Broadway Star Joined: 2/23/08
Cerveris. (clever name, it's OK. I have the hots for Angela Lansbury. Be proud. BE PROUD!!!)
Then Depp
Then Cariou
Then Mitchell (All I've seen is his Epiphany, which I loved, but I saw nothing else)
I also find myself disgusted at Hearn's Sweeney.
I've seen Len Cariou, George Hearn, Dennis Quilley, Alun Armstrong, Paul Hegarty, Michael Cerveris as well as Johnny Depp in the movie - and for me Cerveris was the best by a mile.
Stand-by Joined: 4/20/05
Armstrong was good (he's a great actor) but not vocally strong enough IMO.
Anyone but George Hearn. I hate that the only officially recorded performances are with him, because many of his acting choices ruin the show for me.
So....I'm the only one that found Michael Cerveris sexy?... In a really scary, creepy way?...Should I even be admitting this?...
You're not.
Of the Sweeney's I've seen (Cariou, Hearn, Timothy Nolen, Bob Gunton, Michael Cerveris and Johnny Depp)
Len Cariou, hands down the best Sweeney. Followed by Cerveris and Gunton. And I loved Depp in the film.
Cerveris.
I agree.....Ceveris. I loved George Hearn's voice....but overall, it's Michael Ceveris by a long shot.
I've seen Hearn, Cerveris, Depp, and Hess. My favorite is Cerveris. Absolutely horrifying and brilliant. I did not breathe the last half an hour of the revival. Then I would say Depp then Hess then Hearn. Hearn was decent, but I do agree that he was over the top. And I would have to say that I like Cariou's voice the best of all of these, but I can't judge him since I never saw him.
Oh and I found Cerveris sexy too. Very sexy in fact. Distrubing I know, but what can I say.
Cariou. The original and the definitive.
Cerveris.
I'd put Depp at the tail end of the list. His performance was just too quiet for me to actually care about the character - all he did was glare and mumble. Sweeney, no matter what medium you're playing him in, should not come off as whiny and ineffectual as Depp made him seem.
Broadway Star Joined: 2/21/07
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Followed by Len Cariou, George Hearn, Norm Lewis, Michael Cerveris and then Johnny Depp.
I loved Brian Stokes Mitchell vocally in the role however due to the creepy factor and overall performance cerveris is my favorite. Cariou and Hearn are both great in their own right but Cerveris was just sensational.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
For people listing Cariou second or third, it's pretty clear that is based on the album and not seeing him live. As others have pointed out, if you saw him his Sweeney was definitive. It doesn't mean others don't have interesting things, but Cariou brought so much to the role - it was one of the greatest performances I've ever seen in fifty-something years of theater-going. Hearn was irritating.
And, having seen him in the original production, I can state that Cariou was also sexy as Todd. His voice could be very seductive and beautiful. And in spite of the weird wig and makeup, he had eyes that could reach you.
Featured Actor Joined: 5/21/07
Len Cariou, but most of you would never have had the chance to see him in the role.
Cariou, Ceveris, Depp, Hearn
In that order.
And yeah, I thought Ceveris was insanely sexy in the revival.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/04
I've only seen three Sweeneys and Cerveris is definetly my favorite of the three followed by Depp and then Hearn. I didn't really care too much for Hearn's performance because I felt like so many others on here did that at times he was just too over the top especially when he realizes that he's killed his wife and the end. I like what Depp and Cerveris did with the more soft, "Oh No, Oh God. Don't I Know you she said" then Hearn screaming at the top of his lungs, "OH NO, OH GOD...."
I've only listened to Cariou, and I really liked what I heard on the recording.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/9/06
George Hearn, all the way.
For people listing Cariou second or third, it's pretty clear that is based on the album and not seeing him live.
Also, the fact I'm only 25 probably helped give that away. :P
And yes, another one for finding Cerveris sexy. Maybe we should do a "Most sexy Sweeney" poll. XD
Anyone seen Hess? He's started already, right?
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