Tracking changes to SWEENEY TODD (10/10- 10/24)- Page 2

[C is for Company]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 6:49pm

He gets mystery comps actually lol. I still wish I had that luck

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 9:03pm

Mystery Comps is a good answer. I've just been very lucky honestly. It's my good theatre kharma comeback I think for having paid full price to so many shows like THOU SHALT NOT and DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES...

Last night on TKTS, they only had partial view for SWEENEY. The show ended up being sold out. I only know this cause a friend tried to get tickets -- I definitely don't claim to be the old wise one on all things SWEENEY

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 10/11/05 at 9:06pm

I'm seeing it for the second time on Thursday. I truly hope tickets keep selling the way they have been.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 10/12/05 at 10:28am

The score sounds fine, but if I didn't know the words, I would have missed a lot of them. I was in the mezz on 10/11. The orchestrations overpower the voices. It is almost like the expected audience will be familiar with the score already.

This is my sixth production of Sweeney Todd (original, City Opera 1, small Sweeney, Kennedy Center which is the gold standard, City Opera 2 and now this). I miss the gore, the blood from the slit throats, and I miss the enormous body count during the Johanna reprise in Act II. There just aren't enough people in the company to be killed and so to be appalled at what Sweeney is doing. It also cuts down the laughs.

I haven't figured out yet the 'why' of this production. What does this reduction bring to the work which is an old-fashioned melodrama with a stellar score?

I don't think Sweeney needs to be a spectacle or 'epic theatre', keeping with the Brecht motif, but I'd like some people, blood and horror please. I never once felt like I wanted to turn away. The production feels over-conceptualized.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/12/05 at 11:32am

That section before Pretty Women is a favorite of mine. I really wish the score hadn't been tampered with.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/12/05 at 11:34am

Well, I don't think SWEENEY is necessarily an old fashioned melodrama, though it can certainly be staged like that. I sort of envision SWEENEY TODD as a fable. Certainly, the "legend" of SWEENEY has been around England for over 200 years.

What I think is brilliant about this production and Mr. Sondheim's work, is that it shows how powerful the story ultimately is. You don't need blood splattering over the audience or bodies lined up all over the stage in order to leave an audience stunned and on the edge of their seats.
Updated On: 10/12/05 at 11:34 AM

[James2]

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:48pm

Does "Parlor Songs" contain "The Tower of Bray" in this production, or just "Sweet Polly Plunkett"?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/12/05 at 1:55pm

what's the show curtain like?

[Calvin]

Posted: 10/12/05 at 2:17pm

It's the Tower of Bray.

Sweet Polly Plunkett is not even in the parlor songs section, although it makes an appearance earlier in the show. But there's no longer a harmonium, either.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 10/12/05 at 2:37pm

Updated On: 10/12/05 at 02:37 PM

[mirandajrs]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 5:02am

I'm sorry if this has already been addressed but could someone tell me how they handle Mrs. Lovett's death. Is there an oven?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/13/05 at 9:38am

SPOILER ALERTS

Lovett has her throat slit. It happens quickly, like all the deaths in this production and is just as effective. The point is Sweeney kills her -- not so much that he pushes her in the oven. which is a logistical nightmare for any production.

[Isabella2]

Posted: 10/14/05 at 10:53pm

That part was so flippin powerful! Anytime when someone died it was so unbelievable powerful, but the death of Mrs. Lovett was just so bone chillingly sad. Not just because Patti is so cute cause she's in love with Todd, but also because of Toby. What instrument is used to make the death noise again?

I have some new questions, is Toby Mrs. lovett's real son? Also, this maybe be a stupid question, but did anyone pick up the meanings of some of the names? Tod in German means death, Lovett well, just has the worl love in it. Do other names have menaings?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 10/14/05 at 11:03pm

I just wanted to add that last night "Sweet Polly Plunkett" was back in "Parlor Songs."
I love how the show continues to tighten and get even better. The Audience was really into last night as well, almost immediately a standing ovation, along with lots of laughter at the jokes.

[MarkCohen]

Posted: 10/14/05 at 11:27pm

I'm really curious to know how they handle not only the orchestrations, but the chorus singing. Are parts cut? Is the opening as vocally powerful?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/14/05 at 11:52pm

You mean they added they entire "Sweet Polly.." song back in? As it was, Lovett sang "a" line before "Bye the Sea" and the Parlor Songs included only -- "The Bells." == Whats the context for adding back "Polly?" It felt like they were streamlining, and "Polly" never added anything to any production of SWEENEY. I'm curious...

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 10/14/05 at 11:57pm

Last night Polly was back where it was in the original production. The Beadle sang it at the beginning of his scene with Lovett before going into Tower of Bray. Lovett still sang it before By the Sea too. It still doesn't add anything, the Beadle just sings both.

[Calvin]

Posted: 10/14/05 at 11:58pm

Yes, especially without the harmonium. This was one of my few staging gripes. Why the heck would the Beadle just start singing in the middle of the room if he wasn't playing with the harmonium? They shouldn't have cut those lines out earlier.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 12:10am

Oh yes -- The Beadle sang one line of it before... did they add more?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 12:27am

He sang an entire verse, basically exactly the same as it is on the OBCR.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 10:24am

Okay --- just keeping up to date on the changes. As of Monday night's show...SPOILERS BELOW

"Now then my friends..." restored.

Some new staging -- The Beggar Woman no longer delivers her "Alms..alms" from the ladder but from a chair downstage.

"City on Fire" further reworked. Toby now sings the entire first verse.

Most notable staging change -- during the 2nd Act "Johanna" -- it is Mrs. Lovett (not the Beggar Woman) who is pouring the buckets of blood. The Beggar Woman now watches Lovett's dirty work and her "Witch..witch..." etc are direct comments on it. This is MUCH clearer.

They also found a way to keep the audience from applauding between the final moments of the show and the last "Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd" reprise. It was as simple as having a shorter blackout, but again its much more effective. Updated On: 10/26/05 at 10:24 AM

[Madame X]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 10:37am

Some new staging -- The Beggar Woman no longer delivers her "Alms..alms" from the ladder but from a chair downstage.
Thank GOD! I never understood why she was on that ladder.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 11:39am

"now then my friends..." restored



Ok, someone explain this, I don't know what this is.

[timote316]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 12:08pm

I really like this thread. Seeing a recap of all the changes is just fascinating to me. I'm not at all familiar with the show, so I dont quite get what you are talking about, but the changes are still fascinating to hear about.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/26/05 at 12:22pm

MB,
Love this thread...have been following it and finally saw Sweeney last nite and it is FANTASTIC!!

I dont see that anything else changed from Monday to Tuesday that I noticed.