Anyone going to the first preview of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC tonight?- Page 7

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 2:59pm

Here is Glynis Johns singing "Send in the Clowns" when she was nearly 60. Very moving. She's brilliant...and heartbreaking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAl-EawVobY

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 3:05pm

Another gift for Q: The BATMAN episode with Ms. Johns. (I do believe I saw Tina Louise in there, as an added bonus!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7VTRZ6liKk

[Q]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 3:07pm

yay - thanks!

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 5:43pm

"^Me too! However, I think the poster who wrote that was making a joke. I think he gave all that up after his heart attack some thirty years ago. "

I certainly was not! Steve quit smoking CIGARETTES after the heart attack, amongst other vices, but not cheebah... though he's big on joints, not blunts as they contain more tar, nicotine and tobacco than even cigs. He talks about this quite openly in the Secrest book as well as in a few audio and television interviews. He feels it "opens up parts of the brain" that helps him compositionally with both music AND lyrics.

It's not a coincidence there is a weed joke in nearly every Sondheim show (ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, COMPANY, FOLLIES, THE FROGS, ASSASSINS right off the top of my head).

Good for him. And I agree with you, jv and the op!

P

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 6:18pm

I wonder how Sondheim agreed to such a miniscule orchestra. They are charging prices like they had a 20 piece orchestra. What next three kazoos & a violin?

I will remember the original production & pass this one by. This is sort of like getting what used to be 6 ounces of tuna & reading the label & learning it first went down to 5 1/2 & than 5 ounces instead of 6.

Barnum was right.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 7:09pm

Well it's not a thread without roxy complaining about ticket prices.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 7:23pm

Next time you complain about something, I will be sure to remind you.

Imagine, no one else complaining about ticket prices or anything else for that matter on this board. Who would have thought. A first for BWW . Look at the Carl Ballentine thread off topic. No mention by me of high ticket prices. How about that?

I have never seen people so eagerly & blindly taking one hit after another on prices & taking it like lambs going to the slaughter. You must have a lot of extra money to burn.

I notice you never answered the problem re the small orchestra. Seems like you are fixated on me saying something about prices & are oblivious to anything else. I will make sure I mention it again so you can, dare I say it, complain again.

My aren't prices high. Have fun & enjoy yourself.

Updated On: 11/27/09 at 07:23 PM

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 8:18pm

I saw the LA Opera production of this as well and enjoyed it. Now that I have that lush experience stored in my head, I look forward to a smaller production that promises, and I hope delivers, different pleasures from the piece. I wouldn't mind a Fredrick that can sing it, a Desiree with some glamor, and a staging that yields fresh insights. Zoe Caldwell was magnificent. It would be funny if, of all things, Lansbury were the one who didn't surpass that solid, if stolid, LA production.

[bk]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 1:04am

"There hasn't been one negative review yet."

Thanks for the laugh. Oy and vey.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 1:06am

"Thanks for the laugh. Oy and vey."

Show me one completely negative review of the BROADWAY production from here or ATC. All of the reviews recognize its strengths and what needs improvement.

[binau]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 1:12am

Especially when ljay889 posted that comment (I think you did, or someone did), I remember the ONLY comments from those who have actually been there were positive, most 'good but not great and it will improve'..

On ATC there was a bitter post about the orchestra (or lackthereof), and spend money to see other shows instead which I would consider negative, but still.

Posted: 11/28/09 at 5:00am

"Anyone know how many strings there were in the original production? I can still remember how lush that felt."

Not sure, but for the cast album they famously tripled the strings.

Pgenre is right--if we're being gossipy though I've heard much more worry from Sondheim's fans about the quatities of other subtances he has started imbiding in again, than pot.

(to say there's a pot joke in almost every Sondheim show is exagerating things though :P )

[Scripps2]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 5:20am

So I need to check out FTC again, Eric?

Posted: 11/28/09 at 5:35am

HAHA I think we've tried to keep the gossip hidden there this was a year or two back I heard the rumours about friends being worried--I think things have calmed a bit since then.

[jv92]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 9:47am

Oh God, what is he doing now, Eric?

Oh and by the way, I've posted my full report in another thread. This one was getting too long, negatvie and full of jokes about Steve smoking marijuana.

Posted: 11/28/09 at 10:28am

I prob should continue in PM (not that I pretend to have anygreat revelations or secret BrodyFosse style connections to info )

JV that was prob wise--loved the review. I do find it funny how this review thread has been pretty positive by those who have seen it yet posters who I respect, like PJoey and Pgenre seem to have jumped on the opinions as validating feelings they had that it isn't a good revival or worth seeing.

If I was in New York I would see it though obviously it doesn't fit my ideal (which would include reusing theAronson set :P ). I think Night Music is a show that's much harder to do than people think--on first glance it seems one of the more foolproof of Sondheim's shows but it's so subtle that it really needs a deft touch. But what do I know--I enjoy watching the (yes mess of a) movie more than I do that oddly sterile 1990 televised NYCO production with that massive, barren stage. Still, it sounds like an above average production which, after so many wanting Roundabout revivals is perhaps better than I expected.

[jv92]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 12:45pm

It's much better than a Roundabout production would have been. Unless we would have gotten our dear, beloved Natasha...we probably would have gotten, I don't know, the mother from The OC as Desiree and Kermit the Frog as Fredrick from Haimes and Co.

[bk]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 1:24pm

"Show me one completely negative review of the BROADWAY production from here or ATC. All of the reviews recognize its strengths and what needs improvement."

I haven't seen any reviews. I've seen people who have attended the first preview offering their thoughts. I don't consider those reviews. Call me crazy, call me savage, call me lorelei, but that's how I am.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 1:37pm

The fact that Sondheim still smokes pot is a widely known fact.

Updated On: 12/7/09 at 01:37 PM

[jv92]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 8:37pm

God, I really want to smoke with him. Now THAT would be fun! I hate to talk about Mr. Sondheim's personal life, but didn't he give up all that wonderful stuff up after his heart attack? One always got the assumption that he did, but apparantly not. Good for him, living life to the fullest at nearly eighty!

[bk]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 9:32pm

Smoking dope is living life to its fullest, eh? Really.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 9:43pm

I can think of a few ^tired old queens who could use a hit. Or five.



P

Posted: 11/28/09 at 10:05pm

I think he just was more careful to do things in moderation after his heart attack (which one?) Certainly it led to his new found love of bicycling everywhere. (We really should have a Sondheim gossip thread except it would probably just be endless rumours about his dungeon)

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 11:42pm

And, I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that if that dungeon were real, I wouldn't mind taking a trip down there.

[bk]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 11:58pm

"I can think of a few ^tired old queens who could use a hit. Or five."

I know many old queens, none of whom are as tired and queenly and inane as you, my friend.
Updated On: 11/28/09 at 11:58 PM