Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net
 


       Musicals.Net Forums -> Sweeney Todd
Joshua

Lansbury vs. LuPone

I think it will be interesting to see peoples' opinions on who is there favorite Mrs. Lovett.

I mean, of course Angela was fantastic (and also she's the original so...), but she played it as too much of a goofy person. Whereas Patti LuPone gave it more of a dark streak and more devious. I don't know. I'll jump in more later after everyone else has a chance to state there opinions.



Cool
mastachen

Patti LuPone charges $150 per ticket to her concert, and doesn't allow school to sell student tickets. How she expects college students to shell out that much money is beyond me.


That having absolutely no influence on how much I like Lupone now, I think Lansbury was the better Lovett.
Sweeney Hyde

I voted for Angela. I like how she played the character better than Patti, although I do enjoy Patti on my Revival Cast Recording.

Angela was a much more realistic Lovett, imo. She played the role like Mrs. Lovett would have behaved. She was hiding behind a facade. She was a vicious, cruel, woman willing to do anything to get her man. However, at the same time she acted like your aunt or grandmother...just fun and cooky...but deep down she was sinister.

Patti's approach was much more literal. She took Mrs. Lovett and exposed her for the vile, wicked woman that she was right off that bat (at least from what I can tell). It was much more obvious to the audience that she was a bad person much quicker.
Xack

Angela Lansbury IS Ms. Lovett in my mind, and akways will be. One thing I enjoy about her is how funny and crazy and loveable she is, but she doesn't stay that way. In "Not While I'm around" you start to see the real evil inside of her and it just feels so wrong that this character you loved so much before can even be thinking of what she's about to do. It chills me every time.
Salome

Lansbury is the best by far. her subtlty..she never shows her victims that she is the villian but she reveals it in small does to the audience 'oine may smile and be a villain".

LuPone was dreadful. bombastic,nearly humorless and one dimensional.
Joshua

I definitely think that Angela Lansbury is the best Ms. Lovett. At first I like Patti LuPone, but that was just based on this video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Cwzqz9ImmH8


But after I saw others, I realized that she sucks. She is very dull with her line delivery and she says her lines too fast.

Angela was very goofy and lovable at first. But then you start to see her motives and you see that the lovableness is just the outside. She makes the character a lot more complex than LuPone did.
pish123c

I think that they both have their strengths in the role, it just depends on how one sees Mrs. Lovett.


That being said, I voted for Lansbury.
Paula74

I like Angela...don't love her, but I like her...in the role.

I hated Patti. I had no real bias for or against her as she wasn't the main reason I saw the revival. But she didn't live up to the hype and her diction drove me crazy. If I hadn't been familiar with the libretto going in, I'd have lost a lot of her lines.
pish123c

Joshua wrote:
I definitely think that Angela Lansbury is the best Ms. Lovett. At first I like Patti LuPone, but that was just based on this video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Cwzqz9ImmH8


But after I saw others, I realized that she sucks. She is very dull with her line delivery and she says her lines too fast.

Angela was very goofy and lovable at first. But then you start to see her motives and you see that the lovableness is just the outside. She makes the character a lot more complex than LuPone did.

You said that Angela had a goofy Lovett, but Patti in THAT video isn't goofy? She's practically screaming at him! Laughing
Joshua

That's why I liked her in that video. Very Happy But after watching others, such as the tony awards/revival videos, I realized that she was way to dark and, for lack of a better word, alluring. She made the character more shallow by coming right out and showing her "evilness".
Hans

Haha, Lansbury sweeps the floor with every musical performer in the world, except Dench. There's seriously no contest.
Vertigo50

When Patti Lupone plays a character it's always "Patti Lupone as Mrs. Lovett" or "Patti Lupone as Evita". Sometimes her style fits and it works well enough (Evita) and sometimes her style doesn't fit (Lovett) and it's dreadful.

Lansbury IS Lovett. She becomes the character, as good actors do.

Patti Lupone is the most overrated Broadway actress I've ever seen. Watch her performance of "Worst Pies" in the In Concert DVD. She goes from a soft covered sound to a full out mouth-wide-open belt and back in the same phrase. What the hell is that about? I think I grind my teeth through that song every time I watch it.
shakalakababy

i absolutely hated patti lupone as mrs. lovett. I understand that the revival style lovett is a lot different but i thought Judy Kaye (currently in the tour) was brilliant and captured everything lupone could not.

so between lupone and lansbury and i'd go with lansbury, without a doubt.
sallydurant

Where's Julia McKenzie in the poll? She was great as Lovett. There's a clip on YouTube of "Worst pies in London":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXg5tut9LXo
postmodern-mango-salsa

I voted Lupone.
She plays Lovett like a crazy woman, which is PRECISELY what she was. Lansbury's version goes TOO SLOW! Yes, Lupone screams at him, and in the revival, she's looking pretty emo, THAT'S why she's better.

She's also more neurotic, which in my opinion is what it needs.
Salome

wow! i hope you never direct Sweeney Todd. you dont understand lovett at all.
postmodern-mango-salsa

Salome wrote:
wow! i hope you never direct Sweeney Todd. you dont understand lovett at all.
It's not that I don't understand, it's just that I view her differently Cool
j/k
I'm in high school, gimme a break, lol.
I'm fond of neurotics and loonies. Every play, in my opinion, should have one. Very Happy
Hans

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
She plays Lovett like a crazy woman, which is PRECISELY what she was.


Don't you think Lansbury's Lovett is crazier? LuPone's Lovett is more of a charicature of crazy than convincingly crazy.
postmodern-mango-salsa

Dvarg wrote:
postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
She plays Lovett like a crazy woman, which is PRECISELY what she was.


Don't you think Lansbury's Lovett is crazier? LuPone's Lovett is more of a charicature of crazy than convincingly crazy.
I love Lansbury as Lovett, but her voice is just.... not right. I much prefer Lupone because she has the voice AND the acting.
plus, honestly, Lupone's caricature gives it more of that "dark comedy" feeling. I mean, unless Lovett is somewhat laughable, Sweeney Todd makes you want to run off and cut yourself. Kind of like Hamlet without the gravediggers.
Salome

LupOne played lupone.

Lansbury played mrs. lovett

plus Lansbury is 3 times the singwer lupone is!!! and lupone has awful diction.

she is a very limited actress and Lovett was, next to Norma Desmond..the worst thing she ever attempted.
pish123c

The reason I chose Lansbury was this:

Patti is such an excellent singer. Her voice makes me melt. And while Lansbury's singing can get on my nerves at certain points (Patti's is overall just more easy to listen to) her acting is so much better and she has a great hold on Mrs. Lovett.


If Mrs. Lovett was a "singing role", Patti would clearly be the winner. It's much more of an acting role though, which is how Angie wins.
postmodern-mango-salsa

Salome wrote:
LupOne played lupone.

Lansbury played mrs. lovett

plus Lansbury is 3 times the singwer lupone is!!! and lupone has awful diction.

she is a very limited actress and Lovett was, next to Norma Desmond..the worst thing she ever attempted.

yes, but lupone's doesn't make you feel like cutting your ears off, no offense to Miss lansbury, she's awesome, but I can't stand to hear her sing fast songs... dunno why.
Salome

she is a master at fast songs. Lansbury has one of the best voices in theatre.

LuPone makes me want to lsit my wrists..her shrillness,her horrible diction..her over acting. ugh.
postmodern-mango-salsa

Salome wrote:
she is a master at fast songs. Lansbury has one of the best voices in theatre.

LuPone makes me want to lsit my wrists..her shrillness,her horrible diction..her over acting. ugh.
she has better diction than Lansbury, imo. I mean, Lansbury can stick to an accent better (unless it's an accent other than her own...) but I can actually understand what Lupone says... but that might be CD quality too. The Revival CD is a far superior recording, if not superior material.
Joshua

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
Salome wrote:
she is a master at fast songs. Lansbury has one of the best voices in theatre.

LuPone makes me want to lsit my wrists..her shrillness,her horrible diction..her over acting. ugh.
she has better diction than Lansbury, imo. I mean, Lansbury can stick to an accent better (unless it's an accent other than her own...) but I can actually understand what Lupone says... but that might be CD quality too. The Revival CD is a far superior recording, if not superior material.


I agree with Salome. Lansbury's diction is a billion times better than LuPones. She definitely over-enunciates everything. And Lansbury's voice is not horrible. In fact, it's excellent.
mastachen

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
Salome wrote:
she is a master at fast songs. Lansbury has one of the best voices in theatre.

LuPone makes me want to lsit my wrists..her shrillness,her horrible diction..her over acting. ugh.
she has better diction than Lansbury, imo. I mean, Lansbury can stick to an accent better (unless it's an accent other than her own...) but I can actually understand what Lupone says... but that might be CD quality too. The Revival CD is a far superior recording, if not superior material.



I don't understand what you mean by "unless it's an accent other than her own." I always thought that to be good at accents, you have to be good at sticking to accents that's not your own.

I can understand LuPone only because I know the words to the songs. If I didn't know the words, I would be lost.
Hans

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
I love Lansbury as Lovett, but her voice is just.... not right.


Shocked Sondheim wrote the role for Lansbury - it couldn't be more right.

For example is the music partly shaped around where she changes between head and chest voice.
BenjaminBarker

No contest, in my opinion. Angela wins hands down!

www.sweeneytoddforum.org.uk
postmodern-mango-salsa

well, by "not right" i meant that her voice sounds like her voice, whereas with LuPone (which some may find a defect, but I personally prefer it) you can TELL it's just an accent.

Then again, I'm biased beyond all reason: I heard the revival before I even knew it was a revival :/
before I heard LuPone, I thought sweeney todd was the most dreadful thing in the world.
What Is This Feeling?

There are very few actresses in the world who I can see ever pulling off Mrs. Lovett as Angela Lansbury did. She is a wonder! When I think of Mrs. Lovett I must always think of her! Mrs. Lovett is one of her iconic charachters.
rytoast25

LUPONE ALL THE WAY!!!!

lansburry gives me a headache. she can't sing worth crap (my opinion). although she is a good actress her voice makes me want to die.

lupone knows what she is doing when she opens her mouth.
Quique

^ Grrrr.
Quique

I prefer Angela all the way.

Lupone's voice is probably stronger, but I much prefer a brilliant actress over an amazing singer. And I don't think Angie's voice is bad at all. You people are crazy.
rytoast25

So last night i watched the recording of sweeney for the first time since april and relized that lansbury isn't that bad. at first i thought what is that voice but now i enjoy it better.

theni pulled up some you tube vids of lupone............good voice not so much w/ the acting.

so vote changed.

lansbury all the way!


(i change my mind a lot so dont scewer me)
Joshua

Quique wrote:
I prefer Angela all the way.

Lupone's voice is probably stronger, but I much prefer a brilliant actress over an amazing singer. And I don't think Angie's voice is bad at all. You people are crazy.


And Sondheim writes for the actor who can sing. (not the other way around for LuPone) So Angela is better. Although LuPone's voice may be more pleasing to the ears, Angela isn't bad.
Mistress

Lansbury was wonderful as Lovett, and I haven't seen enough of Lupone to judge, but I like Lupone's pure evil Lovett than Lansbury's silly old ninny Lovett, but it's not about their acting or singing, it's just that I think I found the more sinster Lovett more appealing...correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears as though that is the route that HBC is taking the role in the movie.
Brock07

When I fell in love with Sweeney Todd, it was listening to Lansbury, so there you go.

I'm not saying the character can't be played darker (like HBC in the movie, or so I've read...can't wait to see though!), but I think Lansbury is far superior to LuPone.

I no longer associate Angella Lansbury with Beauty and the Beast.
postmodern-mango-salsa

rytoast25 wrote:
LUPONE ALL THE WAY!!!!

lansburry gives me a headache. she can't sing worth crap (my opinion). although she is a good actress her voice makes me want to die.

lupone knows what she is doing when she opens her mouth.
LUPONE POWER FTW!!!
Joshua

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
rytoast25 wrote:
LUPONE ALL THE WAY!!!!

lansburry gives me a headache. she can't sing worth crap (my opinion). although she is a good actress her voice makes me want to die.

lupone knows what she is doing when she opens her mouth.
LUPONE POWER FTW!!!


Well, rytoast did change their answer...
postmodern-mango-salsa

Joshua wrote:
postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
rytoast25 wrote:
LUPONE ALL THE WAY!!!!

lansburry gives me a headache. she can't sing worth crap (my opinion). although she is a good actress her voice makes me want to die.

lupone knows what she is doing when she opens her mouth.
LUPONE POWER FTW!!!


Well, rytoast did change their answer...

Guess that leaves me as a movement of one, then.... xD
The Duchess of Mint

I CAN'T DECIDE!

Dear Sweeney Todd Fans,

I can't possibly decide between Angela and Patti, but the "I can't decide!" option isn't included in the poll.

I think that Angela Lansbury is probably the best Mrs. Lovett, but I don't know if anyone has ever made the acting aspect of Mrs. Lovett's character as interesting as did Patti. I think that some of her tones, facial gestures, etc., are just priceless.

I don't like her singing very much, though. She'll almost shout one line, and then she'll sing the next line in an almost ridiculous version of a ladylike voice. Weird. She sometimes does that same sort of thing with the delivery of certain lines, with regards to the MOODS of the lines.

Thanks in advance for your replies.



Confused
EponineMNFF

Lansbury is amazing and I love her Mrs. Lovett, but there's something about Lupone's portrayal that I prefer. It's really close, though. So I guess I'm in the minority here, but whatever. ^^ I think Lansbury has a better "Worst Pies in London," but I prefer Lupone overall.
Patrick

Lupone sucks
Sweeney Hyde

I love LuPone on the NYC Philharmonic CDs. There. I said it.

This Lovett that she produced in this recording is SIGNIFNICANTLY different than the one she produced for the 2005 revival.

Overall, I think this recording is the best...George Hearn...Patti LuPone...Audra McDonald...Neil Patrick Harris...Paul Plishka...also contains the most dialouge from the show of the three recordings currently available.

HOWEVER...I still think Lansbury is the best.
Joshua

Re: I CAN'T DECIDE!

The Duchess of Mint wrote:
Dear Sweeney Todd Fans,

I can't possibly decide between Angela and Patti, but the "I can't decide!" option isn't included in the poll.

I think that Angela Lansbury is probably the best Mrs. Lovett, but I don't know if anyone has ever made the acting aspect of Mrs. Lovett's character as interesting as did Patti. I think that some of her tones, facial gestures, etc., are just priceless.

I don't like her singing very much, though. She'll almost shout one line, and then she'll sing the next line in an almost ridiculous version of a ladylike voice. Weird. She sometimes does that same sort of thing with the delivery of certain lines, with regards to the MOODS of the lines.

Thanks in advance for your replies.



Confused


Dear Duchess of Mint,

That is why I put the "I think they're both brilliant" option.

Thanks in advanced for your reply.
Joshua

Sweeney Hyde wrote:
I love LuPone on the NYC Philharmonic CDs. There. I said it.

This Lovett that she produced in this recording is SIGNIFNICANTLY different than the one she produced for the 2005 revival.

Overall, I think this recording is the best...George Hearn...Patti LuPone...Audra McDonald...Neil Patrick Harris...Paul Plishka...also contains the most dialouge from the show of the three recordings currently available.

HOWEVER...I still think Lansbury is the best.


The NYC Philharmonic CD - is that the concert?

If so, I know what you mean about LuPone.
I liked her in that, but after seeing clips from the revival and hearing the cast recording, I didn't like her any more.
Sweeney Hyde

Yes it is the concert on CD.

Trust me...LuPone sounds like a completely different Lovett in these than in the revival recording.
Joshua

Yeah she does. I like her a lot in that.

And I heard that in the revival they transposed her songs to give her a darker sound.
postmodern-mango-salsa

Joshua wrote:
Yeah she does. I like her a lot in that.

And I heard that in the revival they transposed her songs to give her a darker sound.
I like it that way, personally, then again, we all know my bias.... lol.

The only complaint I have about the revival version is that Pirelli is played by a woman and that Sweeney is a bit gruff. Other than that, I wouldn't have it any other way Smile
Not Dead Yet

way off topic, but, postmodern-mango-salsa, do you go to Lovewell? I have a friend who goes and I was thinking of tryign to get in for this upcoming summer...
postmodern-mango-salsa

Not Dead Yet wrote:
way off topic, but, postmodern-mango-salsa, do you go to Lovewell? I have a friend who goes and I was thinking of tryign to get in for this upcoming summer...
No T_T I'd give anything to go, though. My drama teacher, Mrs. Greenfield is good friends with the director, so we got to perform "Peace of Mind: A Life Altering Musical" for competition. A very high honor, I must say : )
ickle2

Wow that was unexpected! i was almost certain a great number of you would vote for lupone o well just be and a few others then whats so great about Angela anyway?.
Joshua

ickle2 wrote:
Wow that was unexpected! i was almost certain a great number of you would vote for lupone o well just be and a few others then whats so great about Angela anyway?.


idk, my bff rose? Wink

Angela doesn't give her darkness away so quickly like LuPone does. Which, I think, makes the character way more complex. Because Angela seems like a goofy lovable person, but then you see that she's putting ideas into Sweeney's head. AND she is much more animated than LuPone. There's many more reasons that have been previously posted throughout this thread.
ickle2

The clips from the revival would they be on you tube?
postmodern-mango-salsa

Joshua wrote:
ickle2 wrote:
Wow that was unexpected! i was almost certain a great number of you would vote for lupone o well just be and a few others then whats so great about Angela anyway?.


idk, my bff rose? Wink

Angela doesn't give her darkness away so quickly like LuPone does. Which, I think, makes the character way more complex. Because Angela seems like a goofy lovable person, but then you see that she's putting ideas into Sweeney's head. AND she is much more animated than LuPone. There's many more reasons that have been previously posted throughout this thread.
I swear to god if I hear that commercial misquoted one more time... it's JILL!!!!!!!! MY BFF JILL!

>|

lol j/k Razz

You're not alone, ickle. I like Lupone too, but HBC is starting to get my vote because she's less musical and more an actress
pish123c

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:


You're not alone, ickle. I like Lupone too, but HBC is starting to get my vote because she's less musical and more an actress

You kind of contradicted yourself there...

You prefer Patti to Angela, but you like Carter because she's more of an actress?


The only thing Patti really had going for her was her voice. Angela is ten times the actress she is! If acting is what you're looking for, Lansbury should be getting your vote.
ickle2

Shes only ten times the actress because i dont think lupone actually acts like in films and such?.Angela was in that film with all the fish lol bobbing a long on the bottom of the sea ect.

Hbc well i know she cant really sing as well as the others but she is a bit musical plus shes great actress. Angela is no were as near as good as her in acting!.
postmodern-mango-salsa

pish123c wrote:
postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:


You're not alone, ickle. I like Lupone too, but HBC is starting to get my vote because she's less musical and more an actress

You kind of contradicted yourself there...

You prefer Patti to Angela, but you like Carter because she's more of an actress?


The only thing Patti really had going for her was her voice. Angela is ten times the actress she is! If acting is what you're looking for, Lansbury should be getting your vote.

kind of only counts in hand grenades Razz
just kidding

well, HBC < Lupone < Angela as far as acting goes
singing? Lupne < Angela < HBC (she has NO emotion!!!!)
ickle2

what do u mean she has no emotion? hbc did ok with the exspressions i suppose
actor

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:

well, HBC < Lupone < Angela as far as acting goes
singing? Lupne < Angela < HBC (she has NO emotion!!!!)


Shocked

That is so wrong.
mastachen

I thought when X<Y, that means that Y is better than X....

so I'm kinda confused.
theatre_grl

actor wrote:
postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:

well, HBC < Lupone < Angela as far as acting goes
singing? Lupne < Angela < HBC (she has NO emotion!!!!)


Shocked

That is so wrong.

there is no way HBC is better than Angela or Lupwn in singing
actor

theatre_grl wrote:
actor wrote:
postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:

well, HBC < Lupone < Angela as far as acting goes
singing? Lupne < Angela < HBC (she has NO emotion!!!!)


Shocked

That is so wrong.

there is no way HBC is better than Angela or Lupwn in singing


I'd say HBC and Lupone are on the same level vocally, but Angela is WAY better than both of those.
Salome

Mrs. Lovet: in order of brillance

Angela Lansbury
Beth Fowler
Judy Kaye
Christine Baranski
Dorothy Louden
Patti LuPone

cant judge Helena yet.
Joshua

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
I swear to god if I hear that commercial misquoted one more time... it's JILL!!!!!!!! MY BFF JILL!


Actually no, the second one has the grandma texting her friend. And the her daughter (the mom) was like "who are you texting" and the grandma said "idk, my bff rose."

So there! Razz
postmodern-mango-salsa

postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
pish123c wrote:
postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:


You're not alone, ickle. I like Lupone too, but HBC is starting to get my vote because she's less musical and more an actress

You kind of contradicted yourself there...

You prefer Patti to Angela, but you like Carter because she's more of an actress?


The only thing Patti really had going for her was her voice. Angela is ten times the actress she is! If acting is what you're looking for, Lansbury should be getting your vote.

kind of only counts in hand grenades Razz
just kidding

well, HBC < Lupone < Angela as far as acting goes
singing? Lupne < Angela < HBC (she has NO emotion!!!!)


hahaha *embarrased*
they're backwards.....

HBC> Lupone> Angela as far as ACTING GOES
Lupone> Angela> HBC with singing.
postmodern-mango-salsa

Joshua wrote:
postmodern-mango-salsa wrote:
I swear to god if I hear that commercial misquoted one more time... it's JILL!!!!!!!! MY BFF JILL!


Actually no, the second one has the grandma texting her friend. And the her daughter (the mom) was like "who are you texting" and the grandma said "idk, my bff rose."

So there! Razz

wow, I'm late.... haven't seen that one.
       Musicals.Net Forums -> Sweeney Todd
Page 1 of 1