Groban & Ashford in SWEENEY TODD On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 25

[elephantseye]

Posted: 3/1/23 at 10:44pm

GoSmileLaughCryClap said: "Could the lack of the factory whistle have anything to do with the 500,000 social media posts (many of them here) that demand to know whether there are (EEK) gunshots during the performance of every play and musical that opens every year? Because, if there are, you know, I really can’t be subjected to the unexpected aural assault that will stay with me for days.

Do you object to flashing light warnings, as well?

"

 

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/1/23 at 11:56pm

I saw it tonight. Front row mezz. The main and serious issue was the sound. Could not hear any lines easily. 20-something orchestra instruments???? Sounded like quiet recorded music. Maybe the sound is better downstairs, but all of us in the mezz were wondering why we couldn’t hear anything. Hard to critique the acting when the sound so seriously sucks, but the leads are doing what they can. 

Updated On: 3/2/23 at 11:56 PM

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 2:30am

BANG!

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 3:19am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "This Factory Whistle saga feels like Sally's red dress all over again!"

If this "Whistle Saga" becomes as funny as "Sally's Red Dress", then I'm getting my popcorn ready.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 6:25am

Matt Rogers said: "I saw it tonight. Front row mezz. The main and serious issue was the sound. Could not hear any lines easily. 20-something orchestra instruments???? Sounded like quiet recorded music. Maybe the sound is better downstairs, but all of us pions in the mezz were wondering why we couldn’t hear anything. Hard to critique the acting when the sound so seriously sucks, but the leads are doing what they can."

Starting to feel a bit thankful I postponed seeing this next week until my next NYC trip in May.

 

[yyys]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 10:20am

maybe because Lunt-Fontanne sucks as a theater?

[Balcony2]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 10:26am

 As one who believes this score to be far and away the greatest ever written for Broadway, or ever will be,  it’s the musical performance of the singers and orchestra that is the main draw for me. It was generally spot-on last night and I’m ecstatic about the commitment to the Tunick original.  I’m actually less interested in the actual staging, which I liked. Some fabulousness especially “City on Fire” and the immense oven at the end. But: why were some of the razor-killings bloodless, while others had blood?? The first bloodletting was quite fun and the audience laughed and applauded. 

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 10:36am

I understand how iconic the whistle is and I'm surprised they haven't come up with something different with a similar effect. However, as mentioned during the set discussion the original was set in a giant factory. The original production had a giant, real factory whistle. 

Is there a reason that a production that has abandoned that concept retain the factory whistle aside from... it was in the original production? I haven't seen this production so I really have no idea if the factory whistle would resonate with the current concept? Might it be that the production needs something equally thrilling to punctuate the murders and it's not delivering or are we just mourning the loss of an icon? 

Updated On: 3/2/23 at 10:36 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 10:45am

Balcony2 said: "As one who believes this score to be far and away the greatest ever written for Broadway, or ever will be, it’s the musical performance of the singers and orchestra that is the main draw for me. It was generally spot-on last night and I’m ecstatic about the commitment to the Tunick original. I’m actually less interested in the actual staging, which I liked. Some fabulousness especially “City on Fire” and the immense oven at the end. But: why were some of the razor-killings bloodless, while others had blood?? The first bloodletting was quite fun and the audience laughed and applauded."

 

Just curious, were you sitting in the Orchestra or Mezz?

 

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 10:51am

There is definitely some weird sound stuff happening at the Lunt. I was in the orchestra on Tuesday night and thought it sounded largely wonderful (with some mixing issues here and there that need to be resolved). But a friend of mine was sitting in the mezzanine and he said it sounded horrible up there. So weird we had two completely different sound experiences at the same performance.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 11:36am

I'm hearing that they will be adding the whistle during the preview period.

[weaselprince71]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 11:41am

KJisgroovy said: "I understand how iconic the whistle is and I'm surprised they haven't come up with something different with a similar effect. However, as mentioned during the set discussion the original was set in a giant factory. The original production had a giant, real factory whistle.

Is there a reason that a production that has abandoned that concept retain the factory whistle aside from... it was in the original production? I haven't seen this production so I really have no idea if the factory whistle would resonate with the current concept? Might it be that the production needs something equally thrilling to punctuate the murders and it's not delivering or are we just mourning the loss of an icon?"

The whistle isn’t just a sound effect: as others here have pointed out, it is written into the score and was originally operated by the conductor.  I’m having real difficulty imagining “City On Fire” reaching the necessary pitch of tension and excitement without it.  I assume their reasoning is more or less as you suggest (no factory, no whistle).  But for a production that’s making such a point of using the original full orchestration, I can’t say that cutting perhaps its most distinctive instrument feels like the most confidence-inspiring choice.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 11:51am

yyys said: "maybe because Lunt-Fontanne sucks as a theater?"

One could argue that of the big 3 owners, Nederlander Org controls Broadway's worst houses? The Palace, Gershwin, and Minskoff are too vast and the cheap seats are REALLY bad (tho two of those have longtime hit tenants). Same, to a lesser extent, with the Lunt and Simon. The Marquis is acoustically dead and a nightmare to get in and out of. That just leaves the Rodgers (one of Bway's very best houses), and then two fine smaller-mid-sized houses in the Lena Horne and Nederlander.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 12:11pm

Doyle’s revival still used the whistle, and it was set in an asylum, not a factory. It was still effective. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 12:14pm

It is fine that there are all of these observations about sound issues but it is important to remember that there have been exactly 3 previews as I write this, and no meaningful opportunity to evaluate and rectify sound issues. Designers, directors, and producers do not spend the preview period twiddling their thumbs. I feel confident the show's excellent sound designer is not on vacation. If one wants to see the highest and best form of this show, now is not the time.

It is true that the Lunt is not the greatest theatre ever built, and in recent years has been the home in significant part to what I call Vegas residencies, but plenty of shows have done well by it in the past. BATB and Titanic being the 2 most recent I can think of.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 12:44pm

"But for a production that’s making such a point of using the original full orchestration, I can’t say that cutting perhaps its most distinctive instrument feels like the most confidence-inspiring choice."

This is a really interesting point! I guess I didn't think about it as part of the score... that would make it much more essential. 

"Doyle’s revival still used the whistle, and it was set in an asylum, not a factory. It was still effective." 

I think a loud piercing whistle would be effective in almost any non-lullaby setting! Haha. And I think with the Doyle production... the whistle could very easily be in Toby's head. Or at least that's how I thought of it. 

But. I'm convinced by the score argument! It seems especially odd there isn't, like, a replacement. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 12:45pm

Where is this production set?

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 12:48pm

The streets of 19th century London. 
There’s no framing device like a factory or an asylum.

Updated On: 3/2/23 at 12:48 PM

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 12:50pm

Unless ticket purchases come with a clear disclaimer "During previews it is possible that some patrons may not be able to adequately hear some portions of the performance" I think anyone who spent hundreds of bucks for a seat and experienced exactly that have a right to be upset.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 1:19pm

JasonC3 said: "Unless ticket purchases come with a clear disclaimer "During previews it is possible that some patrons may not be able to adequately hear some portions of the performance" I think anyone who spent hundreds of bucks for a seat and experienced exactly that have a right to be upset."

 

I mean yeah, we complain about it but for those of us who know to possibly expect this, we point it out. I wasn't "upset" with the sound but pointed out it is something that needs to be worked on. I spent over a hundred to sit in the mezzanine but also knew I was attending the second preview and the sound designer probably had not sat upstairs for a performance yet.

 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 1:38pm

Exactly. It's the risk you take. Want a finished, perfect product? Go in a few months. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 1:41pm

I'm thinking more of the theatergoer who doesn't understand what might happen in previews and has paid those premium mezz prices (400 and up).

[Auggie27]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 1:47pm

Hoping everyone listens to HogansHero above. This is a designated trial and error period, always reserved for corrections, big and small. Decisions made in rehearsal rooms and offices manifest very differently once the company is housed in a theater and a musical play exists as a framed piece of storytelling. Simply putting aesthetic distance between the players/characters and the other members of the team provides a new prism. Everything is under intense scrutiny; these are remarkably experienced Broadway collaborative artists, arguably our best. Expecting a frozen show 3 performances in denies knowledge of why a preview is described thus: it's a period for risk-taking and experimentation as much as problem resolution. Expect the show in April to be considerably evolved. . 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 2:06pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "yyys said: "maybe because Lunt-Fontanne sucks as a theater?"

One could argue that of the big 3 owners, Nederlander Org controls Broadway's worst houses? The Palace, Gershwin, and Minskoff are too vast and the cheap seats are REALLY bad (tho two of those have longtime hit tenants). Same, to a lesser extent, with the Lunt and Simon. The Marquis is acoustically dead and a nightmare to get in and out of. That just leaves the Rodgers (one of Bway's very best houses), and then two fine smaller-mid-sized houses in the Lena Horne and Nederlander."

I think the Palace is a fabulous theatre, that will only improve with the renovation. The Rodgers, is a great house, and the Gershwin and Minksoff theatres are proof of if you can get the right show in the right theatre, its perfect. The Neil Simon was/is a perfect sixed house for moderate musicals. For a recently renovated theatre, the leg room isn't great at the Nederlander. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/2/23 at 2:12pm

ljay889 said: "The streets of 19th century London.
There’s no framing device like a factory or an asylum."

I think that's my initial disappointment with the design/staging. I was hoping we were going to get a more "realistic" version of London streets like the EW photoshoot and with some moving scenery and something more cinematic. As opposed to this more "black void" that is being presented. But whatever.