What Do You Think Of The 1990 Lincoln Center Production of A Little Night Music? — Page 2

That's an awful picture of her, but I've always thought Blair Brown possessed a real earthy sexiness. I didn't see or hear her Desiree, so I can't comment on that performance.

Her performance was abysmal. Kudisch was really the only highlight. Even Dossett seemed lost at sea.

That being said, the B-way revival somehow managed to have an even more ugly and unimaginative set than this production, it seems.

I tend to be the biggest fan of the Marcia Mitzman/Glynis Johns revival from the LA opera. They did just about everything right.

Yes, Johns as Madame Armfeldt. In a word: perfection.

P

I will be revisiting this production this evening and thought I'd share the cast list, and what a cast it is! In addition, one of the best scenic designs since Aronson. Best acted, as well.

Los Angeles Music Center Production 1991
Directed by Gordon Davidson
Frederika - Polly Heard
Madame Armfeldt - Glynis Johns (my favorite Armfeldt)
Henrik - Frank D'Ambrosio (my fav Henrik)
Anne - Michelle Nicastro
Frederick - John McMartin
Petra - Kathleen Rowe McAllen (my fav Petra)
Desiree - Lois Nettleton
Carl Magnus - Jeff McCarthy
Charlotte - Marcia Mitzman (my favorite Charlotte)

P

I love John McMartin but have to admit I just don't see him as Frederick.

re: Sally Ann Howes

I don't think Desiree has to be overtly sexy, especially at her age, when the story takes place. We have to believe that she is a star of the theatre, and a beautiful leading lady. But obviously sexy? No.

We do have to believe that Frederik REMEMBERS her when she was the younger, sexy "Desiree," however. That is essential to the romance of this piece. They both see each other as the young lovers that they once were.

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Updated On: 12/18/09 at 05:40 PM

No, no you are right! It WAS Sills! I was thinking I had mis-remembered it, but he did give a very Kudisch-y performance. In my book that is a very good thing, meaning he sang it gloriously and appeared very masculine and domineering, almost necessary attributes for the role, something I wasn't so sure Sills could pull off after having seen him in PIMPERNEL. He was a true delight and I stand by what I said! Thanks so much for the correction, love!

I still would have loved to see what Sills would have done with his role in ASSASSINS before it was called off post-9/11. Would he have won the Tony like Cerveris did? I'd love to see what Esparza would have done as well.

P

You know, I was just thinking that Sills would be a great Carl-Magnus (or even Frederik now). I never knew he played the role.

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Johns is very sexy in The Court Jester, but it was released in 1955, a full 18 years before she played Desiree on Broadway.

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Besty- I guess the problem I still have with Howes, is not only that she isn't sexy, but she doesn't even resemble her younger self. She looks like a grandmother compared to everyone else in the cast. Perhaps live, this wasn't the case. But on video, she definitely looks old. VERY old. I know Desiree is supposed to be mature, but Glynis Johns didn't look ancient.

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I absolutely loved Danielle Ferland as Fredrika!

I hadn't heard of the Ken Center production (well I knew it happened during their Sondheim festival but for some reason it was one of the 6 productions least talked about it seemed to me--maybe cuz it was one of the worse?) but I think Blair Brown still can be very sexy--look at her in Fringe even.

I'm pretty mixed on this production. It's certainly better than no Night Music having been filmed (and while I am always defending the film version I admit that's not a happy or accurate represnetation of the stage piece). But something's really missing for me in this production--one thing is I do feel even on camera it's lost on that GIGANTIC stage (with such a bloody empty set no less). I also find many of the director choices odd (though I like most ofthe performances).

If only someone would revive it with those magnificent Boris aronson birch trees...

I like he in the role as well

callitquits---I don't mind their American accents, but you're right, they certainly have them. And it puts people off.

I know some were bothered by the American accents in the movie "Amadeus."

I'm not sure where or when we (as audiences) became conditioned to think that every European period piece automatically requires a British accent. It's pretty weird when you think about it. These aren't British characters. So it's just as odd for them to have British accents as it is American accents.

I think the worst is when it's mixed. Some British, some American. Very confusing. At least in the movie "Amadeus," the leads all use American accents across the board. Some minor characters have accents, but that's it.

EDIT: I guess it's irrelevant, which is why it doesn't bother me with Daniele Ferland or Michael Maguire. Night Music is set in Sweden, and unless they're all speaking Swedish, it isn't "realistic" with any accent.

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Updated On: 12/19/09 at 04:47 PM