[Orestes Fasting]

http://www.playbill.com/news/print.asp?id=108765

A concert version of Sweeney Todd will be presented next month to celebrate the reopening of the newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall.

Directed by David Freeman, the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler work will play four performances July 5-7. Welsh opera star Bryn Terfel will head the cast in the title role with Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman as the pie-baking Mrs. Lovett. The cast, according to the Southbank Centre's official website, will also include Adrian Thompson as Pirelli, Daniel Evans as Tobias, Steve Elias as The Beadle and Phillip Quast as Judge Turpin.

The production will also feature the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Stephen Barlow, the Maida Vale Singers and the chorus from the Guildford School of Acting.

Show times are July 5 at 7:30 PM, July 6 at 7:30 PM and July 7 at 2:30 and 7:30 PM.

For ticket information visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk.



Why isn't Philip Quast playing Sweeney?! That would send me into paroxysms of joy. (Not that Quast in anything doesn't send me into paroxysms of joy.)

[Timmy_Wishes he was Quast]

i know the man who will be understudy/stand-by (i guess) for Quast. Fred Broom...he has a fab voice and has directed me in several productions. GO FRED!

[Ghost]

Quast isn't playing Sweeney because they have Bryn Terfel. No need to ask who is the bigger star. I think Terfel will be brilliant. He was already supposed do the concert with the philharmonics and LuPone but got injured and Hearn replaced him.

The cast looks brilliant. It would be amazing if they recorded this, which i'm sure they won't.

[TychoBrahe]

Alas, if only.

[LesMisForever]

I booked my ticket. Baring something very unfortunate, and unexpected i will be there on Saturday.

[JulieJordan]

Just booked for the Friday- so excited!

[EponineJavert]

Good for you guys! Hard to go to Royal Albert Hall when you live in the US (also I'm not sure what they'll show in a concert for Sweeney )

[BenjaminBarker]

I went to see this yesterday afternoon - a fantastic show. For those of you who are interested, I have posted my review of it on my own website: www.sweeneytoddforum.org.uk. (Just click on the "NEW Sweeney in London" link from the homepage).

[Jenko]

There were about 10 GSA students in it.... yes Fred Broom is one of them.
I missed it but heard it was amazing!

[Salome]

great cast except Freidman..I never saw her appeal.

[LesMisForever]

I thought it was good/very good, if not spectacular.

I agree with Salome. She wasn't a very good Mrs Lovett. Her attempt to speak cockney was atrocious, and she was incosistent with it.

Sweeney made up for her though, and with about 30 strong orchestra, some of the songs were delight to hear, even from my seat up in the balcony.

One thing astonished me though, and left me deeply unsatisfied. They cut the judge Turpin solo. I was gutted. Philip Quast was the only member of the cast who was vocally equal to the lead, and what they do? they cut his song.

Pretty women was great though with them feeding off each other.
Johanna was excellent as well. I mean the song. Anthony had really good voice.
The ballad was excellent. Big Chorus, with big orchestra.
Epiphany also was very good, and so was the contest, although they cut the tooth part of it.

I have never been fond of the second act, and neither "By the sea", nor "Nothing is going to harm you" hit the spot with me.
I adore the finale though.

On the whole, i enjoyed it, and i am glad that i went, but cutting Quast's solo made me feel cheated.