An actress radiating youthful vigor and sensuality is not a great fit for Desiree Armfeldt, the soignée Sondheim heroine whose most ravishing days are behind her. So it's an unfortunate truth that Catherine Zeta-Jones is not ideally cast as regretful, wistful Desiree in Trevor Nunn's virtually never-right revival of the suavely farcical A Little Night Music. Still, you have to award Zeta-Jones showing-up points. She gives off so many effortless sparks that you wonder if she should be credited as part of the lighting design. And anyway, when all is said and done, she is revealed as one of the less ill-suited elements of the production, which opened Sunday night on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre.
Theaters across the pond consider making a bigger splash in D.C.
"The Solid Gold Cadillac" could stand another tuneup.