Review: EDINBURGH 2024: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Assembly Rooms
Combines delightful humor with a touch of melancholy
Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music is one of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's two performances at the Fringe this year. The 1973 musical unfolds in Sweden, where romantic entanglements and taboo desires spark shocking revelations.
At its heart is Desirée Armfeldt, a veteran actress who reconnects with old flame Fredrik Egerman, who is now married to the much younger Anne. As the characters socialise over a weekend at Desirée's mother's home, past regrets, forbidden passions and surprising scandals bubble to the surface.
In typical RCS fashion, multiple performers steal the show. Anna Toogood perfectly encapsulates Desirée, masterfully blending self-absorbed confidence with likeable vulnerability. David Joseph Healy as Carl-Magnus Malcolm exhibits a confident swagger and strong comedic timing, fully capturing the character's pompous toxic masculinity. He banters well with Jen Cassidy, who delivers a sharp-tongued, amusing Countess Charlotte Malcolm. Michaela Elise Fox is surprisingly convincing as old Madam Armfeldt with a performance drawing parallels to Downtown Abbey's Dame Maggie Smith.
Set design is slick, costumes are intricate and choreography is polished. Occasionally sung lyrics are hard to follow - perhaps this is due to Sondheim's characteristically unusual melodies and dense lyrics.
Nevertheless A Little Night Music is a witty and poignant exploration of the complex human heart, combining delightful humor with a touch of melancholy.
A Little Night Music is at the Assembly Rooms until 25 August
Photo Credit: Hope Holmes
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