All-male cast adds new wrinkle to 'Sweeney Todd'

Setting it in an insane asylum? What a novel idea! Oh, wait...

And what's the point of an all-male cast? To give a guy who's always wanted to play Mrs. Lovett the chance to finally do it?

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Setting it in an insane asylum? What a novel idea! Oh, wait..."

Eh, I've always said it was a great idea (and a terrific opening tableau) tied to a mediocre production with an awful conceit stapled onto it. Take away the actor/musician thing, and it might be a better take on the same idea.

Whatever.  Cute gimmick.  I'm sure it would be interesting - as would an all female version.  Wonder if they will revise the show title to try and outdo Marat Sade.  

In 1967, the Royal Shakespeare Company performed Peter Brooks's "The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum at Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade"

Is it men playing the characters as if they believe they are women? And what are they doing with the keys for the men singing Lovett and Johanna?

Updated On: 1/19/16 at 05:45 PM

CindersGolightly said: "I know Lovett is the coveted gay male dream, and rightfully so, but I've always wanted a shot at Johanna. That's just me, though. I think this is an interesting idea. This would be a good shtick to build a whole company on. One gendered musicals. 

"

They don't specialize in musicals, but:

The Women's Shakespeare Company has been going strong in LA for 22 years...

http://www.lawsc.net/about_us.php

How does this production illuminate the material?  Anne Bogart staged a production of South Pacific set in a mental hospital back in the 80s, and there have been female Hamlets and all male Steel Magnolias so there's nothing really new here.  A gay-centric theater company should be doing work that ellucidates the gay experience rather than campy productions of serious musicals.  IMHO.

 "These things confuse me.  Like that recent all male production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. When Philia is already being played by a man pretending to be a woman -- where is the humor when Hysterium pretends to be Philia?"

The humor is in the confusion, in the detachment from the detachment.  See Victor/Victoria where you have a woman playing a woman pretending to be a man impersonating a woman, or Twelfth Night where the heroine impersonating a man is traditionally and often even now (as in the last successful Broadway production) played by a man.

I get your point with Forum, though.  In all cases to work the specific comedic choices are tricky.

 

Updated On: 1/20/16 at 12:14 PM

This is a stupid gimmick-and by looking at the photos, its poorly done. It's funny that they bill themselves as an LGBTQ theatre company. Were there no lesbians or trans woman available for that part? Women are afforded so few great characters that to do this seems pointless and attention grabbing.

Also to the person who said there has been an all-male Steel Magnolias, actually there hasn't. Robert Harling will not allow that as he views it as a disrespect to the memory of his sister, who the play is based on. I believe there have been a few "one night" drag type readings but nothing ever approved or sanctioned.

I, too, wonder about this being approved (after the infamous 1990s Seattle all male Company, etc). 

That said--why not?  This isn't a major revival that anyone will see as official, and I think the text is cannonical (is that a word?)  enough that it can be played with without harming anyone's impression of the work.  Dmatthewcastro what has been the reaction?

Let's talk gimmick - all male cast with a female Sweeney.  Something like staged by a boys' Academy and their adult female teacher.  Unique chance for a couple powerhouses.  Find one of the best Melchior/Moritz for Lovett.  matthewcastro - I'd like to hear about the reaction too.