dolbinau
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Revival, more like a concert?I'm watching a (non-commercial) video of the Revival with Patti Lupone and Michael Cerevis at the moment and I didn't realise how confusing it would be; If this is someone's first experience of Sweeney I have no idea how they would know what was going on.
The way the Beggar Woman faces the audience and thanks *someone* for giving her money without anything actually happening, and the way Johanna is singing to *no* "Green Finch and Linnet Bird[s]" [Only up to this point] makes it seem somewhat concert-ish – but even the 2000 concert in Lupone's original role with Hearn seems a bit more 'directed'.
During (IIRC) 'Poor thing' and in the inbetweens a random lady was standing in the background in what looks like a lab coat - what was her purpose? She seemed to catch LuPone or something once.
I don't know why I said this  , I just think it's weird, that's all.
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The Very Angry Woman
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It was my first experience with Sweeney Todd, actually.
My problem was not necessarily the staging -- it was that the sound system at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco was so bad I had a horrible time following anything.
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Salome
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it wasnt so much a concert style as a very brechtian theatre experience.
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Joshua
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Realize!!!!!
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dolbinau
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| Joshua wrote: | | Realize!!!!! |
Excuse me? Considering the English spell realise 'realise' I'd say it's more correct than with a Z as the language did originate from that region...
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The Very Angry Woman
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| Joshua wrote: | | Realize!!!!! |
Not everywhere.
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EponineMNFF
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It was my first experience with Sweeney Todd as well. It wasn't the easiest thing to follow, but it definitely wasn't too confusing.
Most of the staging had them facing the audience, didn't it? I rarely remember the actors actually talking to each other while they were facing towards each other. It was a stylistic choice that is fairly easy to get used to once--well it was for me at least. I thought it was really interesting.
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Kragey
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I've heard of people having that issue before. A friend of mine got tickets for the revival from his girlfriend, and they went to together. He'd seen the show before and knew what was happening, but she was a bleeder and got confused in a couple of parts.
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Trevor reincarnate
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| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Joshua wrote: | | Realize!!!!! |
Not everywhere. |
Schooled. 
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mastachen
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My dumb roommate understood it, and he's never even heard the music, much less seen the movie, so it's probably not that bad. The only part he had trouble understanding was what Judge Turpin was doing while he was singing Johanna. I told him he didn't want to know.
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The Pirate King
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| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Joshua wrote: | | Realize!!!!! |
Not everywhere. |
I'm American, but I spell most everything the British way. Favourite, recognise, etc. Sometimes I forget things like "defence", but yeah. I'm a nerd. It just comes naturally now.
In fourth grade I spelled favourite with a u just to pwn my teacher. She didn't even give me the points for it!
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Luc
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| The Pirate King wrote: | | In fourth grade I spelled favourite with a u just to pwn my teacher. She didn't even give me the points for it! |
Live on the edge, Man. Live on the edge!!
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Trevor reincarnate
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That Pirate King really knows how to be a rebel, doesn't he?
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The Pirate King
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Not trying to look cool, just commenting on a matter at hand and acknowledging my connection to it.
Yar.
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Nick-Ko-Las Enigma
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Keep to the topic and not on personalities.
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recantha
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Sweeney should _never_ have been Doyle-ised. It was just the wrong choice. Company works, yes, because it's a small cast, but Sweeney is made for a large cast. The actor-musician thing just gets in the way of the story and the performances.
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lizavert
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I just saw the touring production of the revival not too long ago, and I liked the way it was staged. It was different. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, however, I thought it made everything more claustrophobic, which in turn ramped up the tension in the show quite a bit.
Of course that's just my opinion.
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Webster
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| recantha wrote: | | Sweeney should _never_ have been Doyle-ised. It was just the wrong choice. Company works, yes, because it's a small cast, but Sweeney is made for a large cast. The actor-musician thing just gets in the way of the story and the performances. |
So what else did Sondheim and Wheeler tell you while you conversing about their vision of the show?
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theatre4life
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| The Pirate King wrote: | | I'm American, but I spell most everything the British way. Favourite, recognise, etc. Sometimes I forget things like "defence", but yeah. I'm a nerd. It just comes naturally now. |
same here! 
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theatre4life
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my boyfriend wanted to see Sweeney for the first time. however, he knew the film had many cuts and things done to it - plus, he didnt care for Burton's version of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. so, the revival version will be in our area this upcoming season, but after seeing the Tony Awards, he knew he didnt wanna see it.
i'd suggest to anyone that if you wanna show someone for their first time - or yours - to show the Lansbury/Hearn pro-shot video from 1984. great quality in sound/visual - full sets/costumes/company/orchestra - plus, close-ups and most of the cast is very good.
my opinion... 
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