A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC'S reopening tonight...(review updates here)- Page 8

[binau]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 6:48pm

Did anyone go to TOday's Matinee?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 7:01pm

Larkin's accent of many colors is NOT European at all. It's horrible.

[HairyMeeskiteInAnotherHall]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 7:57pm

I was at the matinee. A few notes:

I have never seen this production (or any other, for that matter) of the show, so I have nothing to compare it to.

Peters was fantastic. I cannot imagine how Zeta-Jones could have played this role. Bernadette Peters had a little bit of Peters in her Desiree, but she was touching, hilarious and heartbreaking. There were visibile tears in her eyes during "Clowns," as well as audible sobs in the audience. This is definitely her role.

SPOILER ALERT

Stritch, on the other hand, was.. Stritch. No accent attempt whatsoever. She seems to have delayed any characterization until she gets her lines right. "Liaisons" made the entire audience uncomfortable, but they wanted her to get her lines correct. She needed someone to shout the lyrics from the wings three times during that song, and a few times at other points - including the wooden ring scene. Her death was odd as well.

END SPOILER ALERT

The ensemble cast was phenomenal. Herdlicka was great, contrary to everything I've read about him. His singing was top notch. The woman playing Anne was a tad shrill, but good in the role. Everyone else, including the ensemble singers, were fantastic as a whole. Two of the ensemble singers were out.

Production wise, I had no issue with the minimalist approach. The only issue I had was the curtain call. It was just.. awkward - they could have at least completely dimmed the lights while the actors got into place. Bringing out the conductor felt strange to me.

Stage door - Peters, Hanson and Stritch did not come out. A few of the ensemble cast did, however.

Updated On: 7/15/10 at 07:57 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 8:10pm

Is Elaine using an ear piece and still messing up or is she not using one? I'm confused as to why they would choose to call out her lines from the wings instead of using an ear piece.
Updated On: 7/14/10 at 08:10 PM

[Holbee]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 8:13pm

Erin Davie was an excellent Charlotte. I probably went in thinking she wouldn't be good as she seemed miscast. And Nunn had obviously done such little work with the London Countess I just assumed the worst. But I found Davie got every nuance. I'm of the school that thinks "Every Day a Little Death" may not belong in the show. And certainly not in that light comic scene (please don't argue contrast with me, I know my musical theatre and the only reason the songs works is because, as a song, its sort of brilliantly written..in places.)

As someone else stated, Maureen Moore copied Diana Rigg's line readings. Almost exactly. And though I did not see Patricia's Charlotte, I'm quite certain that Diana Rigg is the best Charlotte that has been or ever will be.

Also, to come to the aid of Ms Larkin, she is easily, EASILY, the best Petra I have ever seen. And I have seen this show many, many times and love it very, very much.
Updated On: 7/14/10 at 08:13 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 8:20pm

I'm of the school that thinks "Every Day a Little Death" may not belong in the show. And certainly not in that light comic scene (please don't argue contrast with me, I know my musical theatre and the only reason the songs works is because, as a song, its sort of brilliantly written..in places.)

That's an opinion. I'm not one to argue with a single person's opinion, but you can't state that the song doesn't belong simply because you know your musical theatre. That's silly. It's nothing more than an opinion and something that could never be stated as fact. There is a difference.
Updated On: 7/14/10 at 08:20 PM

[binau]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 8:20pm

"And certainly not in that light comic scene (please don't argue contrast with me, I know my musical theatre and the only reason the songs works is because, as a song, its sort of brilliantly written..in places.) "

Lol WTF - what a close-minded, arrogant comment. "Don't argue with me, I'm right". God.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 8:26pm

I always thought "Every Day a Little Death" worked so well because it seems to really show that Anne and Fredrik's marriage just does not work. Charlotte seems to be saying that things in her household don't work, but Anne says that there's a little death "on the lips and in the eyes," which to me says that she notices that there is nothing real between she and her husband. It fills in more of the backstory (why she's still a virgin) and sets up a reason for the ending.

Updated On: 7/14/10 at 08:26 PM

[Q]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 8:35pm

"And though I did not see Patricia's Charlotte, I'm quite certain that Diana Rigg is the best Charlotte that has been or ever will be."

And that pretty much puts your opinion in context - or, to put it another way, your opinion counts for nothing.

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 8:37pm

I love it when people say, "don't argue with my opinion." Seriously, go talk to a wall if you don't want to have a dialogue.

[Holbee]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:09pm

I said don't argue "contrast"...that's a bit different than "don't argue with me", I don't care if you disagree or state your disagreement, its that PARTICULAR argument I'm tired of.

And to the person who tried to nullify my opinion by inferring that since I love Rigg I can have no opinion...

you're a bit of an ass, aren't you?

[Q]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:15pm

I'm that person, and ass though I may be, ANYONE who states that they haven't seen a regarded performance, and then states that it doesn't matter because THEIR preferred performance is definitive, has conclusively nullified any perspecitve they might give.

Period.

[wonkit]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:21pm

I have always found "Every Day a Little Death" to be a tremendously poignant song. As someone noted above, Charlotte is complaining about her rather long-standing but emotionally empty marriage: her death is by attrition, by constantly being worn down by the indignities that Carl-Margnus imposes on her. But Anne is young, relatively newly married, and the death she is suffering is knowing that something is missing for her and her inability to correct it emotionally. The fact that they end up singing in unison strikes me as Anne first grown-up reaction to the situation she is in.

[Holbee]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:24pm

um...Mr. Ass...people state someone or other has given definitive performances all the time without realistically seeing every performance of that role ever given. Come on, you know that. Right? Right?

[Q]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:36pm

I know that they do so with an inflated sense of their own perspective, as you have amply demonstrated.

Feel free to share more, and I'll feel free to continue being an ass.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:14pm

Holbee, no.

You are NOT allowed EVER to state that a performer has given the best performance of a role that "has been or ever will be." UNLESS you have seen every performance of that role that "has been or ever will be"...which, of course, is impossible or, at least, improbable.

You CANNOT EVEN state that a performance is definitive.

You CAN HOWEVER state that IN YOUR OPINION or IN YOUR EXPERIENCE a performance is definitive.

Saying that you are "quite certain" of this does not count as saying it is merely your opinion or a conclusion drawn from your personal experience. The "quite" merely modifies the certainty; it does not transform it into an expression of opinion or a conclusion drawn from your personal experience.

Beware of BOMBAST. It defeats your arguments; it does not win them.

And beware of name-calling. You lose automatically when you call your opponent a name.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 11:10pm

So, I really believe Nunn doesn't understand how the Egerman family can (should?) function dramatically, and I think that "Now/Later/Soon", one of my favorite pieces of music ever, is a huge bore (At best. At worst, it's a pain.) in this production.

BUT:

All the praise for Bernadette is tempting me to go back.

Decisions, decisions...

[Q]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 1:06am

Thanks, PJ

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 1:14am

Q and PJ are right. I don't see how one can call someone's performance definitive when they haven't seen the role's originator (who won a Tony, no less).

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 1:20am

Agreed Adam Greer. People have no business passing judgement on shows or performances they have not seen.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 1:32am

man, this production is setting people's opinions OFF, and then cuases delightful BWW tension.

It's incredible to me how defensive people are of this piece and how beloved it really is.

And I haven't seen or read it, so I can't comment on it's brilliance.

[binau]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 1:38am

Children can be very queer about their animals.

[Q]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 1:43am

inlovewith - I thought the same thing earlier!

It must be because of the combustible combination - Sondheim, divas, and boredom

[PReeves2]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 1:46am

THANKS HariymeeskyinHall..., I've never seen the show yet nore do I know much about the plot and was looking forward to seeing these two in the production when I come up to NYC in late July or August. you could have give a "Spoiler Alert" comment before giving your review.
Updated On: 7/23/10 at 01:46 AM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 10:15am

I'm assuming PJ is being ironic. Either that or it's a "do as I say, not as I do" kind of thing.