Sweeney Todd PBS

Gothampc
#50Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 9:39pm

NYC bleeped it because it started in the 9:00 pm hour. If it had started in the 10:00 pm hour, they wouldn't have bleeped it.


If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

ljay889 Profile Photo
ljay889
#51Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 9:40pm

Whoa! The boy soprano from the West Side Story revival is all grown up.

Updated On: 9/26/14 at 09:40 PM

ILuv2shop531
#52Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:03pm

Does anyone know if this is being repeated? I'm out and of course the person I asked to DVR it for me forgot.

Gothampc
#53Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:16pm

If Sweeney got busy and slit the Judge's throat rather than wasting time singing Pretty Women, then things would be very different.


If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

indytallguy
#54Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:18pm

Kind of underwhelmed so far. Perhaps it is the semi-staged nature of this, but it is dragging. Love Thompson's comedic touches, but her head voice in The Worst Pies? Not so much. And Terfel runs hot or cold in both his singing and his acting.



Updated On: 9/26/14 at 10:18 PM

gleek4114 Profile Photo
gleek4114
#55Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:19pm

This makes me want Emma to star in a full scale revival.

ljay889 Profile Photo
ljay889
#56Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:27pm

I am sure it won't be long before she's approached for a full scale revival. Though I assume she has quite a busy schedule.

Updated On: 9/26/14 at 10:27 PM

binau Profile Photo
binau
#57Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:30pm

Sweeney Todd PBS


"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022) "Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009) "Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000

RW3
#58Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:32pm

But can we all agree that Audra is killing it as the Beggar Woman. She's too funny!

morosco Profile Photo
morosco
#59Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:33pm

When I take my glasses off and watch it looks like Rosie O'Donnell is playing the role of Sweeney.

mikey2573
#60Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:37pm

Some years ago, CBS televised a live broadcast of the play ON GOLDEN POND with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The word "bull****" was said several times and it was not bleeped. I remember David Letterman making a big thing about it the following night.

ljay889 Profile Photo
ljay889
#61Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:38pm

Terfel has a glorious voice, but he's clearly not the strongest actor.

Is it me - or are some of the tempos too slow?

promisespromises2 Profile Photo
promisespromises2
#62Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:39pm

Yes, definitely better live, but I feel like that's just the way it is with these kinds of things? I'm not a fan of how they filmed it. Too many close ups, I think.

orangeskittles Profile Photo
orangeskittles
#63Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:46pm

No ljay, I noticed the slow tempos when I saw it live. But the pacing of the ensemble pieces are all over the place- Pirelli's Miracle Elixir and City on Fire are some of my favorite moments but they were just an intelligible mess at times.


Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never knowing how
Updated On: 9/26/14 at 10:46 PM

Gothampc
#64Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:47pm

"I'm not a fan of how they filmed it. Too many close ups, I think."

Yes, early on there were a couple of terrible shots of Joanna where the camera was too tight on the side of her face.


If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Gothampc
#65Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:53pm

What's wrong with the side of Toby's head?


If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

haterobics Profile Photo
haterobics
#66Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:54pm

Am I forgetting why Tobias doesn't have any hair on the left side of his head? Not recalling that from previous versions I saw/the movie...

CurtainsUpat8 Profile Photo
CurtainsUpat8
#67Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:01pm

All of the men's falsetto's are weak... The Beadle, Pirelli, and Toby. I am enjoying it though, very much. The thing these productions never get right is that Mrs Lovett is and always has been IN LOVE with Sweeney. Everything she does is motivated by that. It's never played strong enough. IMHO
I also think Bryn is doing great for an opera singer. Phillip Quest is, as always, amazing. The Anthony is wonderful. Joanna is a great singer, not ditzy enough. Christian Borle.. meh... his usual performance. Jeff Blumenkranz is a wonderful actor.

Updated On: 9/26/14 at 11:01 PM

promisespromises2 Profile Photo
promisespromises2
#68Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:06pm

The woman playing Johanna reminds me of Katie Finneran for some reason.

RW3
#69Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:10pm

Bye bye Audra

ljay889 Profile Photo
ljay889
#70Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:17pm

The thing these productions never get right is that Mrs Lovett is and always has been IN LOVE with Sweeney. Everything she does is motivated by that. It's never played strong enough. IMHO

I thought Emma REALLY played it up and nailed that aspect of the character.

morosco Profile Photo
morosco
#71Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:18pm

Is that a vuvuzela I'm hearing each time a throat is slit?

gleek4114 Profile Photo
gleek4114
#72Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:22pm

I think Erin Mackey is doing an amazing job.

CurtainsUpat8 Profile Photo
CurtainsUpat8
#73Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:25pm

I disagree, although I thought she did a great job. The key moment is when SWEENEY RETURNS! It's the climax of the play for Mrs Lovett in many ways. I wasn't really fond of the red dress either. But all in all, I really enjoyed hearing the score sung so well with the Philharmonic.

James2 Profile Photo
James2
#74Sweeney Todd PBS
Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:26pm

It's been ages since I saw a production that had the policemen coming into the bakehouse with Anthony and Johanna. This reminded me of a slight confusion I had over their presence in this scene. Were they chasing Anthony and Johanna, or did Johanna find them after running out of the barbershop and have them come to arrest Sweeney?


My avatar = A screencap from Avatar, arguably the greatest animated show of all


Videos