MARK WATERS as Fredrik Egerman and Mary Frances Conover in “A Little Night Music” at Golden West College’s Mainstage Theater (Greg Parks photo).

By Thom deMartino/Orange County Tribune

Love moves in mysterious ways. (Though lust is reasonably predictable.)

In the marvelous new Martie Ramm-directed “A Little Night Music” at Golden West College’s Mainstage Theater, it’s 1900’s Sweden, and love is in the air – although a romantic storm is brewing for a number of wayward lovebirds.

There’s the lawyer, Fredrik Egerman (Mark Waters), and his recent wife Anne (a stellar Amanda MacDonald), 20 years his junior — but after 11 months of marriage, still determinedly retaining her maidenhood; there’s also Fredrik’s pious adult son Heinrik (Joey Nestra-West) — destined for the seminary, but flirted with by both Anne and the lascivious (and utterly charming) maid Petra (Payton Moore).

“My lap isn’t one of the devil’s snares…” coos Anne to Heinrik… but one wonders.

Meanwhile, the frustrated Fredrik’s wandering eye soon turns to his (unbeknownst to Anne) old flame — the breathtaking stage actress, Desiree Armfeldt (Mary Frances Conover); and when Anne notices the glances between the two at a performance, she flees in tears.

When the two former lovers reunite, their tryst is interrupted by Desiree’s current Lothario — the grandiose Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (a delightfully pompous Liam Cavanaugh), who’s none-too-pleased to find the pair so informal… and Fredrik in his nightrobe.

Carl-Magnus is so dismayed by this that he shares his suspicions about his lover’s dalliances with his wife — just let that sink in — the long-suffering Countess Charlotte Malcolm (Novelee Smedley). But when she realizes that her husband’s paramour’s lover’s wife is her old school friend, Anne… she begins plotting her revenge.

The paths of all the players are destined to come together in a weekend in the countryside, courtesy of Desiree’s mother, the wily Madame Armfeldt (Megan Cherry) – who also caretakes her granddaughter, the young Ms. Armfeldt (Paulina Contois). With all these relationships at play, will love triumph, or desire?

“A Little Night Music” is a spellbinding work, with an expansive cast: of particular note are the singers who set the stage, and dancing and narrating through song on the events therein (including William Logan, Saffron Brauer, Courtney Fiduccia, Mark Torres and Carrie Vinikow); special recognition should be made of the excellent 20-piece orchestra behind the scenes, as well as the piano work onstage of the talented young Ms. Contois.

Astonishing work by the main cast – Cavanaugh’s Count is a boorish buffoon, yet endearing in some strange way; the renewed relationship between Waters’ Fredrik and Conover’s Desiree charms, as does the playfulness of MacDonald’s Anne to the harried Nestra-West’s Heinrik; and the musical performances, such as Moore’s “The Miller’s Son” and particularly Conover’s “Send In the Clowns” make the heart swell, and may even move the viewer to tears.

A beautiful, funny, farcical Broadway classic, “A Little Night Music” is a spicy, sexy story of love, lust, and the blur between the two; playing for only one final weekend at Golden West’s Mainstage Theater, it’s one you yourself will fall in love with.

“A Little Night Music”, Mark Waters, Mary Frances Conover and Liam Cavanaugh star in this classic musical romp of lovers and the games they play, on the way to finding their soulmates. Playing through Sunday May 5 at at the Golden West College Mainstage Theater, 15751 Gothard St., Huntington Beach, CA 92647. Tickets available through the box office at 714-895-8150, x1 or at www.gwctheater.com.