Who's playing the Begger Woman NY Phil's Sweeney Todd with Emma Thompson?- Page 6

[Sthunderrocker]

Posted: 3/5/14 at 8:38pm

BTW... Is anyone planning to stage door for this?

[Sthunderrocker]

Posted: 3/5/14 at 8:40pm

"The 'concept' of this concert was somewhat surprising."
That sounds ominous... good or bad?
S

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/5/14 at 8:45pm

^ AWESOME!!

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/5/14 at 10:04pm

Heading out for post show cocktails, so not much time to discuss the performance now, other to say that it was incredible. What a prefect combination of talents, and with Gilbert at the helm, it was (almost...) flawless musically. The production was equally impressive...almost subversive.

...buy,cheat, or steal to see this! Tempted to go back over the weekend, but the experience just couldn't compete a second time around.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 3/5/14 at 10:08pm

Will be there tomorrow. And Saturday. Can't. Wait.

[binau]

Posted: 3/5/14 at 10:17pm

*spoilers*

So they all walk out at the beginning in formal attire and stand behind music stands with folders and books, bright lights. They sing the Ballad of Sweeney Todd. Oh god I thought. Then they throw folders on the floor, knock over a few pot plants and the backdrop curtain falls down to reveal the production. Emma Thompson's dress then has this kind of quick change moment into her costume.

Pretty cool start I thought, unfortunately what they reveal is truly amateur and disappointing. The background consists of colourful graffitied writing and they are going for some kind of fresh take. The whistle has been replaced by an Air Horn, which is not tense at all and so distracting that I feel Patina Miller and the cast of Pippin should appear up give a sketch. They have boards out the front where they stick bill posters on of the locations that the scene takes place.

Worst of all is the bloody hand print, which looks like a concept Lonny Price's 5 year old niece would have developed. The hand print appears on every costume except the leads, and when someone is killed it is projected onto the back wall (but also appears statically painted too). When Sweeney kills someone the blood involves putting their hand on their face and leaving the reddy blood mark.

This is accompanied by a lot of red lights. We get it - red means angry and blood. Please, the colour red should be banned from Sweeney productions or used more subtlety - it's just so obvious.

Also, it must be the new fad at the moment but having ensemble members walk out into the isles etc. Is just so tacky for me now.

In hindsight I wish they did just stand at the music stands in formal attire. It felt unbelievably tacky and amateur - and did not service the performers at all.

There are some great moments in the show, which I will talk about later. But I am truly shocked at how amateur, community theatre the concert felt in terms of the aesthetics. There was no class.

Updated On: 3/5/14 at 10:17 PM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:00am

I simply couldn't disagree more: yes, production values were low (as can be expected for a semi-staged performance), but the concept thoughtful. I won't digress too much on this issue, but our difference in opinion reminds me only too much of opera fans who argue over traditional versus "regie" productions.

More to the point, qolbinau's discripation of the opening is accurate; and it is thrilling. As for a lack of class, I simply cannot understand the comment: a revered orchestra (led by its musical director) performed a musical theater piece with a 50 plus orchestra (though, admittedly, principals stayed at home), with a large choir and incredible leads. If this isn't bliss for a theater lover (and the antithesis of community theater...) I don't know what is.

To Lonny Price's credit, he made a concert staging so much more than that; rather, it felt like an almost realized production. Simply, he made innovative use of the Avery Fisher stage -- including the use of hand horns to replicate what the hall does not have: a full organ. Is this the Hal Prince staging? Well of course not...nor is it Kent's recent West End production nor Doyle's on Broadway. Is it exceptional under its circumstances (i.e little rehearsal time, almost no budget, and a life-span of less than a week )?

Indeed.


Updated On: 3/6/14 at 12:00 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:06am

Is the staging similar to the original incarnation of this concert?

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:08am

^ couldn't say for sure, but doubt it.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:12am

Here's the original, if you want to compare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWA-eRewQrA

[binau]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:34am

It's not the same staging but it's familiar. I would have preferred they kept it the same as last time to keep the focus on the orchestra and cast, which I do agree esq are both the complete opposite of community theatre. That's partly why I am surprised it looks the way it does. It just feels tacky to me.

It is chilling to hear the score with such a large ensemble and orchestra. The Sweeney sounds so great and actually can act while singing quite well - I did not expect those relatively quiet moments in Epiphany. He didn't seem to have much personality to me though and the pairing with Thompson doesn't feel right.

Emma Thompson looked so much younger than I thought she would. She actually can really sing. She is a true actress and some of her line readings were quite interesting and thoughtful. The "him being my uncles cousin" lines which I have often seen steamrolled were said in a kind of makeup-on-the-spot-unsure-of-self way which was interesting. Another subtle like reading was the "has, had, has". Some great acting during Not While I'm around in terms of facial expressions too. She is often funny. I think that her performance will come across better on tape because she isn't exactly playing it so exaggeratinly over the top and she isn't belting much at all that a lot of her performance must be lost in the hall. She would have been a good candidate to play it on film. "By the Sea" was a particular highlight and I thought the staging there made the song more interesting than usual ( she is giving him a haircut). I'm really wondering how the performance worked for people far away. I felt too far away and I must have only been 10 or 12 rows back.

Christian Borle really worked well as Pereilli. He was funny, although he couldn't really do the high notes well.

Johanna and Anthony were fine too, particularly the Anthony. Phillip Quast was certainly a highlight. Very creepy.

On phone excuse typos.

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 12:34 AM

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:46am

How detailed/elaborate are the costumes?

[binau]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:54am

Also I just remembered there were a few wink at the audience moments..maybe a couple too many but for instance Thompson's delivery of "give me that" stealing a chair from the orchestra and giving it to Sweeney was pretty funny. And the meat grinder was a trombone lol.

I think the reason the tackiness bothers me so much is that Sweeney can be genuinely thrilling but it's like they didn't even try. An air horn??! And they actually have someone standing there with it haha.

The other thing I will say re: traditional is that I actually don't mind new ideas. The 2005 revival blood in bucket was interesting and artistic. A projection of large red handprint that looks like word clip art to me is not quite that.

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 12:54 AM

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 1:48am

I found the staging of the opening "Ballad" extremely silly.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 2:38am

"So they all walk out at the beginning in formal attire and stand behind music stands with folders and books, bright lights. They sing the Ballad of Sweeney Todd. Oh god I thought. Then they throw folders on the floor, knock over a few pot plants and the backdrop curtain falls down to reveal the production."

How, quote-unquote, "punk rock" of them. Love hearing these reports. Keep em coming, people! I wonder if George Hearn's on call.

[Plum]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 2:38am

Reporting from waaaay up in the third tier here - I was kind of left scratching my head by the concept, myself. Was it supposed to be a punk thing, knocking over the obviously artificial trappings of a "traditional" concert hall performance, ripping off the performers' sleeves, and revealing the graffitied wall in the back? Sweeney Todd is an awesome show, and certainly a political and angry one in the right hands, but it never struck me as particularly punk.

That said, I had a ton of fun, and it's a fantastic thrill to hear that score performed live by a full-sized orchestra. Some moments were imperfect, but whatever. Even with Bryn Terfel's shortcomings (he just did not seem to have his comic timing on tonight), his voice has the weight for Sweeney, and after Michael Cerveris that's such a joy.

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 02:38 AM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 2:55am

Plum? That's it? Did Emma not leave an impression?

[Plum]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 3:24am

It's 3am, I came down from Vermont to watch this, and I'm exhausted. Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not up to writing a full review right now.

[Sthunderrocker]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 5:44am

Allen Organ company lent them an organ for the 2000 production (whose staging I really liked). To bad they didn't go that route again. In fact, Cameron Carpenter is debuting his new touring organ in Alice Tully on Sunday (I'm going)... a missed opportunity?
S

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 5:50am

qolbinau--once again, you miss the forest for the trees.

This was one of the thrilling evenings I have ever spent in a concert hall or theater in my life.

Bryn Terfel's Sweeney was of epic proportions. You will NEVER hear the role sung like that again in your lifetime.

Emma Thompson was a delight from start to finish. It was a privilege to see a great actress attempting a role that had vocal demands beyond anything she had ever done before--and to see her meet those demands and soar beyond.

The "steam punk" elements of the staging were entertaining and unobtrusive, but they hardly overshadowed the artistry of the evening.

Really, sometimes you just need to be slapped and shaken by shoulders so that someone can scream in your ear "DO YOU KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO SEE THIS? STOP NIT-PICKING AND ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE MOVED BY THE MUSIC AND THE ART YOUR ARE SO PRIVILEGED TO WITNESS. STOP TRYING TO BE ABOVE IT ALL. IT SIMPLY LOOKS BRATTY AND NARROW-MINDED."

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 6:46am

Jesus, PJ.

Why don't you just state your own opinion without attacking someone else's and putting them down? Is that so hard for you to do?

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 06:46 AM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 7:45am

Wish the OP would change the name of the thread. Anyway, I just found out I may be replacing an ill colleague at a NY event on Monday. If that's the case, I'm going to fly out early this weekend. I might try and snag a last min ticket for the final performance. Before I do that, though, quick question for those who attended (or will be attending tonight):

I'm not sure I could handle a full evening of what Bryn Terfel previewed in the Sondheim 80th Birthday BBC concert. Of course he has an impressive voice, but at that concert his diction was a bit mealy mouthed, there was no passion, no heat and no sense of comedic timing and he appeared to make zero effort to connect with his Mrs. L (in that case, Maria Friedman). Now, I'm sure that was an under-rehearsed concert setting and of course I understand that it was just two songs seen out of context, not a full concert production, but his wooden performance stuck out like sore thumb. For those who have seen and greatly enjoyed Terfel in this new NY Phil concert, let me ask a very pointed question. Did you also enjoy his performance in the BBC concert? That will help me determine whether I need to add a grain of that proverbial salt with your reviews. Thank you, kindly!



VIDEO - Bryn Terfel does Epiphany and A Little Priest w/ Maria Friedman Updated On: 3/6/14 at 07:45 AM

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 8:06am

I'm with you, Horse. Terfel's concert performance was literally the one thing that kept me from buying tickets to this. A perfectly sung Sweeney doesn't mean a whole lot (to me, at least) if the singer can't act it. Then just give me a recital. (And even then, don't, please and thank you.) I'm thrilled to hear that it's being filmed and broadcast, though, because part of me still wonders "what/if/then?" and I ain't nobody got use of wonderin'.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 8:37am

I really hopes he's better in this than he was in the full production he did for Chicago Opera. His singing was excellent, but he spoke his lines with hammy exaggerations. At the same time he tried to upstage his Mrs Lovett and never connected with her (Apparently he does this all the time now). After seeing that, as much as I would have loved to see Emma Thompson, there wasn't any chance I was going to pay money to see him again in the role. Luckily I can see it now for free on my TV.

[binau]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 8:55am

"Really, sometimes you just need to be slapped and shaken by shoulders so that someone can scream in your ear "DO YOU KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO SEE THIS? STOP NIT-PICKING AND ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE MOVED BY THE MUSIC AND THE ART YOUR ARE SO PRIVILEGED TO WITNESS. STOP TRYING TO BE ABOVE IT ALL. IT SIMPLY LOOKS BRATTY AND NARROW-MINDED."

This is exactly how I felt and still do thinking about it when I saw Night Music, Follies, Scottsboro Boys, Lansbury!Daisy, August OC, most recently Bridges etc. Incredibly incredibly lucky.

And considering this show was the entire point of my trip, the amount of work I had to do to get here and the fact that I have another ticket for Friday, which are $200 each, believe me, I wanted to love it - and to be clear I did enjoy it.

I guess I had impossibly high expectations. I walked in wanting it to be the best thing I ever saw and then it was just good. And the tackiness reminded me of the four amateur productions and concert at WolfTrap in DC that the whole idea of seeing it professionally for the first time live was meant to help me forget. I hate that such minor things can bother me but I guess the devil is in the details and because the theatre is just so large (despite sitting relatively close) it was difficult for me just to focus on the performances. As mentioned it will probably come across better on the recording because Emma Thompson up close is the experience I personally would want to have.

If I were to try and describe my experience, this is what I saw - the handprint vs the black dots, which represent the faces of Sweeney and Mrs Lovett are both literally and metaphorically what it was like looking at the stage



This is what I wanted to see:



Again, to be clear the issue here is I was expecting the best thing I had ever seen but it was merely good to me. I am not saying I didn't enjoy it. I guess you just have certain expectations when you Attend the Tale of a show that cost $200 with Academy Award Winning Actress Emma Thompson, at Avery Fisher Hall, with the NYPhil, in an audience that included Sondheim himself and Meryl Streep, that will be recorded for television. Of a show whose movie adaptation won the Academy Award for Art Direction.

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 08:55 AM