I hate Sweeney Todd...- Page 3

[wickedfan]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 10:06pm

I think I'm alone when I truly say I love "green Finch and Linett bird" and never get tired out of it. The original Ny Times review loved the song, saying Sondheim should write more songs like it, even though I'm glad they liked it I was mad at them for saying such a comment (I was thinking "Don't limit him!") Everything about SWEENEY is incredible. It has some weak moments (Some of "LAdies in their Sensitivities" drags a little longer than I'd hope) but overall is one of my true favs.

[pab]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 11:29pm

"I don't doubt for a second you could love Pacific Overtures on first viewing...........But we folks "more into" theater just simply need to be wary or careful when recommending certain shows to "civilians." :)"

I'm sorry but that's just wrong. I took a number of friends (civilians) with me to see "Pacific Overtures" when it played at the Promenade Theatre. They and I loved it and on first viewing. They had not heard the CD before hand and were quite bright enough to understand and appreciate what was going on. They became instant fans of the show.

[Booming Baritone]

Posted: 2/15/05 at 4:00am

They were together, dating, whatever, during Sweeney but never married. IDB is WRONG. Betsy and I have many mutual close friends and I have it on the best of authority that she was never married to George Hearn.

I think Len was a much stronger Sweeney Todd (very different take on the role than George), primal and scary but unfortunately he got laryngitis right before the OBCR was made and he never really recovered from it so the world will never know how beautifully he was singing it before he got sick.

I have seen the original archival film at Lincoln Center of the show and you see how incredible all the performances are -- Angela, Merle Louise, Sarah Rice, Jack Eric Williams, Joaquin Romeguera, Ed Lyndeck etc. Even the chorus is amazing in the detail of their work. Len's Epiphany was blind rage and really scary. That is a hard mo fo to sing and not crash and burn on. It is so raw emotionally. George always amazed me that he could scream through it as he does and always gets that last note dead on. I think George was the better technician but Len was the more disturbingly real rage Sweeney.

It is interesting to see other productions and different takes on the roles. The thing that becomes increasingly clearer to me is the effing brilliance of that score, it's construction and what a masterpiece of Sondheim and his creative team this is.

[sweeny]

Posted: 2/17/05 at 8:04am

If you have seen Sweeney Todd the musical and would like to find out more, visit http://knowledgeoflondon.com/sweeny.html
where you can wet your appetite, and see the true locations.
Sweeney Todd - Demon barber of Fleet street Updated On: 2/18/05 at 08:04 AM