*EDITED* Sweeney Todd BBC (Never knew of)

[EugLoven]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 3:30am

I'm sure it was ages ago, but I've come across a radio broadcast of "Sweeney Todd" that is labeled as a BBC Radio 3 broadcast from March 30, 1998.

I've no idea who the cast is nor if the date above is correct. I can't find anything substantial on Google either. Anyone know anything about this? Details? THANKS

EDIT: Just kidding, I found this link
http://www.geocities.com/sondheimguide/sweeney.html

It was July 1994 on BBC 2 -- and therefore, my CDs are labeled wrong. Check out that website though, if you've never seen it before, it's a great reference for everything Sweeney.


Updated On: 2/8/06 at 03:30 AM

Posted: 2/7/06 at 3:48am

I believe the recording you are talking about is the 1993 Brittish revival of Sweeney. Its said to be sondheims favorite production of the piece. It is also the first sucessful brittish production of Sweeney. (Princes version flopped.)

It starred Dennis Quielly (the Original London (hal prince verson) as Sweeney and Julia McKenzie ( londons into the woods, side by side by sondheim...) as Mrs. Lovett. Mrs. McKenzie is personally my favorite Lovett.

The show originally opened with Alun Armstrong. (The original Thenardier in Les Miserables) Mr. Armstrong beat Alan Cumming's Emcee in the Mendes production of Caberet, for the Lawrence Olivier Award.

The Full cast list is:
Anthony Hope - Adrian Lester
Sweeney Todd - Alun Armstrong (replaced by Denis Quilley for the re-opening)
Beggar Woman - Sheila Reid
Mrs. Lovett - Julia McKenzie
Judge Turpin - Denis Quilley
The Beadle - Barry James
Johanna - Carol Starks
Tobias Ragg - Adrian Lewis Morgan
Pirelli - Nick Holder

This production won Lawrence Olivier Awards for:
Best Musical Revival
Best Director of a Musical (Declan Donnellan)
Best Actor in a Musical (Alun Armstrong)
Best Actress in a Musical (Julia McKenzie)



This production (with Denis Quilley as Sweeney Todd) was recorded by the BBC for broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in July, 1994

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 11:13am

Ooh, where would one be able to hear this?

[EugLoven]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:03pm

It was a BBC radio broadcast. Legal recording for anyone who's worried! I'm sure you can either buy the broadcast from BBC (1994 archives) or find someone who was lucky enough to record it from the radio.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 12:25am

WOW! IGNORE EVERYTHING MYSELF OR ANYONE JUST COMMENTED ON THIS SUBJECT!

I was sorely wrong with EVERYTHING! It turns out my 2-CDs WERE labeled correctly and that this is a radio broadcast of the show I'd never even heard of and apparently, many others didn't either! The show ends with the radio broadcast voice-over thanking the listening audience and listing the venue history, location, and cast list... (as follows):

BBC Broadcast Radio
Sweeney Todd (Sondheim), 30 March 1998
Opera North at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Sweeney Todd: Steven Page
Mrs Lovett: Beverley Klein
Anthony Hope: Karl Daymond
Johanna: Lucy Schauffer
Judge Turpin: Malcolm Rivers
Tobias Ragg: Christopher Saunders
Beggar Woman: Gillian Kirkpatrick
Pirelli: Adrian Thompson
Beadle Bamford: Stephen Briggs

Chorus of Opera North
English Northern Philharmonia, conductor James Holmes

Director: David McVicar
Sets: Michael Vale
Costumes: Kevin Knight

MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.personal.leeds.ac.uk/~lib6arc/on98.html#sweeney

Anyone ever heard of this production?
Updated On: 2/8/06 at 12:25 AM