binau said: "The other reflection I had watching the production is at this point I realise I am not the target audience of this production. But I think that’s ok and I consider the whole enterprise, using the word intentionally, a blessing. We literally have among the most powerful contemporary theatre producers and artists putting on Sweeney Todd in NYC as if it was Wicked or Hamilton for the general population. A full orchestra, a sizeable set, a large theatre, a full Merch stand (lol), a contemporary take on the material. Obviously this is going to be far more successful and reach a newer generation of theatre goers than any of the kind of niche aspirations I have about the material (eg. An offbeat croaky Mandy/Bernadette reunion) and I’ve already had more than my fair share of live and recorded productions that I can turn to if I need to.
It is incredible that someone had the vision and ability to execute a Sweeney Todd that does justice to the material while making it appeal to contemporary sensibilities - my hope is that there are people sitting in the audience who don’t know Sweeney Todd, or Sondheim or even Musicals and fall in love with the magic. I hope that people talk about and make memes out of Ashford’s Lovett online as if her part were a contemporary female lead such as Glinda in Wicked or a Dear Evan Hansen. And I hope that when Josh leaves the show might still have an audience (though guessing not).
Even if ultimately the production is not what a perfect Sweeney looks like for me, it’s lovely to sit in the audience of what I think is the first time ever I have felt to be at a commercial mainstream Sondheim production aimed at the mass market, rather than a kind of niche club. Happy that some of the team behind Hamilton believed in the material enough to provide this forum, and hope it is inspiring the upcoming generation! For that niche club feeling, I’ll be over at Parade.
I strongly agree. The commercial success of this Sweeney Todd revival won't be determined by people who spend their time on theater message boards. It will be determined by whether the show can appeal to younger people who neither know nor necessarily care who Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince are, or who don't know anything about a factory whistle. This isn't a revival for purists, or for people who want a daring new reinvention of the musical. It's a largely straightforward revival, with the exception of Annaleigh Ashford's entertaining and sometimes goofy spin on Mrs. Lovett. Like the commercial success across the street, this Sweeney Todd is aimed at the masses. I don't know whether it will succeed, as major revivals (especially of Sondheim musicals) often draw widespread interest from fans of the show in the early months before petering out.
But it's certainly off to a strong start at the box office, and the enthusiasm in the theater was palpable when I saw it last week. My section, which may not have been reflective of the entire theater, was the most diverse of any of the four shows I saw - and it wasn't even close. Lots of young people of every racial background. Josh Groban didn't quite succeed, I thought, in the transformation he said he is going for - but it's early days, and as you noted, he sings the part wonderfully. By the time I saw him toward the end of his run in Great Comet, I thought he gave a terrific performance. Groban's best days as Sweeney Todd are probably yet to come.
The Hamilton folks know what they're doing. Jordan Fisher may not be the best Anthony, but the screams greeting his entrance and after his songs demonstrate that he's helping put butts in the seats and generating excitement for the show. In the meantime, everyone who didn't see the original production is getting to hear the full orchestra in all its glory. I had a few quibbles with the tempo of a couple of songs, but I guess I'm a purist in my own way.
And here's my test: My wife. She's the Sondheim-skeptic in the family, appreciating individual songs and his lyrics while not really loving any of his shows, with the possible exception of Company - which we haven't actually seen in person yet. But she really liked this Sweeney Todd revival.
For all of its brilliance, Sweeney Todd still isn't the easiest show to sell. The fact that the producers, creatives and performers are pulling this off is an impressive feat. Maybe the early enthusiasm fades, but I considered myself lucky to get a chance to experience it.
