A Little Night Music — Page 3

I think that it definitely has to be believable that Desiree would have a 14-year-old daughter. Mirren could pull it off, given that she looks so amazing. Dench was the age Mirren is now (61) when she played the role a dozen years ago. From the photos I've seen, Dench looked a bit old for the role, but the recording sounds great.

I'd say the ideal Desiree should be (or look like she is) in her late 40s-early 50s.

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Do you think that they should age Fredrika if they went with an older Desiree?

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I'd love to see Rebecca Luker as Desiree, if not now, sometime in the future(if she's doing Mrs. Banks now, then make-up and lighting could make this a real possibility sooner rather than later). She is one of the few actresses who has the right anount of sheer elegance and class to pull the role right where it needs to go.If Desiree goes wrong, you might as well forget the whole show( she shouldn't come off as a cheap hooker and there is a real danger there with the wrong casting), as it is really an ensemble piece and everyone and everything have to blend seemlessly. I hestitate to even speculate on other casting- since I DID see the original cast on Broadway- as it seems like everything ends up being popped or belted no matter what the composer originally intended.If they EVER do this show with the actors toting around their intruments on the stage, will someone just put me out of misery right away?My pardons to those who like the idea or think it's innovative but the pit is the pit and anything else is a recipe for distaster and this show already is a very "busy" one on stage,without adding Fredrika playing a piccolo!

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Updated On: 3/6/07 at 07:25 PM

The caution with Desiree is NOT to overact her and that's why I thought Luker might be perfect as she has great control in her acting as well as her voice. Another interesting thought, if we're really paying close attention to the acting is Marla Schaffel? What about that idea?

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What about Linzi Hateley, she needs another 5 years on her, but she could be quite good.

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Luker would be a better Charlotte. Marla Schaffel is a brilliant choice. Then again, when is she ever not brilliant?

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AC126748, you have a good point with Charlotte as her voice needs to be higher. Even with her voice gone and running a fever, Marla Schaffel can still act anyone off of the stage. When she played " Eliza Doolittle" here, the poor woman was so ill that she had tea and tissues secreted all aroung the set; during the long "You Did It" interlude, she played the entire scene with her back to the audience- one couln't see her face at all- but she completely stole the scene. You could watch the muscles in her back and shoulders tightening and the anger just radiated from her. Totally AMAZING..... right in their with Judith Anderson and Julie Harris.

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Wasn't Helen Mirren on Broadway about five years ago in the Ian McKellen revival of "Dance of Death"

Now my suggestion is way out there and falls into the too old category, but I was watching this French musical called "8 Women" and Catherine Denuve and Danielle Darrieux are in it. I thought that they would have made a fabulous Desiree and Mdme. Armfelt.

One thing we do have to keep in mind when playing the "Too Old" card is that 100 years ago in Europe they didn't have botox. And people did look older than they do now.

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I find both Marla Schaffel and Jane Eyre to be two things that the theatre world could use to discover.

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Okay if you were Henrik I would personally buy tickets right away, It'd be amazing. You and Mark Kudisch with Helen Mirren on the same stage....