First pics of Sweeney Todd — Page 2

#26

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 1:27pm

those pictures look awful... theres no particular ammount of mencace or lunacy about them they just seem bored.

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"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#27

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 1:40pm

Why wouldn't they have Lovett bump it with the trumpet, if that's what she played in the London version? In such a tightly directed and orchestrated piece, you can't just switch out one instrument for another.

"Hey what's your *blows tuba* rush what's your *slams dough* what's your *runs back to blow tuba* hurry *slams dough*..."

#28

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 1:41pm

Cool pictures.

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"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird

#29

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 2:14pm

I still happen to like the idea of Sweeney as a period piece. With the London dirt and grime etc. But I would like to see it for the sake of curiosity.


On another note; any news on wheather Johanna is going to be blond or brunette?

Updated On: 8/31/05 at 02:14 PM

#30

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 2:23pm

Sweeney Todd plays the hacksaw when he's not singing?






lol

#31

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 2:25pm

Lauren Molina, who is playing Joanna is a blond, so I would assume so. Her london counterpart was brunette.

#32

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 2:30pm

I've always thought they should change the lyric to "lovely hair" instead of "yellow hair." I know that'd be messing with the original, but hey. Except that it would screw up the bit where Sweeney talks about her hair being like wheat.

#33

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 2:45pm

I'm not liking those pictures.

Updated On: 8/31/05 at 02:45 PM

#34

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 2:50pm

...

It could be worse, I guess. I'm still not wild about the casting, but what can you do?

#35

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 2:51pm

There's tawny and there's golden saffron,
There's flaxen and there's blonde...

Yea, Johanna as a brunette really makes a lot of sense...

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PEACE.

#36

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 2:58pm

These pictures leave me cold, the casting was/is a heartbreak regarding LuPone.

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Unfledge them of their...perriwigs, And they appear like bald-cootes, in the nest. Beaumont, Knt. Malta, (1616).

#37

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:07pm

Love it! Cannot wait to see this.

#38

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:08pm

If I didn't know what the show was about, I'd think that it took place in a meat packing plant and that they broke out the tuba every so often. And a musical about a meat packing plant doesn't sound very appealing.

#39

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:23pm

But do you think people who don't know what the show is about are going to choose the one with bloody knives as a logo or the one with the chicks from Wizard of Oz. I'm not sure how many people are going to just be drawn right to Sweeney w/o knowing what it's about. Luckily...lot's of people do. And those pics are GREAT.

#40

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:40pm

Yes, Mythus, it's about tubas in meat-packing plants...cmon! That's like saying you saw the poster for Wicked and thought it was about candle-dipping.

#41

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:51pm

I was walking around Times Square yesterday and I passed by the theater. They already have the titles up and everything, which got me really excited.
I think that Michael Cerveris is very sexy which might not work that well for Sweeney, but I still think he'll be great - and I agree that he looks a little young compared to Patti LuPone, probably because she IS older than him, which might be a little weird.

#42

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:52pm

In my opinion, the whole think is a lousy idea. Call me a purist, but this show is a classic, why muck it up with the actors being the orchestra. Believe me, having conducted the show over 600 performances, it is hard enough the original way. The whole thing is just a gimmick, and I, for one, won't see it. The casting is all off also in my opinion. What a mess!

#43

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 3:58pm

I once saw this show were Johanna was played by a black girl. The lyrics were changed to reflect her hair and complection. Instead of "safely in your yellow hair", anthony said , "in your raven hair."

Also, the pics remind me of Texas Chainsaw Massacre except the trumpets and instuments look awkward.

I really wish they wouldn't do this: with the stripped down cast and orchestra.

A

#44

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:01pm

I think to add to the messed up effect, they should all go naked. With the exception of LuPone.

#45

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:01pm

hah, Michael Cerveris naked... I'd go to see that

#46

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:02pm

Why do it the way its always been done before? It was a hit in London. I loved it. Ben Brantley loved it. I don't know if it will work with the different cast in NYC, but I'm open to giving it a try.

#47

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:07pm

I agree! There's very little sense in reviving a show if you're not going to do something exciting with it! The only way I'd want to see an "orignal production" version of Sweeney is if Angela and Len are doing it, which I doubt will ever happen. That's why a reimagined revival like Chicago succeeds and a more traditional one like Little Shop does not do so well.

#48

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:15pm

Just a little plug here, I hope I'm not divulging too much information pre-performances, but I know someone in the cast who spilled the "concept" and it really turned me onto it.
The entire cast is actually inmates in Fogg's Asylum and they're performing Sweeney. Hopefully, that might explain the "We play our own instruments, too" idea as well as the overall tone of this production.
IT sounds enticing to me.

#49

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:22pm

"Why do it the way its always been done before?"

Okay...how about a radically new production of SWEENEY but using the full orchestrations? That's what bugs me the most. The lack of orchestra.

#50

re: First pics of Sweeney Todd

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:24pm

that does sound cool, bwaysinger, like marat/sade....and the cast playing the instruments is no more a gimmick than the 9 Lennons, the puppet/actors in Ave Q, or the guest star in The Play What I Wrote....