Josh Groban out sick tonight- Page 2

[BroadwayLuv2]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 5:04pm

If you have tickets this weekend KEEP them! I saw Groban last week and he was a total disappointment.  I wish I had seen Nicholas instead.  
Josh does not have the acting chops for this role.  His Sweeney was low energy and dull and was never thrilling or exciting.  I love this show and really felt he sucked the life out of it. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 5:14pm

I'd be pissed if I paid $300-$400 to hear Groban halfway sing this score. If his reviews aren't good, does he look to back out? Haven't heard good reviews about him.

[binau]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 5:22pm

I thought the buzz behind Groban was either good or neutral? I wouldn’t say the comments that came through would ever warrant him leaving especially given the sales. Have a ticket for Groban on Sunday now so if he is back I look forward to seeing how he compares to Christopher tonight! 

Updated On: 3/17/23 at 05:22 PM

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 6:18pm

ACL2006 said: "I'd be pissed if I paid $300-$400 to hear Groban halfway sing this score. If his reviews aren't good, does he look to back out? Haven't heard good reviews about him."

Replace Groban? Wait. What?

The comments in this thread have generally said he sings beautifully, but his acting leaves some underwhelmed at best and extremely disappointed at worst.

The night I attended I sat between two couples, each of whom had flown a long distance specifically to see Groban.  You don't get rid of a star who is pulling in people paying premium prices just for him.

Updated On: 3/17/23 at 06:18 PM

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 6:47pm

Groban is a major draw, and even if his acting isnt up to the standards of these boards, no one is doubting he can sing the score, which is what people are paying to see. He isnt going anywhere, the show is sold out.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 6:50pm

As someone whose partner is a HUGE fan of Sweeney Todd, and absolutely detests Josh Groban, PLEASE let me know if you are looking to seek any tickets for tomorrow. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 7:01pm

JSquared2 said: "It's astonishing that as returns pop up for SWEENEY tonight and tomorrow, Ticketmaster is STILL listing them at premium prices of $400-$500! Now THAT'S chutzpah!

"

Isnt the show selling at these prices? do we WANT the producers to drop prices because Groban is out, if they don't economically have to? Id LOVE to hear that the show stays sold at top prices without Groban, not bc I have beef with Groban, but bc it means the show's the thing--and it gives audiences a chance to see his incredible standbys and understudies.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 7:22pm

ACL2006 said: "I'd be pissed if I paid $300-$400 to hear Groban halfway sing this score. If his reviews aren't good, does he look to back out? Haven't heard good reviews about him."

Please tell me that’s not a serious question. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 7:33pm

ACL2006 said: "I'd be pissed if I paid $300-$400 to hear Groban halfway sing this score. If his reviews aren't good, does he look to back out? Haven't heard good reviews about him."

Are you for real right now? Groban was OUTSTANDING as Sweeney! He sings the score so beautifully. Yes, $300-$500 is outrageous for ANY show but it was definitely worth it. The only thing I had a problem with this cast was Jordan Fisher. Again, he's not a bad actor or singer, but this is not the role for him. I could tell he was struggling with some of these songs. Groban on the other hand had NO problem singing this score. 

[binau]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 8:00pm

Ruthie is also out tonight. They appear to be filming with 3 cameras. 

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 8:09pm

binau said: "They appear to be filming with 3 cameras."

B-Roll footage for a commercial?

[NotThatSmart]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 10:14pm

binau said: "Ruthie is also out tonight. They appear to be filming with 3 cameras."

Did Jeanna De Waal go on for Beggar Woman? I bet she is excellent! 

[Jimmyb1969]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 10:40pm

The show was very very slow tonight. Numerous understudies - Jenna amazing and Sweeney with a southern cockney accent? Bizarre? They’ve lowered Jordan’s keys. Annaleigh gives the  piece energy but there’s still mic issues and people have trouble understanding her - especially on worst pies. I think the reviews are gonna be rough but Josh is the draw and I missed him and his voice tonight. 

 

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 11:15pm

The show was at 8pm tonight. How were you posting that at 10:40? The show clocks in at 3 hours. 

[hollebolle]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 11:18pm

I may rearrange my plans tomorrow if Jeanna’s going on again…

[brodynky]

Posted: 3/17/23 at 11:58pm

Though I bought presale tickets to see Josh Groban, I still went Thursday night. I was definitely not disappointed with Nicholas Christopher! He was amazing and the audience was audibly on his side all night.  Unless I missed it from my 6th row center orchestra seat, I noticed that his entrance was as expected, but his exit with Annaleigh was not as described in earlier posts. Just a stop and blackout. I would guess it was for safety reasons if they did not have adequate time to rehearse that aspect. ??

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 12:54am

Nicholas Christopher is giving a star is born performance. 

[tjfeldman1116]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 1:54am

RUkiddingme said: "Nicholas Christopher is giving a star is born performance."

I agree... I was there tonight and I thought he was exceptional. His acting and singing of "Epiphany" was one of the greatest I've ever experienced. 

A few other thoughts/questions for this group:

• I had heard there is blood in some but not all killings, and that's still the case. What is the rationale for this? I can't think of one and it makes no sense to me.
• I really missed the factory whistle, but what I missed even more is the washboard or thunder-crash type sound towards the end of the scene change intro to "The Worst Pies in London". That has always been one of my favorite musical interludes of any show and I was really disappointed in the tympani roll they use in this production. Since they made a big deal of using Tunick's original orchestrations, why would they switch to a tympani roll here?
• I love Annaleigh. But I couldn't help thinking a few times that while humor is very fitting in this show, I'm not sure slapstick is. I'm probably overthinking it, but I couldn't help wondering if her pratfalls were not well suited to this show.
• Which leads to another observation tonight. In "A Little Priest", Nicholas sang "and she always arrives overdone" regarding an actor... I can't imagine this would be a swipe at Annaleigh, but I couldn't help wondering.
• I don't want to risk any spoilers, but I thought the staging just leading to Mrs. Lovett's death was different in an important way from any production I've seen before. I wish I could think of how to describe what I'm talking about specifically without risking a spoiler. Maybe it's not a spoiler... I mean she still dies and in the usual way. 
• I thought Jordan Fisher was very good. I don't understand the complaints. But if they lowered his keys as another poster commented, maybe there's a big difference now.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts!

(Sorry, for some reason the bullet points and indents aren't showing after the message is posted)

Updated On: 3/18/23 at 01:54 AM

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 2:33am

I’m jealous of the people who get to see Nicholas Christopher. I saw him play Burr in Hamilton several times and he’s by far my favorite actor to take on that role. He’s a dynamic performer with a beautiful voice. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 3:18am

tjfeldman1116 said: "

• I love Annaleigh. But I couldn't help thinking a few times that while humor is very fitting in this show, I'm not sure slapstick is. I'm probably overthinking it, but I couldn't help wondering if her pratfalls were not well suited to this show."

I said something similar after seeing an early preview. She has moments where it no longer seems like Lovett in character, but more like Ashford going for an easy laugh.  It is just too broad.

 

[OhHiii]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 7:53am

Been looking for a way to articulate my gripes with Annaleigh’s performance and you hit the nail on the head. She ventures into slapstick far too often. Sweeney Todd isn’t a farce and the humor is baked in, it doesn’t need to be embellished SO much. 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 9:09am

“I don't want to risk any spoilers, but I thought the staging just leading to Mrs. Lovett's death was different in an important way from any production I've seen before. I wish I could think of how to describe what I'm talking about specifically without risking a spoiler. Maybe it's not a spoiler... I mean she still dies and in the usual way.”

Could you post it under the spoiler drop down? I’m intrigued. 

It is interesting how word of mouth was seemingly great (outside of Jordan - lowering keys? When we could have cast someone who can actually sing the six songs that character is in?) and now the tide is turning. Groban is perfect for the role but now isn’t realistic, Annaleigh is the strongest principle but now she’s too broad and slapstick. Just an observation. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 9:35am

All the reviews on this board said she was giving her usual performance yet I commented on it and got eaten alive, ha. Having not her in this I can’t comment, but I didn’t care for her in Sunday either. She’s funny but it’s her vocals that just lack for me. At least it sounds like they’re making some changes. Def very curious to hear reviews 

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 9:39am

I’m not convinced Jordan’s keys were lowered. Someone said this a couple weeks ago, and this past Sunday when I saw the show, Fisher was 100% singing in the original keys. 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 3/18/23 at 9:42am

Isn't word of mouth always ever-shifting based on who has seen a show and actually voices a public opinion?  Any WOM that we do hear is only a small percentage of those seeing the show, so it is best taken with a grain of salt.