I know it's not that long ago but I really loved the whole discussion and excitement leading up to the "A Little Night Music" revival - especially the rumours of who was going to cast as Desiree. We were told there was an 'oscar winner' attached so suddenly the amount of stars thrown around, including Kate Winslet, was incredible. Then for some reason this died down and Marin Mazzie's name was being thrown around, which of course while we most love & respect her this was a slight disappointment, then suddenly the Oscar winner came back and it was CZJ, tied with Lansbury! Incredible. Then of course following the whole journey of the show, including the unfortunate record of CZJ's performance on the Tonys but a somewhat surprising Tony win - and what seemed like an inevitable closing notice (or even an actual closing notice, I can't remember) before at the last minute Bernadette and Elaine announcing to step in after the show was on hiatus for 2 weeks. The wonder of Bernadette's Clowns, the novelty of seeing Elaine on stage but all the controversy/antics surrounding her performance - the lack of accent, the dropped lines. Finally, the show closing and turning a profit. And then the somewhat follow up when Hunter appeared to build a friendship with Elaine and so there were some anecdotes or footage if I recall of Elaine's final years and the friendship that remained.
It was just a nice time here on this forum I think, and a nice time to be a Sondheim/Bernadette fan. I don't think has been replicated since for me here - the Follies revival and the most recent Company revival/journey from London might have come close, but there was just something glamorous and exciting about the Night Music revival, cast & journey.
While I know some here had an issue with the revival (e.g. the staging & thin band/'orchestra'
, I am forever grateful to have seen it with these casts in nice a glamorous and intimate venue (The Walter Kerr) - in NYC no less.
Give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch.
Updated On: 5/12/20 at 07:48 AM