Waddingham to Star in Nunn's West End NIGHT MUSIC

"Hannah Waddingham will star as Desiree in the revival of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music at London's Menier Chocolate Factory. The production, directed by Trevor Nunn, begins performances on November 22.

Waddingham earned an Olivier Award nomination for her performance of The Lady of the Lake in the West End production of Spamalot. She later made her Broadway debut in the role, and won a Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Replacement. Her other West End credits include Chesty Prospects in Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens, Suzanne Valadon in Lautrec, Rizzo in Grease and Satan in Tonight’s the Night.

Joining Waddingham in the cast of A Little Night Music will be Alexander Hanson as Fredrik, Jessie Buckley as Anne, Maureen Lipman as Mme. Armfeldt, Alistair Robins as The Count, Gabriel Vick as Henrik, Kaisa Hammarlund as Petra, Grace Link as Fredrika, and Andy Morton as Frid..."

http://www.broadway.com/Hannah-Waddingham-to-Star-in-London-Revival-of-A-Little-Night-Music/broadway_news/5012648

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I think Hannah will be a very different Desiree than Glynis Johns not only because of the age difference but because their voice types are so very different. Given the way the economy's going, I doubt I'll be able to London to see this, so I hope it eventually makes its way to this side of the pond.

bwaylvsong, Waddingham is 34.

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Updated On: 10/9/08 at 09:05 PM

I thought Emma Thompson was gonna be in that?

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Yeah, what happened to the Emma Thompson rumors... ?

*sniffle*

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I wonder if they've cast a younger child as Frederika -

Good eye Salene...

Just doing a brief search on some of the actors, a lot, to my eye, do seem to be very in the vein of the original SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT cast - so I wonder if Nunn is going back to that film as inspiration.

No mention of a Charlotte. I wonder if they are still casting or if she was left off the release...

Oh god, this better transfer! It's my absolute favorite Sondheim show!

I think it's funny how many times NIGHT MUSIC gets revived in London. And we haven't had one revival yet. But hopefully if this is good enough, it will transfer.

BUT, will this production probably have a 5 piece orchestra too (like Sunday)? I know the Chocolate Factory is a VERY small space. If it does transfer, I hope Sondheim makes sure they beef up the orchestra. That was a problem he admitted with the SUNDAY revival.

Updated On: 10/10/08 at 12:00 PM

Given Nunn's recent track record, it is way pre-mature to even mention a New York transfer...

After Gone with the wind am dreading it too.
Not too keen on Lipman.

Be nice if it works and transfers to a west end house, transfers of budget shows may be the best/safest option for the current climate.