Michael Ball & Imelda Staunton Led SWEENEY TODD Headed to West End & Broadway?- Page 2

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 10:57am

Ah, interesting.

I actually am kind of tired of the standard "Sweeney sound." I saw Cerveris early in the run, and he wasn't doing it. But by the time the recording happened, he was all hollow and rumbly sounding. To my ear, anyway.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 11:27am

Just watched that promo clip on 'that site'. (Are we still not supposed to say youtube?)

First of all, I'm completely disturbed by just how hot I find Michael Ball in this.

Secondly, there's something marvelously brilliant about using an old-school red barber chair. I can't put into words, but I find the specific updating used for this production to be rather thrilling. And Staunton is magic. So...yes please.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 11:36am

This setting is brilliantly chosen- the rationing and food shortages of this time period in Britain actually led to urban legends of this sort of thing happening for real.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 12:01pm

AC--I heard from a reliable source at the time the Sweeney film was in pre-production that Streep was in fact offered the role but turned it down.

I also don't get the recent trend of casting high baritones/tenors as Sweeney. I love Michael Cerveris but my throat hurt just listening to him scratch out the low notes.

[pinoyidol2006]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 12:29pm

I always thought Michael Ball was a baritone. Anyway, I say no to Mandy Patinkin for Sweeney.

I really liked the trailer for the Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton Sweeney Todd, so I'd love top see it come to Broadway. I think.
This is how I will forever imagine Bernadette will be as Mrs. Lovett.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 12:55pm

"Argh, this is the revival I wanted reunite Mandy and Bernadette"

If the show comes to Broadway and gets rave reviews like "A Little Night Music" Bernadette could be Imelda's replacement like she was Catherine Zeta Jones's replacement.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 3:10pm

A lot of well known ladies probably "wanted" the role of Mrs. Lovett in the film. I don't know if they all tested for it or not. The only actresses who did screen tests (that I know of) were Emma Thompson, Bernadette Peters, Imelda Staunton, and Helena Bonham Carter.

Streep was indeed offered the movie but turned it down in favor of Mamma Mia. After she declined, they cast Helena. I would assume Streep tested as well before they offered it to her, but I don't know that for sure.

Here's Imelda singing "Worst Pies." She definitely nails the humor and I love her timing.
Worst Pies - Imelda Staunton

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 3:14pm

Thanks for that, besty! I really loved her take on the song.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 3:20pm

Me, too. When I first heard she tested for the film, I was hoping she would get it. Helena is closer to Depp in age, but I liked the idea of an older Mrs. Lovett with him. It would have added to both the creepy and sad aspects of the character.

She's a hell of a good actress, that's for sure.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 3:24pm

I don't think Streep ever tested and I'm not sure she actually was even still being considered by the time Tim Burton came on board to direct (Streep/Russell Crowe was the rumoured pairing when it was going to be a Sam Mendes film).

Annette Bening also did a screen test.

I think Peters would be a fabulous Lovett, but I can't really see her working in the Tim Burton vision for the material.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 3:26pm

Streep was definitely offered the film with Burton directing. It was "unofficially announced" all over Hollywood that Depp and Streep would be doing it.

Then she announced her participation in Mamma Mia, and that was that. A few weeks (if that) later, Helena was announced as getting the part.

EDIT: The rumor was that Streep was definitely interested in doing a musical, but turned Sweeney down because she didn't think she could do the role well. She didn't find it a good fit for her, and I think she was intimidated by the score. She chose Mamma Mia because it "felt right."

I won't knock her instincts with film choices. She does far better than most with picking the right projects.

Updated On: 11/4/11 at 03:26 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 3:34pm

Streep may have also felt she wasn't the right choice for a Tim Burton directed version of the material. She might have felt differently if say Mike Nichols were directing it.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 3:37pm

Bernadette certainly has the hair for a Tim Burton film. Updated On: 11/4/11 at 03:37 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 3:39pm

I agree, MB.

It was actually being talked about on the Warners lot for weeks before she announced Mamma Mia. I think people (obviously) jumped the gun by thinking she would accept Mrs. Lovett, since she had expressed interest in playing the part.

My understanding was that her declining it caught people off guard. It could easily have been Burton as a reason. Still, the "aftermath" talk was that she got "cold feet" and decided it wasn't a good fit for her.

Updated On: 11/4/11 at 03:39 PM

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 4:35pm

Please, please let this be true!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 4:57pm

I know a few who have seen it, and they've allr aved about it but been puzzled why it was set in the thirties (or is it WWII? nobody seems to know) at all, as it seems to only be a design thing.

[binau]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 5:33pm

To be clear was Bernadette Peters screen tested for the Tim Burton Sweeney or back with the old director (Mendes?)...

I do feel a bit sad thinking that BP could have played the role on film but will tell myself that if it was meant to be it would have happened (she WAS considered, after all) and wouldn't have fit.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 6:10pm

It was kind of like when Sean Young wanted to play Catwoman. Bernadette somehow got into the studio dressed as Mrs. Lovett and insisted on auditioning. Security had to escort her out.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/4/11 at 6:19pm

Ha ha no. Peters apparently screen-tested for Burton. I think Streep was the only person Mendes really considered. There is an interview with Sondheim stating that Mendes gave up on the project partly because he couldn't get the two stars he wanted (Streep/Russell Crowe).

[Sean2]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 8:20am

Just to throw in an opinion -- saw this in Chichester on Thursday. I've seen eight productions of Sweeney over the years - including the original - but I can tell you that this is the best I've ever seen. Chilling doesn't even begin. Not only is Imelda Staunton utterly brilliant, Michael Ball is utterly terrifying. I sat shaking while I watched it, and Act Two was even moreso. I've never felt the build-up of tension so acutely. Scary as hell.

[06s091]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 8:21pm

I haven't had the time to travel to Chichester to see it, but I know many who have and they have all raved about it.
I'm going to London to see it next year.

Found this audio clip on youtube of Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton singing "A Little Priest" - I can't wait to see the show. They sound amazing.


A Little Priest (Michael Ball & Imelda Staunton) Updated On: 11/5/11 at 08:21 PM

[06s091]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 8:28pm

The promo video for the show looks great too.


Sweeney Promo Video Updated On: 11/5/11 at 08:28 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 9:14pm

Aww the thought of Toni Coltte in Sweeney.

I have nor eal problem with Sweeney set in a different era (although Sondheim did go out of his way to try to make the piece feel time authentic--something it could be argued Shakespeare rarely did with his works which often used a current Elizabethan style no matter when they were et), but I'd like to think there's a good reason for it--not just setting Sweeney in modern dress cuz it'd look cool. Have people actually called Sondheim the modern Shakespeare? I obviously love Sondheim but I don't see a direct similarity...

[sondhead]

Posted: 11/5/11 at 9:37pm

So I watched that promo video...

"Hugo Wheeler?" Really, Chichester Festival?

[Scripps2]

Posted: 11/6/11 at 1:55pm

I saw this yesterday and would echo much of what Sean2 has said. I must have seen at least ten productions of Sweeney including the OLC at Drury Lane; I know all the plot’s twists and turns and I still left this with my nerves shredded. I have never known the slaughter of the Judge elicit cheers and a spontaneous round of applause from the audience, and much of that has to do with the most warped and repugnant performance of the Judge’s role (by John Bowe) I’ve ever seen. It also has to do with Michael Ball’s quiet, sinister malevolence at this point, choosing to whisper the revelation of who he really is rather than shout it in anguish, as so often has been done before. All of the critical moments work and work well in this production, they must have been rehearsed to death: you could have cut the air in the auditorium with a knife when Toby rests his hand on the edge of the trunk close to Pirelli’s; Mrs Lovett’s waltz into the oven leaves the audience gasping and, even though I know Joanna escapes Todd’s grasp in the final sequence, I actually doubted it was going to happen. The set flows with the action so as to enable and heighten the tension but there is huge advantage in the Chichester stage being two thirds in the round and I fear something may be lost in transferring this to a conventional proscenium theatre. We took a Sondheim virgin with us but one who is very familiar with Shakespeare and he found it “disturbing and unsettling.”

Moving the action to the mid twentieth century is a gift to Imelda whose track record in portraying British women of this period is second to none and accordingly she turns in a performance that will have most other Mrs Lovetts eating their hearts out. Her performance has a streak of naïve silliness that I have not seen in others, and the time-shift allows for this development in twentieth century British humour that would not fit into the Victorian period. There are moments when her macabre crudity, particularly during By The Sea could have come out of Carry on Screaming. But equally, her naivety allows for much greater revelation during Not While I’m Around.

I completely disagree with those newspaper critics who have dissed Lucy May Barker’s Joanna – there has clearly been a decision to go for the nutty-Joanna interpretation rather than the beautiful ingénue and I thought Miss Barker’s interpretation to be absolutely fine. But this does create a problem with Luke Brady’s Anthony who is too two-dimensional. Also it doesn’t help that Tobias is taller than Mrs Lovett either and Michael Ball’s accent comes and goes.

However these are minor quibbles when considering that the production deservedly got one of the biggest spontaneous standing ovations I’ve ever seen from a British audience.