Anyone going to the first preview of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC tonight? — Page 4

I really think its a bit much to assume that a performer should sign anything. Your ticket was for the performance, not the side door fawning. Would it be nice if they signed something? Sure. But the over the top hero worship at stage doors goes beyond the pale -- I've seen any number of people lie to get near someone. I agree with the theatre that anything for a performer must be left with the stage door security -- no one, no one but the cast, crew, and creatives belongs backstage unless they are brought back by one of them, and no one but the performer and perhaps crew belongs in a dressing room unless they've been invited in. Period.

Sounds like a lot of the problems here were problems in London. It sounds like Davie, who I thought was sensational in Grey Gardens, is giving a similar performance to her London counterpart as is Mallory, and I blame that on Nunn. The only improvement might be that the singing will be better than it was in London. I bought my ticket for this with the hopes that Nunn would let this wonderful cast do what they do best, but it sounds like he's determined to enforce his muddled vision. Hope things turn around when it opens. The first Broadway revival of Night Music and I want it to be great.

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Having heard audio of the London production, Mallory is in a completely different league from Buckley. Her vocals are just sensational. What a voice.
And Davie just needs to nail the humor in act 1, she had some really fabulous moments in act 2.

Updated On: 11/25/09 at 11:49 AM

I was going to spend the $137 each or whatever it is for 2 tickets for Christmas week.

Now it seems as if the ONLY reason to see this is to see Angela's "Liaisons," which frankly isn't worth $280.

So I'll cling to my memories of having seen and loved the original and go see Ragtime instead.

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There hasn't been one negative review yet. Why are some of you worrying or writing it off?

It was only the first preview. They just need some work, and need to get more comfortable with the piece.

^ Completely agree. It seems as though the response is overwhelmingly positive: and that's after the first preview. I was tempted to see it this weekend (and darn it, I still may!!) but waiting until the performance I have tickets for in December seems like a better choice.

All in all, this thread has made me even more excited about the production!

Oh! And quick question: how much of "Weekend" remains in the production? For those of you who have seen it in London, more than what was originally edited?

can anyone post a pic of the title page?

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What makes a lot of Charlotte's humor work is that it's dead pan, pretty much commentary on the action. Nunn has made it clear he has no intention of doing that.
I'd never seen a production of the show before last night, so I don't know how Charlotte is "supposed" to be played. However, I can tell you that there was not one bit of deadpan from Davie as Charlotte. She had a lot of moments (in act 2) that work really well, but there was no deadpan. If anything, the deadpan moments are coming from Lansbury.

Now it seems as if the ONLY reason to see this is to see Angela's "Liaisons," which frankly isn't worth $280.
That's certainly a highlight, but there are a lot of other reasons to see the production. Hanson is (in my opinion) fabulous, and Jones acquits herself well onstage and will only get better. Did I love the production? No. However, it's not the disaster that Bye Bye Birdie was. Do I think it's as good as the Ragtime revival? Not at all. But again, I enjoyed the production a lot and would be eager to return after opening once they've all settled in.

Well, some things that won't change between now and opening are the lack of an acceptable set, no table for the freaking DINNER scene, the eight member orchestra and Nunn's imposition of a languid and melodramatic directorial conceit that doesn't necessarily work. Essentially nothing has changed since London, it seems, except sticking a cast with many of Broadway's brightest talents into a production that doesn't fully work even with casting that is to-the-letter what the director wanted (35 year old Desiree, no-names, etc) the first time around. As Sondheim recently, and snidely, remarked about Nunn's version of ALNM: "It's Swedish Chekhov."

I have to say that unless discount tickets show up, I am not interested in seeing full-wattage stars in a half-wattage production of one of the greatest musicals ever written with a teeny tiny band orchestra.

As PJ said, is it really worth $280 to hear a good though probably not definitive "Liasons" and suffer through a production that the majority of which you will probably abhor? And as much as I love Miss Zeta Jones, Desiree is not a very large role, I mean, Count Carl Magnus has nearly as much stage time and sung material. There's just no bang for the (big) bucks here. The cast deserves better, the show deserves better and the intellectually starved audience CERTAINLY deserves better. Especially for $140 a pop.

I'd almost rather see the new cast in Arthur's distasteful, but seemingly better in comparison or at least more enjoyable and less frustrating, revival of WSS.

I think it says everything about Nunn's miscalculations that the weakest link in his cast is the actress playing Charlotte, possibly the most fool-proof and audience pleasing character in musical theatre.

This does NOT look or sound good anymore... at all.

I am VERY depressed about all of this, but I have to be honest.

P

Updated On: 11/25/09 at 02:38 PM

I think only about 6 people (including myself) in this thread saw the show last night. And none of us have said it "sucked."

The production just needs some tightening, and they are working on that as I type this.
I think it will be top-notch by the time it opens.

"It's Swedish Chekov."

I doubt Sondheim ever said that.

What he probably said was...

"It's Swedish Chekhov."

Mr. Sondheim was at the Performance last night near where I was sitting, and he was laughing and having fun the whole time. He's been very involved in this production, he enjoys it very much. He even came by and said Hi to the merchandise kids before the show, and he's been in and out of Tech rehearsals. If it's good enough for Sondheim IT SHOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE ELSE. I guess some people are too good for Sondheim?

I thought the production was simply beautiful with strong performances from all the leads.

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