This week, we’re heading back a few years to a revival of one of Sondheim’s most loved pieces. This week’s TONY Tuesday is:

‘Send in the Clowns’ from A Little Night Music. 

A Little Night Music is a musical with a book by Hugh Wheeler and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It is inspired by the 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night. The story takes place in 1900 Sweden and concerns the romantic lives of a several couples, touching on the themes of love, infidelity, chastity, commitment and family. 

The original Broadway production opened at the Shubert Theatre on 25 February 1973. The production was directed by Harold Prince, with choreography by Patricia Birch and design by Boris Aronson. The original cast included Glynis Johns as Desiree Armfeldt, Len Cariou as Fredrik Egerman, Hermione Gingold as Madame Armfeldt, Victoria Mallory as Anne Egerman and Mark Lambert as Henrik Egerman. After playing for seven months, the production changed houses, opening at The Majestic on 17 September, after a gap of two days, playing there until it closed in August 1974. The production was critically acclaimed and was nominated for twelve 1973 TONY awards, winning six including ‘Best Musical’. 

The show received its Australian premiere less than a year later in November 1973. The production has been revived several times down under including a production in 1990 starring a young Toni Collette. The production toured American in 1974 for a year starring Jean Simmons as Desiree, George Lee Andrews as Fredrik and Margaret Hamilton as Madame Armfeldt. 

The West End production premiered at the Adelphi Theatre in April 1975 where it ran for 406 performances. The cast included Jean Simmons, Joss Ackland, David Kernan, Liz Robertson, Diana Langton and Hermione Gingold reprising her original Broadway role. The musical has since had three West End revivals in 1989, 1995 and 2008, with particular praise going to the ’95 and ’08 productions. Dame Judi Dench famously won the Olivier for her performance as Desiree in the 1995 production playing opposite Sian Phillips and Joanna Riding. The musical was revived at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2008 in a production directed by Trevor Nunn and choreographed by Lynne Page. Starring Hannah Waddingham as Desiree, Alexander Hanson as Fredrik, Jessie Buckley as Anne and Maureen Lipman as Madame Armfeldt. The critically acclaimed production transferred to the Garrick Theatre in the West End for a limited run. 

The acclaimed London revival transferred to Broadway with a new cast, opening at the Walter Kerr Theatre for previews on 24 November 2009. Catherine Zeta-Jones took the role of Desiree alongside Angela Lansbury as Madam Armfeldt. Alexander Hanson was the only member of the London company to reprise his role. Catherine Zeta-Jones ended up winning the TONY for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her role. After the contracts of Lansbury and Zeta-Jones came to an end, the production paused for a month from June 2010 whilst Elaine Stritch and Bernadette Peters were rehearsed in to take over the roles respectively. The production closed on 9 January 2011, after recouping its initial investment. 

A motion picture adaption was released in 1977, directed by Harold Prince. The film starred Elizabeth Taylor, Lesley-Anne Down and Diana Rigg with Len Carious, Hermione Gingold and Laurence Guittard all reprising their roles from the original Broadway production. Although the film was reviewed negatively, orchestrater Jonathan Tunick received an Oscar for his work on the score. 

Besties, if you haven’t listened to this show you must, it’s an essential for Sondheim fans and some thoroughly sumptuous and sophisticated musical theatre. 

Cast recordings available on streaming services. 

FACTS:

Music: Stephen Sondheim
Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Book: Hugh Wheeler
Theatre: The Shubert and The Majestic
Run: 25 February 1973 – 3 August 1974 (12 previews and 601 regular performances) 

TONYS:

(NOMINATED) Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical – Len Cariou, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical – Laurence Guittard, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical – Hermione Gingold, Best Scenic Design – Boris Aronson, Best Lighting Design – Tharon Musser, Best Direction of a Musical – Harold Prince

(2009) Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical – Angela Lansbury, Best Sound Design – Dan Moses Schrier and Gareth Owen.

(WON) Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical – Hugh Wheeler, Best Original Score – Stephen Sondheim, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical – Glynis Johns, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical – Patricia Elliot, Best Costume Design - Florence Kotz

(2009) Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical – Catherine Zeta Jones

OLIVIERS:

(NOMINATED - 1995) Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical – Sian Phillips, Best Theatre Choreographer – Wayne McGregor, Best Costume Design - Nicky Gillibrand 

(2009) Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical – Hannah Waddingham, Best Actor in a Musical – Alexander Hanson, Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical – Maureen Lipman, Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical – Kelly Price.

(WON – 1995) Best Actress in a Musical – Judi Dench