[Tenalto]

I just got back from the NETworks Presentations tour of ST that's based on the revival staging. Oh. My. FROG. This was the first time that I've had the opportunity to see ST live after my first experience with it, and it was wonderful. Felt the need to write a little review with my thoughts on the performance.

Merrit David Janes (Sweeney) -- I was impressed with him. I don't think his voice was exactly right for the role; he couldn't really hit the low notes, so the Johanna Quartet and The Letter were slightly strained-sounding. However, he was exquisitely crazy. His "Epiphany" was fantastic, very chilling. He had a very cold, soft, snake-like craziness. Think Hannibal Lecter.

Carrie Cima (Mrs. Lovett) -- Not a fan. Really not. She was quite nasal and irritating. By the middle of "Worst Pies in London," I was thinking that she sounded like a particularly grating Audrey from LSOH. Her higher notes were breathy and rather reminiscent of HBC in the film. She got a bit better by "A Little Priest," and improved a bit more in Act II. That is, until we got to the finale. She really just screeched the lines starting from "Yes, I lied 'cause I love you!" Kind of killed the mood.

Chris Marchant (Toby) -- Good voice, had the simple-mindedness and the eventual insanity down. Not very gripping, though. "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir" was nothing special.

David Alan Marshall (Judge Turpin) -- It said in the program that he'd sung with Chanticleer for three years, so that automatically put him in my good books. He had a lovely voice, but he both looked and sounded a little young.

Patty Lohr (Beggar Woman) -- Again, decent voice, but nothing thrilling.

Bob Bohon (Beadle) -- Charmingly lecherous. He was quite creepy during "Parlour Songs," and he had a good voice on him.

Duke Anderson (Anthony) -- Cute. Lovely voice. Looked and sounded like an Anthony. He was a bit forgettable in the first act, but came into his own in the second.

Wendy Muir (Johanna) -- I loved her. Her voice was absolutely gorgeous; it wasn't shrill and didn't have an obnoxious vibrato. She had the slight air of crazy that a good Johanna should have. My only complaint is that she was emphatically brunette, and yet they still sang about her yellow hair. Otherwise... very good.

Ruthie Ann Miles (Pirelli) -- Properly flamboyant. Good voice. Nothing to write home about.

I loved "Parlour Songs." It became fantastically creepy-sounding with the stripped-down orchestra, and the key changing every so often... loved it! "City on Fire" had a slightly different feel when the first verse was sung only by Toby -- it was like we were getting the opportunity to watch him go insane. Very cool.

I had my beefs here and there, but I still really want to go again tomorrow night before it leaves. I just hope I'll be able to get a student discount again.

[pennypingleton1994]

Is this the same tour that had Judy Kaye and David Hess? Are these performers replacements?

[Tenalto]

I don't think so. My friend who went with me said she heard the announcer say that this was the first performance for this tour.

[Brock07]

You sure do have alot of complaints or comments of averageness for being so wowed by the production.

[Tenalto]

It was one of those things where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Overall, it was great. By individual performances, not necessarily so.

[dolbinau]

[BiteYourTongue]

I just got back from seeing this tour a few hours ago, and I LOVED it. Even more than the movie. I'd never seen it preformed live before, and I enjoyed the way that the cast did their own music and props rather than having stage crew or an orchestra.
They announced we'd be having a sub for Johanna, who was blond, but I wasn't fond of her voice.
I'm searching madly for a CD of their version or something. I won't be able to sleep tonight if I don't get to hear them again!

Oh, and I live in a kinda close-minded town, where most of the older, richer families find this kind of thing taboo, so of course there was a preacher outside the theater telling us we were all going to hell for seeing it. xD It was pretty silly.

[ActingDude17]

BYT, I'm so glad you've exposed yourself to something other than the movie! Welcome to the wonderful world of stage Sweeney, where fangirls can never enter (unless someone's stupid enough to let them in).

And that pastor thing is hilarious.