably made by my good friend, Durkin, it consisted of a pirate-style shirt cut down to there and loose-fitting drawstring pants. Now granted, I was a mere wisp of a thing back then, but, seriously, what was I thinking? I cringe to this day. – at Melody Top Theatre, Milwaukee 

Sidebar: Old-school, classic summer stock, Melody Top was a celebration of the golden-age of musicals, with the occasional foray into the 70s, operetta, and pre-Oklahoma! musicals. In addition to A Little Night Music,1976's season included: A Funny Thing…Forum starring Arte Johnson, 1776 starring Ross Martin and Stubby Kaye, My Fair Lady with Leonard Nimoy (huh?), the aforementioned Bells Are Ringing, Shenandoah with John Raitt, and Irene starring Jane Powell. No skimping on recognizable names there. Many stars returned to Melody Top season after season. One of the more interesting castings was in the 80s when Jo Anne Worley starred as Rose in Gypsy. Melody Top was class, but the times and public tastes changed, and after twenty-three seasons, it rather unceremoniously closed its doors, cancelling its planned 1987 season.

Apologies to Holland Taylor: Okay, mentioning 1983's Moose Murders perhaps was a bit naughty, but MM is one of Broadway's legendary flops, perhaps the gold-standard for sheer awfulness. Taylor, an established star in 1983, took over the lead role during previews from Eve Arden, fired after only a handful of performances. (Shades of Sandy Duncan and Finding Neverland!) For the record, Samuel French holds the rights to Moose Murders. A ghastly read, but fun in a train-wreck way. Thankfully, the wonderful Ms. Holland survived the ordeal and went on to further acclaim and set the theatre world on its ear with her exquisite performance as Ann Richards in the solo show, Ann. I saw Ann.  I can vouch for her performance.

– Ravinia Pavilion, Ravinia, IL

August, 2002. For those of you who don't believe Patti LuPone ever tanks in a show, I give you Exhibit A: A Little Night Music in a staged concert presentation at the Ravinia Festival in north suburban Ravinia, IL. A year after Ms. LuPone and co-star George Hearn thrilled us all with Sweeney Todd at Ravinia, the powers-that-be decided to pair the two again in another Sondheim classic. And it was pretty awful. And it was pretty awful primarily because Patti LuPone was miscast and poorly directed in a part that simply didn't translate well to her formidable skill set. Putting her in a ghastly blonde wig didn't help either. The discussion at the interval was whether or not we wanted to subject ourselves to more of the same. We decided to stay and were rewarded with, pre-Spamalot and Tony Award, Sara Ramirez as Petra kicking all sorts of serious butt with her thrilling rendition of "The Miller's Son." (see YouTube) The cast was laden with talent: George Hearn (Fredrik), Zoe Caldwell (Madame Armfeldt...oddly subdued), Marc Kudisch as Carl-Magnus (appropriately asshole-ish), and a really good Hollis Resnick as Charlotte. But Patti was the big ticket item, and, sadly, she just failed to deliver. The role of Desiree requires a careful balance of theatricality and subtlety, and LuPone couldn't or wouldn't walk that tightrope. In the interest of fairness, the Tribune's critic did critical cartwheels over this production. I stand by my opinion that this was a miss. – at the Ravinia Pavilion, Ravinia, IL.

Sidebar: LuPone would redeem herself and then some a few years later when her first visit as Rose in Gypsy stormed this same venue. There are many reasons why Patti LuPone is one of our contemporary musical theatre legends, and I'm a big fan, but even legends have their off shows and this was one of them.

– Walter Kerr Theatre, New York

December, 2009. Preview performance (one of the last before opening). A long line at the Kerr box office greeted us when we arrived to hopefully purchase tickets. From overheard snippets while waiting on line, it looked grim. But the fates were with us, thanks to a potential customer who didn't like what was offered to her, and we snared two seats for that evening's performance near the back of the orchestra of the smallish Walter Kerr. To our pleasant surprise, we discovered that one of Bob's former students, Betsy Morgan, was one of the quintet. To our not-so-pleasant surprise, the curtain rose on a dour, gloomy, and frankly ugly set. Gorgeous costumes, though. The nine-piece orchestra, wisely using a harp as one of its instruments, played the score excellently, but it sounded thin and under-nourished, and I often felt, well, musically cheated. Plus the slow tempos for many of the songs gave a lumbering feel to the evening. I felt Trevor Nunn's direction was often heavy-handed. This is a romantic, diaphanous show, Trevor. We're not storming the barricades here. "A Weekend in the Country," partially because of the scenic design, partially because of the size of the orchestra, and partially because of the tempo, lacked pacing and excitement, didn't soar, and didn't leave us panting for more. Where this production shone, however, was in its three principal players. Catherine Zeta-Jones as Desiree was a revelation, giving the part subtlety, humor, and refreshing dollop of sexiness. The magnificent Angela Lansbury gave Madame Armfeldt a regal edge that was slightly self-mocking at the same time. Alexander Hanson, reprising his London Menier Chocolate Factory role, was astonishingly good, sexy, and handsome as Fredrik. Erin Davie (Charlotte), Leigh Ann Larking (Petra), Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, especially endearing as Henrik, Ramona Mallory (Anne), playing the role her mother, Victoria Mallory, originated in 1973, and Aaron Lazar, all bluster and ego as Carl-Magnus, rounded out the major roles. The quintet (Stephen R. Buntrock, Jayne Paterson, Marissa McGowan, Kevin David Thomas, Betsy Morgan) sang beautifully. The Menier Chocolate Factory, where this production originated, is a very small London venue, not capable of all the bells and whistles available in larger houses. By not adapting the production design to the larger Kerr stage, the show itself looked on the cheap. (This cheap look was also noticeable in the 2016 West End transfer of Menier's Funny Girl.) The critics were divided; some loved it and some hated it. I was a fan of the performances, but not of the production. Catherine Zeta-Jones would win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, the revival's only Tony win. Some felt she didn't deserve it. They were wrong. – at the Walter Kerr Theatre, New York

Sidebar: Much was made of Zeta-Jones' performance of "Send in the Clowns" on the Tony Awards. It wasn't particularly good. Vocal problems were cited as the reason. At the performance we caught, she was excellent and in fine voice. So there.

Backstage Sidebar: Betsy met us afterwards and took us backstage. Bob was in geek heaven.

And as the final waltz comes to an end, we'll say goodbye to A Little Night Music.

© 2017 Jeffrey Geddes