A really engaging High School SWEENEY TODD

SWEENEY TODD

It sounds like the actors can’t hear the orchestra and the orchestra can’t hear the actors. I hope they got permission to reorchestrate and add dialogue. And what’s with the kabuki makeup? Mrs. Lovett looks more like Countess Aurelia.

^ That, per Finishing the Hat, was a Sondheim rewrite for the School Edition. Aside from the obvious cuts that would make sense in such a setting, he mainly amended the Beggar Woman's saucy repartee. (The original lyrics are still printed in the vocal score, but they trust educators to know their audience and whether amendments are necessary.)

The substitutions in "A Barber and His Wife" are:

'Ow would you like a little kiss, dear?
I'll be your girlfriend
You won't do better on the docks
Wouldn't you like to take me dancin'
And be my boyfriend
And buy me lots of pretty frocks?

[...]

Then 'ow would you like a little kiss dear,
I'll be your girlfriend
You won't do--

And in "Ah, Miss," we have:

Hey! Hoy! Sailor boy!
Lookin' pretty chipper!
Make us a date,
I'll be your mate
And you can be my skipper!

Updated On: 10/3/23 at 02:58 PM

I think the "Ah, Miss" alternate is kind of cute, but on the whole, I agree; they're corny.