A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC A REVIEW

Let me begin this blog by saying that I was not exactly bowled over by A Little Night Music when I saw the original production in 1973,but in director Trevor Nunn's exquisite bandbox production that won rave notices in London last year,it is now a beautifully conceived and elegently written show.
The book by Hugh Wheeler [suggested by the classic film Smiles Of A Summer Night] is all about finding finding the perfect soulmate and and developing true love at whatever the cost,and it is bright and witty,and Stephen Sondheim's music remains a thing of beauty and his lyrics are among his best.
One of the evening's pleasures is the way the cast blends with their roles. As a touring theatre actress Catherine Zeta-Jones makes a smashing Broadway debut. She looks great, is a wonderful actress, and sings well. As her aging and wise mother,Angela Lansbury is perfectly cast and as usual gives a superb performance, and Alexander Hanson is excellent as the long lost love of the actress, recreating the role he played in London last year.
The staging is exquisite and David Farley's sets and costumes are just right.
I wish they could have used the original orchestrations instead of the skimpy ones they are using now, but this is a small complaint. A Little Night Music is an elegent show exquisitly presented.
At THE WALTER KERR THEATRE 219 WEST 48th STREET N.Y.C.