Learning about A Little Night Music — Page 2

Sondheim himself has said that since "Send in the Clowns" was written for Johns, who had a limited range, no one else who is a "singer" can perform the song as well as she did. I agree that the song's popularity overshadows its own brilliance specifically because the song was not an attempt to write a standard song that could be performed out of context (many composers like to add at least one song in their musicals that could have a life of its own outside the context of the show). "Send in the Clowns" is about Desiree, it is about the show's themes and this character's journey. I personally prefer other songs in the show ("Now/Later/Soon," "Every Day a Little Death," "A Weekend in the Country," "In Praise of Women"), but I don't fail to recognize the greatness of "Send in the Clowns."

PBS version:

Sally Ann Howes .... Desiree Armfeldt
Kevin Anderson .... Henrik Egerman
George Lee Andrews .... Frederik Egerman
Michael Rees Davis .... Mr. Erlanson
Danielle Ferland .... Fredrika Arnfeldt
Beverly Lambert .... Anne Egerman
Michael Maguire .... Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm
Susanne Marsee .... Mrs. Sergstrom
Maureen Moore .... Countess Charlotte Malcolm
Regina Resnik .... Madame Arnfeldt
Susan Terry .... Petra

Glenn Close is too hard-edged.

Annette Bening or, believe it or not, Ann-Margret are my choices to play Desiree.

"Every Day a Little Death" is such a great song you could write a whole show about the story behind the song. It is not about sex; it is about humiliation.

"The Miller's Son" is also awesome but has never been directed/performed properly. It is not about 'live life to the fullest' but it is about 'I am going to pretend to live my life to the fullest because I am stuck being a maid'.

My fave versions of "Clowns" are by Barbra and Judi Dench from the OCR of the London revival.

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Night Music to me remains very special and set apart from the rest of Sondheim's 70's endeavors like Company or Follies. This show usually seems to get overshadowed, but I personally find it to have the best lyrics he has ever written. The music and lyrics pump so much emotion forth into the rest of the show and not only say so much about the characters in their situations, but creates a perfect tone. The music is sweeping and gorgeous and I really hope to one day see this in a professional production. The fact that it has never been revived saddens me

It is one of the few recordings that I can listen the whole way through without skipping a song. Each song says so much and the OBC cast is just definitive to me.

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Interesting tidbit: D'Jamin Bartlett was a last-minute, out-of-town replacement for the Broadway opening. The original Petra was let go.

I agree that she sings the number beautifully and powerfully.

She won a Theatre World Award and a Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Newcomer.

Yet, she only did one more Broadway show... and then disappeared.

Does anyone know what happened to her?

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Oops, double post

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Updated On: 10/25/06 at 07:07 PM

She did a good job with it. Granted, I hadn't really gotten into the show before the concert, so I didn't really understand the...oh what's the word...gravity isn't it but it's something like that.
This has been the 2nd toughest of Sondheim's shows for me to really get into, but I am glad I did.

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I agree that the song's popularity overshadows its own brilliance specifically because the song was not an attempt to write a standard song that could be performed out of context (many composers like to add at least one song in their musicals that could have a life of its own outside the context of the show). "Send in the Clowns" is about Desiree, it is about the show's themes and this character's journey.

People who have never seen the show can't possibly know what the song is even about.

One of the greatest moments in ALL of musical theater. Most people don't even really know what "Send in the Clowns" is really all about. Here is the scene WITH the dialogue:


Desiree:Shall I tell you? Shall I tell you why I really invited you here? When we met again and we made love, I thought...oh...maybe, here it is, at last a chance to turn back. To find some sort of coherant existance after so many years of muddle. Of course, there's your wife, but I thought...perhaps....just perhaps, you might be in need of rescue too

Fredrik: From renewing my unrenewable youth?

Desiree: It was only a thought

Fredrick: When my eyes are open, and I look at you I see a woman who I have loved for a long time, who entranced me when I came to her rooms. A woman who gives me such genuine pleasure that, in spite of myself, I came here for the sheer delight of being with her again. The woman who could rescue me, of course. But when my eyes are not open, which is most of the time. All I see is a girl in a pink dress (anne) teasing a canary running through a sunlit garden to hug me at the gate, as if I've come home from tim buck too instead of the municipal court house 3 blocks away

Desiree: ::::sings::: Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me here at last on the ground...you in mid air. Send in the clowns. Isnt it bliss? Don't you approve? One who keeps tearing around....One who can't move. Where are the clowns? Send in the clowns. Just when I'd stopped opening doors. Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours. Making my entrance again with my usual flair. Sure of my lines....... no one is there. Don't you love farce? My fault I fear. I thought you'd want what I want. Sorry my dear. But where are the clowns? Quick, send in the clowns...don't bother they're here

Fredrik: Desiree I'm sorry. I should never have come. To flirt with rescue when one has no intention of being saved. I'll go now. Do try to forgive me. ::::fredrik leaves the room::::

Desiree: Isn't it rich? Isn't it queer? Losing my timing this late in my career. But where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns. Well....maybe next year.

Well back in the day if a performance was not going well they would "send in the clowns" to make up for a scene. To please the audience. Is that correct? Makes sense.

Wickedrent, you should read Jonathan Tunick's preface to the reading edition of ALNM (the cover has a birch trees etching on a black background) for an interesting appreciation of the subtle structure of the work you won't find anywere else.

I have yet to see a production other than the original Broadway company capture the European sensibility inherent in the work and which Prince clearly understood. The original NYCO production was merely adequate saved by some decent performances (namely Maureen Moore's), but sabotaged by the casting of the liebeslieders as young pretty people. The quintet should be character actors of a certain age, as they were in the Broadway production, since they sing about the world-weariness and follies of love, which requires a certain maturity and experience. Needless to say, subsequent productions have little understanding of the piece and cast it stupidly. ("Where is skill?/Where is craft?/ Where is forethought?")


Mrs. Nordstrom
Upsala, Sweden (on tour)

Updated On: 10/26/06 at 12:56 AM

Note regarding the NYCO/PBS version: The Kevin Anderson who played Henrick is an opera singer. He is NOT the Kevin Anderson who played Joe Gillis in the original London SUNSET BOULEVARD, the father in "BRKLN", and numerous other roles on stage, film and TV.

I have to admit that I had to have a friend explain "Send in the Clowns" to me. I didn't get it at ALL, even knowing the plot of the show.

Anyway, A Little Night Music isn't my cup of tea (my favorite Sondheim show is Passion) but it has some great music. My favorite song from it is "The Miller's Son" which IMO shows off Sondheim's lyricist genius perfectly.

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I agree, LJay, to me Follies is among Sondheim's top 3 best shows. It's brilliant how he manages to incorporate one showstopper after the other. It's such a sublime score, so moving, so haunting in many ways.
And Ciaron is right. I have yet to see a production of Follies where the book fully works. It has probably been revised as many times as the book for Mack & Mabel. Both shows just seem to fare better when performed in concert and throw out the book altogether.
Sorry for the threadjack, WickedRentQ