A Little Night Music
Seeing Broadway shows become the most favorite activity whenever my aunt is in town. Musicals are the only preference. No exceptions can be made for dramas, even if they include famous Hollywood actors or actresses in the cast. A Little Night Music would have been no exception if it wasn’t a musical. On top of all, the appearance of Catherine Zeta-Jones was the best excuse not to miss it.
Set at the turn of the last century, A Little Night Music interweaves a tangled web of former and current lovers among the upper crust elite of Sweden. Esteemed lawyer Fredrik Egerman has recently married a young virgin, Anne, whom his son, Henrik, has also fallen madly in love. Fredrik’s dedication to his blushing bride is tested when he reunites with a former flame, the famed (and fading) actress Desiree Armfeldt. Things grow more complicated when her jealous (and married) lover Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm gets wind of the reunion. The coupling and uncoupling comes to a head when Desirée convinces her mother to host Fredrik and his family for a weekend on her lavish country estate—and the Count, with wife in tow, crashes the party.
Despite an extremely predictable storyline, I enjoyed watching A Little Night Music because of the incredible performance by Angela Lansbury (as Madame Armfeldt) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (as Desiree Armfeldt).
It was actually a big surprise to see Angela Lansbury, whom I have always enjoyed watching on the T.V. series “Murder, She Wrote”, pop out on the stage during the first act. I wasn’t familiar with her name, but recognized the face right away. The way she portrays Madame Armfeldt, an aristocratic Swede in the midst of extinction, is impeccable. Lansbury’s British accent should be treated as a national treasure. Catherine Zeta-Jones, as the wild, frisky daughter of Madame Armfeldt, also portrays a great performance. It seems she has found the perfect character for herself on stage with her fiery moves and passionate looks.
Like all the other musicals, A Little Night Music has a little too many songs and dances. The first act, which takes a little less than 1.5 hours, can be easily shortened to an hour. For example, the song about the journey to the countryside is unnecessarily long. There is also the fact that some scenes are too heavy to be decorated with singing and dancing. Such a scene is a death the audience witnesses towards the end of the musical.
A Little Night Music at the Walter Kerr Theatre (48th between 7th and 8th Ave.)