[DaJudge]

Hey guys, I'm new here, but it looks like a great site, and you all seem to really know the show well. I'm playing the Judge in a production of Sweeney Todd in Edinburgh in August, but I was curious to get as much advice as I could on the role. Can you guys help me out?

[Sweeney Hyde]

The Judge is a great role congrats!

I have always seen the Judge as an absolutely evil preverted old man. However, there is a lot you can do with the role. He is not 100% evil because he does hesitate about lusting after Johanna in his version of the song...and he also feels remorse after all that happens with Lucy Barker by taking in Johanna as a babe...like I said there is a lot you can do with the role...have fun with it!

[Kaiana]

Yeah, whatever you do, please don't play him just as the "bad guy". Even if you don't include the Judges Johanna (which I really hope you get to do), try to include those emotions of regret, and anger and a wee bit of self-hatred maybe.

All that will make the character a lot more interesting. The reason the judge is evil is because he lets his lust get the better of him, even though he knows what he's doing is wrong. So there are times when he acts like a good/normal person.

[TychoBrahe]

He's such a wonderful bad guy because he and you know what he's done, but he must keep up his rightious facade (particularly in the sentencing scene). He's also an interesting study in Victorian culture. This is the time which brought about the diagnosis of Hysteria (basically horny induced madness) later in the century. Anything sexual was wrong and strongly repressed. So Turpin's Joanna is not just creepy, but agonizing as Turpin attempts to quell his earthy nature. It is such a shame that the song get's cut so often as it really offers a lot of insight into the character to where he's more human as opposed to just being Snidley Whiplash.

[DaJudge]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate the help. I have just a couple of specific questions...

1. How into Pretty Women would you say the Judge is? Is he just playing along or does he really get that caught up in it?

2. I'm primarily an opera singer, much moreso a singer than an actor, but I'm not sure if I should alter my more operatic tone to give myself less vibrato, maybe a bit more vulnerability, etc. The advantages of keeping the tone operatic are that it's impressive, loud, and dark, which might play into the idea of the menacing villain. On the other hand, on every recording I've ever heard, certain bits are spoken, or the tone is altered somewhat so as to make it more pained. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for all your help. It's going to be so useful.

[Salome]

He is quite caught up in it. "How seldom it is one meets a fewllow spirit"
He is quite into women in general and especially Johanna.

but his most important moment musically is his Mea Culpa" the Johanna song he doesi n act I while peering in at johanna dressing while he flagelates himself for his unholy and sinful lust.

[DaJudge]

It's not decided yet, but my guess is that we're cutting Mea Culpa since both the Director and Musical Director are not fans.

Alas.

[TychoBrahe]

Yes, Pretty Women is sung in earnest. This is just a couple of guys shooting the breeze at the barber; Turpin has no idea who Todd is, otherwise the show would be over before the end of the first act. Todd want's subtle revenge at first (Wait), and furthermore, Turpin doesn't really care about this common barber enough to give him any introspection. How many innocent men has Turpin transported? Why should Todd be any different? Besides, the man Turpin convicted was a mild-manner barber by the name of Barker, not Todd; hence the climactic "Benjamin Barker!" at the end when all is revealed. Also, it is great to sing Turpin with dark vibratto--it is an intense part. One does want to put some emotion into it, but the score is fairly operattic.

And as for cutting Turpin's Joanna, I'd fight for it.

[Salome]

[DaJudge]

I would be inclined to agree, but Sondheim himself cut it from the original.

[Salome]

[TychoBrahe]

It really does add to the show. I have always felt that length isn't a bad thing. In Todd, the traditionally cut songs are all very enjoyable.

[javertim]

Whatever you do, don't play him too old. Turpin definitely loses some of his impact if it seems like he's going senile. Unlike Mrs. Lovett, his sense of evil should be conscious. Also, I often like hearing the Judge sung by a true operatic bass. In fact, if any role is to be sung operatically in a production, I'd like for it to be the Judge. The more legit, classically trained sound assimilates with his class status. For a Judge that is thrillingly sung, look to Paul Plishka. It's a shame though, because Plishka's acting is quite unimpressive -- odd for him, as I usually find his performances in the opera world to be quite the reverse.

[Salome]

Sondheim requires Actor's who can sing..not singers who can act. don't make that mistake.