Review: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Leeds Playhouse

Photo credit: Tristram Kenton

Reviving their production from last summer, Leeds sees the return of Opera North and Leeds Playhouse’s collaborative production of A Little Night Music.  Two major differences since the companies have brought back this production a year later are the lack of Covid-19 restrictions now in place, giving more freedom in terms of physical interactions between performers and allowing orchestral players to sit in their usual formation without a two metre distance between each person, and of course the passing of the show’s composer Stephen Sondheim towards the end of 2021 and as such, the CEOs of Leeds Playhouse and Opera North “offer this production as a tribute to his genius”.

Usually set in Sweden on the border of the 19th and 20th centuries, this rendition of A Little Night Music takes Sondheim’s music and Hugh Wheeler’s book and places its setting in the mid-20th century.  Director James Brining and Set and Costume Designer Madeleine Boyd made this creative decision to bring the narrative closer to modern day in order to make the characters (particularly the women) and the choices they have to make more relatable to current audiences as women’s rights have advanced a lot since 1900, and this change works so well that feels as though the show could’ve been written for this time period initially.

As an opera company, Opera North’s members are clearly familiar with a more operatic style of singing, which really works for some of the bigger full company numbers of the show such as ‘A Weekend in the Country’, but each performer also demonstrates a strong ability to sing and act in a more traditional musical theatre style for this classic Sondheim musical.  These superbly talented vocalists accompanied by the magnificent Opera North Orchestra makes A Little Night Music feel more like a spectacular night of music with absolutely beautiful performances of Sondheim’s score.

One element of the show which really sets it apart from other productions of this musical is the set design by Madeleine Boyd.  The first act has the feeling of being a production being put on by the Quintet acting as a Greek chorus, overseeing the drama unfurling from the border of the stage and moving props and set pieces around to manipulate the setting for each scene.  Then the second act takes place at Madame Armfeldt’s grand estate in the country, both in the house and in the estate grounds.  To reflect the change in setting, the playing space is transformed to house a courtyard and large water fountain that is embedded in the stage.  Small but clever details can be found amongst the set, including Fredrika’s dollhouse sitting upstage, which has just a couple of its windows illuminated during some scenes to represent that the characters are inside that room of the house for that scene rather than all windows being illuminated whilst the action is set out in the gardens.  Boyd’s ingenious and intricate attention to detail in her designs really brings the show to the next level.

A positively beautiful and captivating production of A Little Night Music, Leeds Playhouse and Opera North have collaborated to create a true masterpiece that pays a worthy tribute to the late great Sondheim.  Definitely a must see production this summer, catch A Little Night Music in Leeds sooner rather than later, as you do not want to miss it.

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Jess Dalloway

A Little Night Music plays at Leeds Playhouse until 16 July, with tickets available here.