Weâll drink to that!
Meryl Streep got back to her theatrical roots â virtually, anyway â alongside pals Christine Baranski and Audra McDonald to perform âThe Ladies Who Lunchâ as it has never been performed before.
The trio gathered via Zoom on Sunday night to croon the classic ballad, which was introduced in the 1970 Broadway musical âCompany.â The number was part of âTake Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration,â a livestreamed tribute to composer Stephen Sondheim.
To many viewers, however, it also perfectly captured life in self-isolation. Not only did Baranski, McDonald and Streep sip wine and cocktails with humorous abandon, they did so in their bathrobes and in the comfort of their own homes â on a Sunday night, no less.
Streep, meanwhile, delivered the performanceâs most iconic moment when she prepared to refill her martini glass with scotch, but opted instead to chug straight from the bottle.
For many fans, it was âthe ultimate mood.â
âTake Me to the Worldâ came at a challenging time for New Yorkâs theater industry. All Broadway shows are closed through at least June 7 as part of a ban on gatherings of 500 people or more to help curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
A gender-swapped revival of âCompany,â starring Katrina Lenk and Patti LuPone, had been slated to open on Broadway March 22, Sondheimâs 90th birthday.
Catch the full âThe Ladies Who Lunchâ performance below.