A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC'S reopening tonight...(review updates here)- Page 9

[goodmanK]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 10:54am

Can we get some more reviews!

[HairyMeeskiteInAnotherHall]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 12:04pm

So sorry PReeves2! It's fixed. If it makes a difference, the spoiler has nothing to do with the plot, nor will knowing it affect your enjoyment of the show.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 1:25pm

"According to pictures from Playbill.com, Bernadette and Elaine came out the stagedoor. Bernadette signed, not sure if Elaine did as there was one picture of her coming out of the door."

If you really want Stritch's autograph, send her a letter. She sends GREAT pictures. I have one. Can't wait to see this next Wednesday.

[binau]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 6:15pm

Speaking of stagedoors, the photo of Hunter and his 'friend' have mysteriously disappeared, and the thread on BW.com deleted. Nothing sus!

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 8:57pm

^ I noticed that, too. Hunter can't possibly be in the closet, can he? (Especially since he's been seen making out with guys all over Hell's Kitchen).

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 10:30pm

If you want to talk about actors' sex lives, go to datalounge.com.

Here on BroadwayWorld, we argue about whose performance-we-never-saw was definitive, not who made out with whom.

[binau]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 10:42pm

lol.

But just so it's clear the photo was removed from the bw.com article too. (I'm not complaining/can understand deleting the thread)

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 10:45pm

Aww. I missed the picture.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 12:01am

We've heard about this week's Tuesday performance and Wednesday matinee, now does anybody have reviews of the Wednesday & Thursday evening performances?

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 5:14pm

Going by this interview, Herdlicka is fairly religious.


Best advice you've ever been given? From the man himself: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

http://www.broadwayspace.com/page/star-stats-hunter-ryan

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 5:17pm

Wondering if someone is gay is talking about his sex life?

[HorseTears]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 8:07pm

That BP rendition of 'Clowns' is magnificent. What a treat. Gotta say, though, reading this thread makes me long for the LA Opera production from a few years back with Judith Ivey, Victor Garber, Mark Kudisch, Laura Benanti, Michelle Pawk and Zoe Caldwell. That was a near perfect cast.

[Q]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 8:13pm

Horse - I agree, it was damn near perfect. AND, it had an entire orchestra

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 8:44pm

I saw the show on Wednesday night and was able to post some thoughts on talkinbroadway but will repost them here. As I think some others have pointed out - the performance on Wednesday night ran about 3 hours and ten minutes plus a five minute curtain call.


And obviously some tightening of the pace is going to have to happen over the coming weeks, but over all the scene work to me was captivating -- and I absolutely agree about Peters who is a Desiree unlike any that we've ever seen before - sexy, funny as you say but also selfish, petulant and with just a slight resentment to Frederick for what was obviously a love affair that went sour once upon a time. It makes her breakthrough moments of discovery in ACT 2 all the more palpable and moving. She's stunning.

Stritch is still finding her way and is probably working through the role but already has a lot of moments that are equally hilarious and heartbreaking and seemed a lot more confident and assured in her lines and lyrics than the first reports on Tuesday night. She did not, for the record, go up on any of her lyrics - she had a few pauses in LIAISONS but made her way through it intact.

I think with about a week more under her belt she's going to best what Lansbury, (who while wonderful, was never quite as I see the character), did with the part.

[Q]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 8:47pm

Every single word I read about Bernadette - especially from those whose opinion I respect - is making me actually ache to see her in this role

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 9:01pm

I think with about a week more under her belt she's going to best what Lansbury, (who while wonderful, was never quite as I see the character), did with the part.

I think I can wait another week...although, you're right, Q, everything I read about Bernadette's performance makes me want to see it immediately.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:02pm

Just got back home from NYC, and finished my review (actually reviews since I saw not just NIGHT MUSIC).

By the way, that was my first time to see this production.

July 14, 2010 (8:00 pm) - A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC @ Kerr

I think this is the show that I got hyped the most! Not only because I could FINALLY watch Bernadette Peters LIVE, but I was SO SO SO pleased with the whole production! The first time I read the book of the musical, I said to myself that if one needs to direct the show, one needs to focus on the words from Desiree: "coherent existence." These are the word that a production of the show should focus and play around it. And obviously, Trevor Nunn saw that too. It is use of "coherent" geometry pattern on the stage (and also the direction) with the "incoherent" pattern of the trees and backdrops that intelligently elevates that idea. The characters are muddled in love and sex, and things become complicated. As the musical goes on, the stage physically becomes more and more complex and out of its shape. Yet, at the end, when Frederick realize the truth of "coherent existence," the stage goes back to the original shape, the geometry, and people dances in a regular pattern. Also, the foggy mirrors resembles the faded memories. As the play goes, it seems that the characters are playing on a kaleidoscope, a very old kaleidoscope that was nearly forgotten.

The lighting is another brilliance. It was good that I watched the show from the second level that I saw the lighting on the ground. During "A Weekend in the Country," Desiree and her daughter sit in the middle of the stage, and underneath them was some kind of a flower pattern. It looked like they are the fairies of poppies or something which represents that they are free, while the characters around them are in regular spotlight. I was also VERY surprise with the light change during "The Miller's Son." That light change, as if a pair of eyes changes its sight by moving the head very quickly, elevates that meaning of the characters swiftness with focus, calculation. Somehow the lighting actually made commentaries on the characters. They were all intelligently and brilliantly performed. I was not really a big fan on Nunn's directions in musical, but this is, as the critics says, "devastatingly good!" During the scene of picnic, when Henrik makes a nervous breakdown, everyone at the back turns their back to the audience, except Petra. Petra, standing at the back, looks at the main characters in the front who are in the complicated business. She immediately becomes the eye, the cold eye of the show, and this also reflects back to the "Miller's Son," to indicate that Petra is the character who is the ultimate commentator of the play, and calculation and the interpretation of relationships. The quintet, on the other hand, evolves as the voices of the characters, like ghosts running around each scenes, each scenario to witness the recollecting of the memories.

Goes into acting. Bernadette was A-MA-ZING! Now that's what I called a Broadway legend! She totally used her time within the song to act (the show was 15 minutes longer in running than usual by the way). There were several times that the show nearly stopped with applauses and cheers, and also laughters. Bernadette is capable to make what is supposed to a operatic farce into reality! She was funny in "You Must Meet My Wife" and most of the scenes that are supposed to be funny. Yet, her "Send in the Clowns" was also sensational. In my opinion, it's even better than Judi Dench's. Judi Dench's version is ultimately heartbreaking, but Bernadette's version is more than heartbreaking. She interprets the character that at that moment, Desiree is not just angry but bitter hollow. She was calm, yet in her singing, you could hear there were tiny ripples underneath her calmness. As I listened, I tended to see that her Desiree had shunned herself into a deep dark hole of mourning, a state that she is totally giving up the thought of even have the chance with Fredrik. There's not even heartbreaking emotion. It's the state of loveless, the state of total disappointment yet still survives as a living dead.

Elaine Stritch was also phenomenal! Every line coming from mouth became instantly a funny joke. Yet, her "Liaisons" is also the most complex I've ever seen. The character is no longer just an old lady trying to remember the old times and, but actually mourning and somehow hating the fact that she didn't do good enough to be one of the liaisons. Her bitterness and loneliness were all over her performance. At the end, it was not that she's old and doze off in the middle of saying "liaisons." She actually couldn't bear to say the word again, and grieved finally.

The rest of the cast was above greatness! The quintet! Oh. My. GOD! They are, again, ON FIRE! Really good performance with great voices. Alex, Hunter, Ramona, Aaron (what a body!), Erin and Leigh, they were all fantastic! I think Alex even deepened his role too during the "Send in the Clowns" scene, and Leigh's "Miller's Son" gave a powerful conclusion! This, along with SOUTH PACIFIC, are two good shows that I am willing to see them again, or even and again if I can!

SIDE NOTE: it's a pity that I can only get Hunter's, Ramona's, and Leigh's autographs. Though Elaine did a short speech then went straight into her car, the rest of the cast left from another secret exit. It's kind of dramatic that it suddenly rained right after the guy made the announcement.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:06pm

Thanks for you thoughts! I am glad you enjoyed the production.

Did Elaine have any noticeable trouble with her lines or lyrics?

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:11pm

I am simply aching to see Bernadette in this production. I may just need to call in sick to work one day next week and take the bus to NYC.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:12pm

For those who have seen the production with both CZJ/Lansbury and Bernadette/Stritch, how is the show itself affected by the new stars? I'm curious to know if those who took issue with the production before have changed their opinion at all because of a new dynamic the show may have now.

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:15pm

"Thanks for you thoughts! I am glad you enjoyed the production.

Did Elaine have any noticeable trouble with her lines or lyrics?"

You're welcome! And no, it didn't feel like she has trouble or anything. I was just so happy and thought that she took a different approach on her role, and I love it!

[PauloFanClem]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:18pm

"For those who have seen the production with both CZJ/Lansbury and Bernadette/Stritch, how is the show itself affected by the new stars? I'm curious to know if those who took issue with the production before have changed their opinion at all because of a new dynamic the show may have now."

It's like what I saw in NEXT TO NORMAL last Tuesday. I was drained with emotion by Brian d'Arcy James (especially at the end) and like the show in overall. But I know that if I saw it with J. Robert Spencer, I might just dislike the show from start to finish.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:06am

Are they selling windowcards with BP's and Elaine's name on them?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:17am

It's like what I saw in NEXT TO NORMAL last Tuesday. I was drained with emotion by Brian d'Arcy James (especially at the end) and like the show in overall. But I know that if I saw it with J. Robert Spencer, I might just dislike the show from start to finish.

I was going to ignore this, since it's not what the thread is about, but I can't. That's an idiotic statement to make, especially considering you never saw Spencer's performance. D'Arcy James is fabulous, but Spencer was also excellent (and honestly, should have won the Tony that year). The show was not any worse because J. Robert Spencer was in it.

[Q]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 1:00am

"Here on BroadwayWorld, we argue about whose performance-we-never-saw was definitive" - PalJoey