A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC'S reopening tonight...(review updates here) — Page 5

I really didn't care about Stritch's lack of accent, and to be honest, I don't really want one from her. One of my biggest annoyances about this production, actually, is the deployment of crazy accents from almost every cast member... the terrible accents were distracting the first two times I saw the show, and tonight they were even worse. Stritch was truly a breath of fresh air in that regard -- I'd rather hear someone give me an amazing performance in standard American than a lackluster, forced performance in some pseudo-British-Irish-American amalgam of an accent (I'm looking at you, Leigh Ann Larkin).

I really didn't care about Stritch's lack of accent, and to be honest, I don't really want one from her.

So, basically, you don't want her to try and act, you just want her to be Elaine Stritch.

For anyone who cares, there are some new covers in the cast.

Bradley Dean now covers Fredrik. Kevin Vortmann now covers Carl-Magnus. And Betsy Morgan started covering Desiree in the Spring. Since Betsy and Jayne were out tonight, temporary Desiree undestudy Heather Ayers was there.

Agree to disagree, ljay -- I just don't think any of the accents in the production are strong enough/similar enough to make an "accent to show class separation" choice play the way it should. It works in Les Mis for me because everyone aside from the Thenardiers in the show is doing their own standard accent. In Night Music, the accents are really all across the board (Herdlicka sounds American to me most of the time; Mallory does some weird baby-talk/British/American mixture, et cetera) and so the "class distinction" choice isn't very clear to me. All 3 times I've seen the show, Larkin's accent has just come across as another weird accent from nowhere among the cast. I just really felt that none of the accents in the production helped to give me a sense of place and really just ended up distracting me and a few other audience members.

But again, ljay, that's just my opinion, and clearly, I'm just nitpicking on what was a spectacular theatrical experience tonight. I wish this cast could be recorded, because I honestly felt like I was watching a brand new show from the one I saw months ago. I loves me some Stritch and I was a big fan of what she did tonight; regardless of her flubs, I thought she gave a superb characterization of Madame Armfeldt, and her chemistry with Peters was truly a delight to watch (the relationship between mother and daughter was one thing I was really lacking with CZJ and Lansbury, both of whom I also really enjoyed).

Updated On: 7/14/10 at 02:14 AM

Oh, for what it's worth, I just remembered, Stritch doesn't smoke onstage. I don't know if it's permanent, or if she just forgot the prop, but she didn't do it tonight.

Ooh! Ooh! Someone PM me!!

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Here was my experience:

I bought a standing room ticket literally at 6:55PM. There was still another empty position next to me, I believe. As the play began, Stephen Sondheim was seated in front of my little stoop. Unbelievable!

Bernadette has made clever, careful, and intelligent choices with Desiree. Her voice is in top form, and I expect it will remain that way, as the role was designed to not be particularly demanding in the way of vocals. She even showed off a little soprano in "You Must Meet My Wife" for a quick moment. Her "Glamorous Life" is much more self-aware and sarcastic than CZJ's. She finds so much humor in the script and has beautiful instincts at how to bring out the jokes in the best ways. Audiences are in for a treat. Conversely, the scene before "You Must Meet My Wife" was appropriately awkward and terse - she approaches their meeting with a sense of discomfort that came across extraordinarily well. She was HILARIOUS in "You Must Meet My Wife," using her cigarette to help her comedy along. "Clowns" was stunning, I could go on and on. Bernadette is a revelation in the role.

Elaine Stritch, bless her heart, has been thrown into a very difficult situation. I'm sure if the decision had been made to add her into the show sooner, she would have been more prepared for the situation. That being said, the timing both in her scenes and songs is, at this point, uncomfortably slow. She does have moments where the brilliance of Stritch glimmers through, however. Give her a few weeks, and she'll have it, I'm sure.

The cast has had a bit more rehearsal with Sondheim, Rob Bowman has given a new spin to a few moments, and also the cast had just developed into their roles more throughout the previous run, so the show overall is in a really good place at this point. Alexander Hanson has a lovely voice and makes smart acting choices, but his backphrasing has gotten way out of hand. During "Now" he almost threw himself off he backphrased so much - almost lost control of it. Ramona Mallory, still annoying and a little shrill, has clearly been hard at work on her voice. Her musical phrasing in "Soon" is much better now, and she takes much better care of her higher notes. Her soprano sounds more open and natural now than it did when the show opened, and especially more than when she was in "The Fantasticks" last summer.

Hunter Ryan Herdlicka also has clearly been continuing to study voice in the city since the opening of the run. He has a much more open, "legit" sound than last winter, and also has stepped away from the (misguided) direction to make his high-B "shout-like" and has found a lovely, mixed-voice placement with gorgeous vibrato. A great performance.

Erin Davie has stepped away from Nunn's "be sad, somber, and not funny at all" direction just enough to giver her Countess the laughs she deserves. Bowman took "Every Day A Little Death" at a more traditional, brighter tempo and it put an awesome level of irony in Erin's performance. She's just brilliant. She had Sondheim in stitches on more than one occasion.

Aaron Lazar, consistent, hilarious, and in great voice. What a pro. The show is lucky to have him. Leigh Ann Larkin's "The Miller's Son" is a definite highlight of the show. Her vocal placement on "meanwhile" throughout is a little less nasal than on the record most of the time. She has a wonderful presence on stage, and gives the number great drive. Gets better every time I see it.

It was a very special night at the theater, but I would recommend giving Stritch a few weeks to get her feet under her before checking it out. Bravo!

Three more: http://www.life.com/search/?q0=a+little+night+music&date=lastweek

Sounds like Bernadette and the role are the magical mix I thought they would be.

I'm going to wait a few weeks until Elaine gets the material under her belt. It seems the decent thing to do.

It's good to hear that Ramona, Hunter and Erin have stepped away from their previously misguided choices.

And callitquits, don't worry about posting late at night and misspeaking. We've all done it. Your post was worth it just for the phrase Bernadette's perfectly delivered "You Must Meet My Wife," which brought shivers down my spine.

Bernadette's perfectly delivered "You Must Meet My Wife." Heaven.

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Yes, please! I'm seeing the show on the last weekend in August, but I'd love an opening-night sampler! Thank you so much. :)

The dress reminds me of the one Glynis Johns wore in a Little Night Music :)

^ She's not getting a free pass because she's Elaine Stritch, even though she probably should. When you're 86 years old and still doing it well, you deserve a certain level of respect. People are being lenient, I believe, because they know (based on last night's performance) that she's on the road to delivering something truly great. And anyone who was there last night can attest to that.

As Elaine likes to say, that's coffee.

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