A Little Night Music

A Sondheim classic, this award winning production opened in Broadway in 1973. Set in Sweden in 1937, it tells of love, lust, confusion and forbidden liaisons.  As with most of his works the music is technically very challenging with intricate melodies and complicated harmonies. This talented cast handled the demanding score with impressive confidence and skill under the superb direction of Matt Snow along with his excellent group of five musicians. With musical staging by Gary Avis and choreography by Rebecca Darcy the movement and dancing flowed gracefully throughout the show.

Shirley Lyons plays the sedate and astute Madame Armfeldt who at one point exclaims to her delightful young granddaughter Fredrika played by Rose Bennett, “A great deal seems to be going on tonight”. If only she knew just how true she was!

Tim Holder gives an excellent performance as the charming and successful lawyer Fredrik Egerman, recently married to his gorgeous young bride Anne, beautifully played by Riley Britchfield. However, he is still besotted with his former lover, and Helen Wheatley is outstanding in the role of Desiree Armfeldt. She looks stunning in her glamorous costumes and holds the audience captivated with her superb performance of “Send In The Clowns”.

The other couple who add to the intrigue are the Count Carl-Magnus and Countess Charlotte-Magnus. Ryan Cope is the arrogant, unfaithful husband, whilst Evie Snow gives a polished performance of the cunning and scheming Countess also looking fabulous in her fashionable outfits. Josh Day is very believable in his character as Fredrik’s son Henrik, a student who feels ignored and unhappy, especially with a stepmother younger than himself.

Giving terrific support to the leading characters are a handful of servants, all with their individual roles and characters. They are Martin Leigh, Charlotte Sampson, Steph Brown, Evie Capon, Jon Tavener and Mike Kwasniak.  They all take part in the Company songs and many also give quality and accomplished solo performances. They are also kept extremely busy as they seamlessly change the numerous props to set the scenes whilst the action carries on around them. The stage at The Studio is relatively small and intimate so much of the set relies on props, enhanced by effective lighting. For this production a series of white transparent voiles which were used to great effect to create separate rooms for some of the scenes, giving light and space to the performance.

With superb direction, the whole Company should be congratulated on the excellent standard of the Production playing to their sell-out audiences.

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