Three Generations Make Night Music a Family Affair
Rarely does a production cater for three generations of performers from the one family, let alone with the performance craft and talent to match, but this is just what is set to happen when Adelaide’s The Hills Musical Company stages its November 2013 production, the popular Sondheim classic A Little Night Music.
Performers (and family members) Myfanwy May, Bronwen James and Georgia James will play grandmother, mother and daughter for the first time onstage.
Myfanwy May started her acting career in her home town of London where she met Adelaide- born actor Bill James, who was performing in a regional tour of Summer of the 17th Doll. She then followed Bill to Australia in the 1960’s where she acted with a very young John Gaden and John Bell.
Bronwen James made her stage debut at the age of 10 in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. By the age of 19, Bronwen went to London to pursue her training, returning to Australia and working extensively with Patch Theatre Company and State Theatre Company of South Australia.
Georgia James (Bronwen’s eldest child of three) makes her stage debut in A Little Night Music portraying the daughter of actress, Desiree Armfeldt (played by Bronwen).
“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the three generations on stage at the same time playing mother, daughter and granddaughter,” say Myfanwy and Bronwen.
Others in the cast include Matthew Randell, Rachel Rai, Ian Andrew, Karina Jay, Rod Schultz, Fiona DeLaine, David Lamphard, Steve Jarman, Danii Zappia, Verity Colyer and Bethany Anne.
A Little Night Music is directed by Kate Anolak, with musical direction by Mark DeLaine.
“What a thrill it is to have such a talented and experienced cast to take on some of the most complex and gorgeous music of Sondheim’s career, and to be presenting it in the suitably historic setting of the Stirling Community Theatre is just ideal,”says Kate Anolak.
Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film, Smiles of a Summer Night, A Little Night Music explores the tangled web of affairs of actress Desirée Armfeldt; the men who love her, and the women who love them. It is one of Stephen Sondheimʼs most accessible and melodious musicals, bringing to light surprising liaisons, long simmering passions and a taste of love's endless possibilities. This sumptuous musical includes Sondheim’s most popular song 'Send in the Clowns'.
The production is sure to be a rousing finale for The Hills Musical Company in 2013, a year in which the company has achieved award-winning success with The Drowsy Chaperone (Adelaide Theatre Guide Curtain Call Award for Best Show – Musical).
A Little Night Music plays at the glorious Stirling Community Theatre from Friday 8 November, with the final performance on Saturday 23 November.
Lesley Reed
Bookings: hillsmusical.org.au or at the Matilda Bookshop in Stirling (8339 3931).
Dates:8-9, 14-16, 21-23 November at 8:00pm and 17 November at 5:00pm
Venue: Stirling Community Theatre, Avenue Road, Stirling
Tickets:$28 (adults) / $25 (concession)
Images: (top) Bronwen James, Matthew Randell and Karina Jay (Photograph by Daniel Salmond) and (lower) Three Generations - Bronwen James, Myfanwy May and Georgia James (Photograph by Mark Anolak).
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