Posted: 4/26/24 at 12:15pm
I was there 2 weeks ago and found Sutton, Aaron and the entire production incredible. I personally think this is Aaron's best work to date, especially acting wise. He and Sutton had great chemistry. I hope they can find another project to work on together.
Posted: 4/26/24 at 1:56pm
I saw this on Wednesday and enjoyed it a lot, and I think the show as a whole felt like it worked more seamlessly than previous times I saw it (though I also sat closer this time so maybe that's part of the experience).
Sutton Foster was absolutely hilarious from her first scene, but I think she also played the role in a way that allowed the viewer to kind of see into Lovett's mind a bit, where you could tell some of the moments she was being a bit more calculating versus putting on a show, but I also thought she had a particularly warm relationship with Joe Locke as Toby.
I liked Aaron Tveit's Sweeney a lot more than I was expecting, and if I had not seen the show before I wouldn't have noticed anything wrong. I do think that he has a bit less gravitas than other Sweeneys, and his Epiphany didn't really seem as threatening or scary, but he acted well and I thought his and Sutton's interactions were interesting to see (his Sweeney seemed a bit more outwardly repulsed by her more amorous overtures).
There was a mechanical failure in the chair, so we only saw it used once, but they seemed to adapt fairly easily so that was cool to see. Also, after the show they auctioned off a crocheted meat pie (by Sutton Foster) along with pictures with Aaron, Sutton, and Joe Locke, which went for $3000
Posted: 4/30/24 at 3:05pm
Nine seats left for the closing show on Broadway Direct.
Posted: 5/2/24 at 11:58am
Finally made a return visit to Fleet Street on Sunday. I thought Sutton was absolutely remarkable, Aaron was horribly mediocre. Not great, not bad. Just a lot of missed potential. What was that accent? Why did he talk so slowly the entire show? It was a miss for me. Everyone else was in great shape, ensemble and pit included.
Yet again, Sutton proves why she is the best at what she does. Each line is a full meal. AND! She sounded wonderful.
Posted: 5/2/24 at 12:50pm
I saw yesterday's matinee and have a similar take to most of the recent reports on these boards.
Sutton was excellent. Found all of the same laughs as Annaleigh, but the performance felt far more grounded and organic. By the Sea was superb.
I found Aaron just super bland. Yes, he's vocallly miscast, but I didn't mind the occasional option up. And I thought he was actually quite delightful in A Little Priest. However, the Joanna Quartet made me actively angry. It's my favorite song in the show, and Aaron's voice just didn't have the depth to serve as the needed center for the number.
Joe Locke was quite good, and I found his finale sequence particularly moving.
Maria Bilbao had previously been a highlight in this production for me, but yesterday her Joanna didn't land with me at all.
I've seen this production four times, and every time I get more and more annoyed by it -- but I place almost all of the blame on the direction. Sweeney is a masterpiece, so even a mediocre production is worth a visit, but the choreography and set design just took me out of it over and over again. All of that kvetching aside, I'd rather have a Broadway with Sweeney than without, and I'm sure it's going to be quite a while before we see another one, so I'll keep the memories of the parts of the production (and the individual performances) that I did really love.
Posted: 5/2/24 at 1:14pm
I'm so impressed with how well this has sold. I expected huge dips after Josh left but they've been fairly stable with Sutton/Aaron.
Posted: 5/2/24 at 8:14pm
MezzA101 said: "Nine seats left for the closing show on Broadway Direct."
13 now showing for $522 mid orchestra
Posted: 5/4/24 at 12:04pm
Attend the Final 2-Show Day at Broadway's Sweeney Todd as Jonathan Christopher Takes Over Playbill's Instagram May 4 | Playbill
https://www.playbill.com/article/attend-the-final-2-show-day-at-broadways-sweeney-todd-as-jonathan-christopher-takes-over-playbills-instagram-may-4
Posted: 5/5/24 at 10:55am
Anyone here going to today’s final Broadway performance?
Posted: 5/5/24 at 12:05pm
EDSOSLO858 said: "Anyone here going to today’s final Broadway performance?"
One last shave? Count me in!
Posted: 5/5/24 at 12:13pm
This production never really "clicked" for me. I saw all 3 pairings (Groban/Ashford, Christopher/DeWaal, Tveit/Foster). I think my biggest issue with this production is the direction, or lack thereof, and the unnecessary choreography and movement.
Also, while it was indeed a treat to have the score played by such a large orchestra, the atrocious sound design detracted from what should have been a powerful and lush acoustic experience. I did love the set and lighting design, though.
This production may not have been a slam dunk for me, but it sure was nice to have this show back on Broadway for a while!
Posted: 5/5/24 at 12:16pm
EDSOSLO858 said: "Anyone here going to today’s final Broadway performance?"
I'll be there! Bought tickets before the closing was announced so didn't have to pay an arm and a leg.
Posted: 5/5/24 at 1:59pm
At This Performance: Alex Lacamoire is conducting. Complimentary empty Sweeney bags at the seat.
Posted: 5/5/24 at 5:35pm
Just got back from the show. Great performances all around and everyone received a free "ST" tote bag in their seat. Joel Grey was a few rows in front of us. Great curtain speech at the end.
There were some sound issues where the the music was louder than the singing. It wasn't balanced right for some of the show.
Updated On: 5/5/24 at 05:35 PM
Posted: 5/5/24 at 6:34pm
Did anyone else attend today? If so,who gave speeches?
nealb1 said: "Just got back from the show. Great performances all around and everyone received a free "ST" tote bag in their seat. Joel Grey was a few rows in front of us. Great curtain speech at the end.
There were some sound issues where the the music was louder than the singing. It wasn't balanced right for some of the show."
Posted: 5/6/24 at 12:19am
Based on all that I have heard about Tveit, I'm glad I was able to see this with Groban last summer.
I know this production didn't get much love here, but I found it to be more than adequate. I saw the last revival when it went on tour with much of the Broadway cast. David Hess played Sweeney and gave a performance as bland as a meal made by Rachel Ray. That production was a struggle to sit through. In comparison, this one was much better. Groban was vocally impressive, but his Sweeney was restrained and understated, which worked OK for this production. With that being said, I saw The Jacob's School of Opera's production at Indiana University a few weeks ago, and was truly impressed. It makes such a difference to have a Sweeney with a thunderous voice and terrifying persona; I got that with Skyler Schlenker at IU.
Posted: 5/6/24 at 12:44am
'Sweeney Todd' takes its final bloody curtain call
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmFAzBCRcAg
Updated On: 5/6/24 at 12:44 AM
Posted: 5/6/24 at 8:19am
I assume this production will make its way to London in the next few years with Groban and Ashford...?
Posted: 5/6/24 at 8:38am
There's so much for a purist to loathe about this production and yet so much to savor. Was the slapstick comedy drawing in the newcomers to fill that barn seven shows a week worth it to have that glorious music and lyrics come alive? Yes. Would Sondheim have approved? Yes.
I couldn’t stop thinking of the man during yesterday's final performance. I've had the opportunity to be in the audience several times at his shows with him in attendance and I imagined him both onstage via his art and among us watching.
Someone right behind us remarked at intermission that he was a newbie sitting with an full audience knowing exactly what was going to happen. There was absolute silence from the applause when the judge was dispatched until the end of the show. There was Joe Locke, as he's said in interviews, sneaking onto the crawlspace to watch the final Sweeney/Lovett scene, long before Tobias's entrance, fulfilling my fantasy of a staging where Tobias knows her fate before killing Sweeney.
There was so much love in the room yesterday. More thunderous applause. The orchestra onstage taking their bows. Kail's beautiful speech.
Feeling the beauty and love at "Sweeney Todd." Who could ask for anything more?
Posted: 5/6/24 at 8:55am
This production of Sweeney Todd brought in a general audience, and even though I found the staging a little vanilla I feel the cast always did justice to Sondheim's score - the original two leads in particular were incredible. Josh Groban is the best sung Sweeney I've ever heard - and the evidence is all on disc. His 'Epiphany' in the theatre was spine-chilling and not because he had to scream like George Hearn, but he could just deliver Sondheim's score as written on the page. He brought such vocal nuance to every line he sung. I think Sondheim would have loved it. Ashford broke the mould of Lovetts and actually sung rather than spoke-sung the role. I was skeptical after "Sunday" but I was completely won over.
From what I've 'heard', Aaron Tveit also sung the score beautifully - even if his 'Epiphany' might not have been as thrilling as Josh Groban's, and Sutton except for the 10 seconds of "Worst Pies in London" that was unfairly exposed - also sounded great. They were also able to maintain steady business and decent word of mouth.
Overall, I consider this revival a huge success. And in a year of Sondheim 'funeral productions' (Here We Are, Merrily We Roll Along, Old Friends in London) this one was a big part of that celebration.
Updated On: 5/6/24 at 08:55 AM
Posted: 7/14/24 at 5:15pm
For those in withdrawal, an interesting take on "My Friends."
https://youtu.be/5f5Xddy6Pvk?feature=shared
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