A Little Night Music

 Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler

A Buxton Opera House and Buxton International Festival production, with the Festival Orchestra

Open your heart to A Little Night Music. In this bittersweet tale of romantic possibility, Stephen Sondheim brings his trademark wit and talent to intertwine opera with musical comedy.

Taking place during a scandalous weekend in the Scandinavian countryside, A Little Night Music explores the tangled web of affairs between a group of frustrated lovers. After years of travelling, glamorous actress Desiree Armfeldt is reunited with her old flame, Fredrik Egerman, whose recent marriage to a young bride still remains unconsummated. Hoping to win Fredrik back, Desiree invites the couple to her mother’s secluded country estate. But when her married lover, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm arrives unexpectedly with his wife, all plans are overturned. As the night unfolds, old passions are rekindled and fresh feelings catch all of the characters by surprise.

Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, A Little Night Music has enjoyed many West End and Broadway revivals since its original production in 1973. It features one of Sondheim’s most memorable scores including the poignant Send in the Clowns and the haunting Night Waltz.

Directed by Paul Kerryson, winner of Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre at the 2014 UK Theatre Awards and Chief Executive of Buxton Opera House. Paul has directed many other musicals by Stephen Sondheim including Follies, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Pacific Overtures and Into the Woods.

Janie Dee has been awarded three of the most prestigious awards in British Theatre; the Olivier Award 2000, the Evening Standard Award 1999 and Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress in a Play 1999.

Thanks to members of the A Little Night Music Syndicate for their support.

Co-production

Original orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Suggested by a Film by Ingmar Bergman
Originally Produced and Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince
Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited

Creatives & Cast 

Wyn Davies Conductor

Paul Kerryson Director

Phil R Daniels Designer

Charles Cusick Smith Designer

Ben Pickersgill Lighting Designer

Ben Harrison Sound Designer

David Needham  Choreographer

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Janie Dee Desiree

David Leonard Fredrik

Gabrielle Drake Madame Armfeldt

Sarah Ingram Countess Charlotte Magnum

Daniella Sicari Anne Egerman

Tim Walton Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm

Matthew McKinney Henrik Egerman

Molly Lynch Petra

Julia Mariko Smith Fredrika Armfeldt

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Liebeslieder

Joseph Doody Mr Erlandson

Rachel Speirs Mrs Nordstrom

Sarah Prestwidge Mrs Anderssen

Olivia Tringham Mrs Segstrom

Emyr Lloyd Jones Mr Lindquist/Frid