Sweeney Todd PBS- Page 4

[broadwaytbay]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:28pm

well overall I thought that was pretty good, and something I haven't seen in a Lovett before. A little slow in parts... but generally fabulous, and well worth the nothing I paid to see it on PBS... I mean we can all nit pick but really we got to see a great show with some outstanding performances free!!! thank the lord for Great Performances for those of us who live no where near New York

Updated On: 9/26/14 at 11:28 PM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:30pm

I've always assumed Johanna found them after being nearly killed by Sweeney.

As for this production, I really enjoyed it. True, some of the singing was stronger than the acting (or the acting was stronger than the singing), but it's still arguably the greatest musical ever written and it was well served here. Emma Thompson was absolutely outstanding, and I loved so many of her new choices. I'm at the very least happy this production allowed for her to finally play this role.

[HighFlyingAdored97]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:30pm

Emma reminded me of Helena Bonham Carter and Cate Blanchett for some reason. Not that that's a bad thing.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:33pm

Hmmm. I got a lot of Lansbury from Emma, especially in terms of playing Lovett as a naive simpleton. She certainly didn't play it fully aware and menacing like LuPone in the Doyle revival.

Updated On: 9/26/14 at 11:33 PM

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:41pm

side note to whoever brought up emma doing a full production, they are remounting the concert with her and Bryn in London for a 2 week run.


Emma to Play Lovett in London Updated On: 9/26/14 at 11:41 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:41pm

I thought it was a thoroughly adequate presentation of Sweeney.

[HighFlyingAdored97]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:45pm

This is somewhat random but does anyone think Megan Mullally can play Mrs. Lovett in the next few years? I think she'd be great.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:47pm

Just throwing it out there: What if Audra played Lovett and Norm played Sweeney? I'd camp out all week for tickets to that show.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:49pm

^ id see that, although to be far id pay to see them together in anything including love letters.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 11:58pm

I was definitely a bit underwhelmed, but enjoyed it overall. There were some bizarre choices made in terms of staging (Why was she cutting his hair during "By The Sea??" What was with the trombone meat grinder??) and it did seem to drag terribly during the second act. The acting seemed all over the place, but it sounded very nice and isn't that the main point of such a concert presentation anyway?

I probably liked Emma Thompson, Audra & Jay Armstrong Johnson the best, I thought they were fantastic throughout. "God That's Good" was probably my favorite number. I thought Bryn Terfel lacked that great detached madman quality Sweeney ought to have.

All in all I'm glad I caught it, and it was definitely worth the time if only for Emma Thompson and to hear that wondrous score sung so nicely for free on network TV. I very nearly had to miss it and was bummed out knowing it'll never be rebroadcast.

[Hex3]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:22am

I'm only at Green Finch so I haven't read anyone's reviews so as not to be spoiled however I just wanted to come here and say that this guy playing Sweeney has about as much acting ability as a turtle. I love what Emma is doing with Lovett so far.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:25am

Overall I enjoyed this production, with the exception of Terfel's habit of underplaying the big "scream" lines. does anyone happen to have a list of the ensemble?

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:29am

What broadwaytbay said. Thank God for Great Performances and Live from Lincoln Center for those of us not in the New York area. I loved the whole thing and found the staging to be rather creative. My only complaint is that this won't be released on DVD/audio recording.

[Hex3]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:35am

There won't be a dvd release???

[PianoMann]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:42am

I'm really glad I had the opportunity to watch this tonight, and was very pleased with the overall production!

The shining star of the show is without question the orchestra. I so envy everyone in Avery Fisher Hall who had the opportunity to hear this incredible score performed live by that talented group of musicians! Emma Thompson was such a joy, too, and delivered a effervescent performance (despite the flaws of her costar).

I was surprised at how much I disliked Terfel... his vocal performance was not nearly stellar enough to compensate for the lack of ability to embody the character, or even remotely begin to assemble a character. I also found him to be unintentionally hysterical at many inopportune times; I'm sure this was a symptom of home viewing and close-up camera work, but it certainly disrupted the tone of the evening.

Audra was a terrific Beggar Woman, and I'm so glad they filmed and aired one of the performances that he was in! For a concert performance, I think they managed to come up with a lot of clever staging.

I also have to disagree with Mr. Nowack: I thought the second act moved at a great pace and really delivered, but I found some of the first act to drag.

Thanks to PBS and Live at Lincoln Center for sharing this!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:48am

For me, Terfel was the definite weak point of the show. I wish it would have been Nathan Gunn.

[beilis32]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:51am

Sweeney Todd is one of my favorite shows of all time, and I thought this production was amazing. I was very pleasantly surprised by how utterly fantastic and kinda different Emma Thompson was. Plus, Audra McDonald was totally psychotic in the best possible way, the judge was creepy and that was of the best Antony/Johanna combos I have ever seen. Some other Sweeney things I've always wanted to talk to someone about: someone on here said that this Johanna was not ditzy enough. I don't think she has to be. If you think of how terrible her life is, you could also play her as very mature, restrained, repressed, obedient etc. You really cannot blame her for forgetting her wits in Kiss Me, because just imagine! She was terrified out of her mind, and rightfully so. Also, gosh, the Judge's Johanna makes my skin crawl to the point where I don't enjoy listening to it. I saw my first production at 14, where they took out that songandI had to hear the score many times before I realized just how disgusting Judge Turpin is. The fact that I slowly realized makes it even more disturbing. I've always felt so awful for Johanna.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 12:53am

Given that he's an opera singer, I was surprised how unpleasant I found Terfel's singing. Clearly the man has a stellar voice, but I thought the way he sang the part was pretty terrible. Way too much back-phrasing and unnecessary holding out of notes. It seemed as though he was trying to not stay in sync with the conductor.

[Huey's Pop]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 1:01am

It's one hour into the show on the west coast and I am enjoying every minute of it. Sweeney is one of my favorites and this production is so much better than the film version. Yes, thank God for PBS and a big plasma TV!

Updated On: 9/27/14 at 01:01 AM

[beilis32]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 1:01am

I think he also sounded kind of Russian at parts, and yes, I love Nathan Gunn, he would murder the role! (In a good way,and pardon the pun!)

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 1:35am

Overall I thought it was wonderful and sounded great. Thompson was outstanding and whipped those lyrics out like a champ. Some of Price's choices were strange like, as someone else pointed out, Mrs. Lovett cutting Sweeney's hair. Price also likes taking the actors into the house which I'm not a big fan of. But all in all I thought it was a very accomplished concert staging.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 1:41am

That's so odd that you thought act one dragged, as I thought it flew (for the most part) by as opposed to act two. Just goes to show how two different people can have totally different impressions from one performance.

I am a great deal fonder of the act one material than a lot of act two though so that may be why it always seems to drag despite being considerably shorter.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 1:43am

Obviously Bryn Terfel is a brilliant opera singer, so I feel strange criticizing him since that isn't a world I know too much about, but... I just couldn't get into it because of him. He seemed oddly removed. He didn't embody Sweeney the way George Hearn does. He probably sang it better technically, but it seemed to be he was acting by remote control and not actually feeling anything.

Emma Thompson was great, but Patti and Angela... hard shoes to fill.

That said I loved the kid who played Toby and the guy who played Anthony were great as was Audra of course.

I think what was largely missing from this (mostly due to Terfel) was the sense of fun. Hearn and Landsbury and LuPone brought it. I dunno- didn't connect for me, really.

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 6:45am

Maybe it was the microphones, but the telltale part of the broadcast was the lack of laughter during A Little Priest. Ms. Thompson was working the piece, but Mr. Terfel wasn't really into it - even the "piping hot" line was delivered more matter of fact. It's not just a comedy number - but a number that turns the plot and each character's level of evil needs to develop. I seemed to enjoy it more in the comfort of my living room than the audience at Avery Fisher Hall, but didn't enjoy that number as much as I thought I would.

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/27/14 at 6:55am

Was alerted that the show is on the PBS website....for now.
Here it is...for now