Waddingham Stars in Chocolate Factory's Upcoming 'NIGHT MUSIC' Revival, Nunn to Direct

According to Variety UK stage star Hannah Waddingham, who has played the Lady of the Lake in"Monty Python's Spamalot" in London and most recently on Broadway, will play Desiree in Trevor Nunn's upcoming Menier Chocolate Factory revival of "A Little Night Music."

The production plays Nov. 22 to Mar. 8 with a Dec. 3 opening. Nunn's casting of 34-year-old Waddingham denotes a shift in emphasis for the Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler tuner. Glynis Johns was 49 when she created the role on Broadway in 1973 while Judi Dench was 60 when she played it in London's last revival at the National Theatre in 1995. The casting is closer to that of Ingmar Bergman's film "Smiles of a Summer Night," on which the tuner is based.

Waddingham  will be joined by Alexander Hanson ("Marguerite," "The Sound of Music") as Frederik, Jessie Buckley (BBC TV's "Oliver!" reality casting show "I'd Do Anything") as Anne and Maureen Lipman as Mme. Armfeldt reports the trade paper. 

Kelly Price is in talks to play the role of the Countess and already confirmed are Alistair Robins as the Count, Gabriel Vick as Henrik, Kaisa Hammarlund as Petra, Grace Link as Fredrika and Andy Morton as Frid. The Liebeslieder singers will be played by John Addison, Laura Armstrong, Lyndon Edwards, Charlotte Page and Nicola Sloane.

Sets and costumes are by David Farley who was Tony-nommed for his designs for the Menier Chocolate Factory's last Sondheim revival,"Sunday in the Park with George," which had a Broadway run last spring.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Ltd.