Groban & Ashford in SWEENEY TODD On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 40

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 1:42pm

BarnabyTucker said: "ljay889 said: "Is Ashford STILL singing “I lied cause I loveD you” ??

That did bug me. Sondheim was notorious for being a stickler about notesand lyrics being sung correctly. He was very hard on Patti LuPone various times about notes and diction, I think he would’ve made several corrections in this revival. I do wish Paul or Alex Gemignani could’ve been a consultant to ensure everything is being sung properly."

OMG I thought I was the only one who was bugged by that! She did it both times I saw it. Love her performance but that also caught my ear.

"

Yep! I heard it twice as well. There is literally no excuse for Kail/Lacamoire not correcting that. 

[dan94]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 1:46pm

Still there. Still wrong. Has Lovett given up on life? Why scream when you're pushed into the oven then? Or did she fall out of love with Sweeney before that? What was that moment? Why did we not see that?

It's one letter but massively changes things. Which I guess is a nitpick to some, but telegraphed to me an overall lack of care she took with the character and material. Annaleigh was too busy getting laughs and the fact that she was in Sweeney Todd was purely incidental.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 1:52pm

Annaleigh has worked with Sondheim before, on a production that he adored. She knows that he was a perfectionist. There is not one conceivable reason that she and those in charge think it’s appropriate to change that lyric. Im disappointed to hear it hasn’t been fixed.
 

At least she’s finally screaming in the oven, though, lol. She didn’t do that in earlier performances. 

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 1:58pm

I kinda shudder to hear that someone thought Ruthie of all people didn't work in this vanity revival for Groban. Ruthie was one of the FEW people giving a real and interesting performance. 

[Jimmyb1969]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 2:18pm

You should shudder Jeanna was better - at least I could understand her. The production is directed very sloppy and the actors choices are all over the place from slapstick to unrecognizable dialects. What makes matters worse is there’s basically an open orchestra pit and we are having trouble hearing them and some of the actors. The sound is abysmal from preview one til now. This is Broadway the best of the best - stuff like this should not happen. No excuses. Don’t expect glowing reviews. Mixed to negative I fear. 

Updated On: 3/26/23 at 02:18 PM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 2:18pm

Judging by a full audio I found of this revival, I will agree that some of the tempos are a little too slow, Fisher is a misfire, and I could’ve used a bit more menace in Groban’s voice. But yeah, the ensemble is incredible and “Priest” is hilarious… I felt like Groban and Ashford were trying to make each other break character. Hopefully I see this live and I’ll get the full stage picture.

Reviews tonight will be positive but not fantastic.

Oh, and #BringBackTheWhistle. 


 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 2:20pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Judging by a full audio I found of this revival, I will agree that some of the tempos are a little too slow, Fisher is a misfire, and I could’ve used a bit more menace in Groban’s voice. But yeah, the ensemble is incredible and “Priest” is hilarious… I felt like Groban and Ashford were trying to make each other break character. Hopefully I see this live and I’ll get the full stage picture.

Reviews tonight will be positive but not fantastic.

Oh, and #BringBackTheWhistle."

 

 

Well, that settles it.

[Lola Getz2]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 2:31pm

EDSOSLO858 said: “Priest” is hilarious… I felt like Groban and Ashford were trying to make each other break character. 

And that’s a GOOD thing? 

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 3:14pm

I am very curious about the reviews and don't know what to predict. Mu hunch says positive. But maybe not. Maybe a "traditional" SWEENEY will seem too quaint on the heels of the pie shop and the Doyle revival and Emma Thompson and Imelda and folks. Reviews will swing the Tony race for this category, which is now feeling pretty up in the air.

Feel like there will be a high level of overlap between those of us watching the new season premiere of SUCCESSION + those of us waiting for the ST reviews to come out :)

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 4:24pm

I’ll be refreshing right after Succession: I’m more looking forward to that than seeing Sweeney again next weekend :-/

My guess is this will be the prestige musical that doesn’t get a critic’s pick but neither a wounding review.  

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 4:25pm

I predict reviews along the equivalent of B+ or A- letter grades, but I would not be surprised by one or two outliers that are down a grade.

Updated On: 3/26/23 at 04:25 PM

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 4:25pm

broadwayboy223 said: "I kinda shudder to hear that someone thought Ruthie of all people didn't work in this vanity revival for Groban. Ruthie was one of the FEW people giving a real and interesting performance."

Maybe there was just something off yesterday afternoon, but that just wasn’t the case (and I so wanted it to be).

[Jimbo2]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 5:42pm

What happened? It started, problems with audio/video. Then it said we would be right back and now the video has a message it's been removed?

Updated On: 3/26/23 at 05:42 PM

[BETTY22]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 5:47pm

I saw it a few nights ago and it took a moment to adjust to the two leads.

Both are doing something very unique and new. I'm still not sure if they were completely successful. It's just so hard to believe Josh would slit anyones throat.

I kept seeing Josh Groban - not Sweeney Todd. 

[bear88]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 5:47pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I am very curious about the reviews and don't know what to predict. Mu hunch says positive. But maybe not. Maybe a "traditional" SWEENEY will seem too quaint on the heels of the pie shop and the Doyle revival and Emma Thompson and Imelda and folks. Reviews will swing the Tony race for this category, which is now feeling pretty up in the air.

Feel like there will be ahighlevel of overlap between those of us watching the new season premiere of SUCCESSION + those of us waiting for the ST reviews to come out :)"

Ha. Neither for me. I’ll be watching Act II of the touring production of Fiddler on the Roof. The reviews will be out by the time I get home. I’m curious, of course, but this is also the rare time for me when I have already seen the show.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 5:54pm

BETTY22 said: "I saw it a few nights ago and it took a moment to adjust to the two leads.

Both are doing something very unique and new. I'm still not sure if they were completely successful. It's just so hard to believe Josh would slit anyones throat.

I kept seeing Josh Groban - not Sweeney Todd."

I'm probably in the minority and I never paid much attention to Josh Groban, so I feel like I'm going in without any preconceived ideas about him, other than obviously he's got a great voice.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 6:59pm

FANtomFollies said: "BETTY22 said: "I saw it a few nights ago and it took a moment to adjust to the two leads.

Both are doing something very unique and new. I'm still not sure if they were completely successful. It's just so hard to believe Josh would slit anyones throat.

I kept seeing Josh Groban - not Sweeney Todd."

I'm probably in the minority and I never paid much attention to Josh Groban, so I feel like I'm going in without any preconceived ideas about him, other than obviously he's got a great voice."

I agree with this, vocally. But, at least in this performance, he can’t act his way out of a box. 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 7:01pm

What happened with Live from red carpet w/ that annoying Ridge dude. Don't see it anywhere?

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 7:05pm

Robbie2 said: "What happened with Live from red carpet w/ that annoying Ridge dude. Don't see it anywhere?"

I was looking for it also. It was posted earlier in the day to start somewhere around 5:00 and then disappeared from the news column. Maybe it didn't happen.

 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 7:07pm

I just rewatched the brilliant S3 finale of Succession this afternoon to recap and had the same thoughts as posted above. One of those chilly nights in early spring that feels like a marker. Another reminder that we got trough COVID’s shutdowns only to see an entire industry rebound. Two pieces, absolutely nothing in common but a Sunday night in March. I m celebrating both.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 7:08pm

The live stream started, but got interrupted due to bad internet reception. I think it's about time they go back to pre-recorded red carpet interviews.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 7:35pm

Original cast members Len Cariou & Victor Garber reunited on the red carpet.
https://twitter.com/JinksDan/status/1640115285129658369

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 7:53pm

Very excited to see how this is received. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 8:24pm

Talkin' Broadway review:

"And if this production does not necessarily represent the quintessential version of the deliciously dark musical based on a 19th century "penny dreadful" serial about the vengeful barber, it contains enough real strengths to make it well worth the visit."

Mixed to positive, pointing out the inconsistencies in tone in particular:

"Ashford's performance is indicative of the production's biggest flaw, and that is its inconsistent overall tone, a problem that would seem to lie at the feet of the director, Thomas Kail, best known for helming a little something called Hamilton....

"Throughout, much of the action is overemphasized where it should be played out more subtly; the plot itself and Sondheim's songs should be allowed to do the heavy lifting. Instead, Mrs. Lovett is too silly. Johanna (Maria Bilbao) is too far locked into her panicky madness, even if it is justified by the plot turns. The chorus (great singers collectively) come off as robotic in their tight-packed coordinated movements."

Updated On: 3/26/23 at 08:24 PM

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/26/23 at 8:44pm

‘Sweeney Todd’ revival starring Josh Groban, Annaleigh Ashford opens on Broadway

https://pix11.com/news/local-news/manhattan/sweeney-todd-revival-starring-josh-groban-annaleigh-ashford-opens-on-broadway/