By BBC Music Magazine

Published: Friday, 03 December 2021 at 12:00 am


Amassing millions of hits on YouTube, ‘Send in the Clowns’ is one of Sondheim’s most recognisable tunes, but few people know where it comes from, because it has developed a life outside the musical it comes from. The song appears in the second act of Sondheim’s 1973 musical A Little Night Music, in which the character Desirée reflects on the disappointments of her life. 

Sondheim’s ‘Send in the Clowns’ from A Little Night Music: the best performances

Judi Dench

Judi Dench first performed the role of Desirée in the London revival of A Little Night Music in 1995 at the National Theatre, for which she received the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. But it was actually her revival of the role at the 2010 BBC Proms that people associate with the song, thanks to its proliferation around the internet. The performance was part of a concert celebrating Sondheim’s 80th birthday, featuring songs from his much-loved musicals. The BBC Concert Orchestra accompanied Dench in her touching rendition of the song. Despite having performed a long run on the West End in Cabaret in the late 1960s, Dench is still best known as an actor – and she utilises all those acting skills in this deeply moving performance.