SWEENEY TODD (2023) Reviews — Page 5

As mixed as my feelings are on this production, I will say that the lighting design is absolutely superb. Simply incredible. I fully expect Natasha Katz to take home another Tony this year.

Saw this last night. It was very well done, I thought a better revival than ITW. Groban was made for this kind of role.

That said the audio quality was horrific. We had mezz row A house left (great seats btw) and the first three songs - you could barely understand a word said sung by anyone. It sounded like audio was run through a mixer in a speaker in an echo chamber.

My friend who hadn’t seen it had no idea what was happening since they couldn’t hear the story about Todd’s wife.

This flabbergasts me. I have very good hearing so it’s a house issue. I’ve never had this issue in 80+ Broadway shows.

Updated On: 4/23/23 at 05:17 PM

bwayphreak234 said: "As mixed as my feelings are on this production, I will say that the lighting design is absolutely superb. Simply incredible. I fully expect Natasha Katz to take home another Tony this year."

I'm curious - what specifically did you find to be superb about it? I found it to be overall too bright and cheery for the mood of the show. I also didn't love how the 'backdrop' was lit with that super bright blue for most of the show.

I saw it second week of previews, the audience over-reaction to every little human and inanimate detail on stage was beyond irritating. Posts I'm seeing on various social media by people who both like and dislike the production continue to mention the appalling behavior. What is it with this show/production? I don't get it.

Plexsis said: "I saw the show on Friday, 4/21. I’m usually sensitive when sound is too low, so after reading all the comments on hear, I was delighted to find that, outside of Gaten’s final scene, everything sounded loud enough.

However, at some point during “No Place Like London”, I began to hear someone behind me (I was in the front mezz) whispering or talking. I looked around but couldn’t spot anyone. This continued through all of act one. I was so distracted and frustrated that I felt like I missed it. I spoke to an usher at intermission, and found out some of the people around me were annoyed and spoke to an usher as well, as someone who I think was the house manager came over to get more details about our experience. The second act was much better but I still heard this person from time to time, and I was spending the rest of the performance bracing myself for when they would begin talking again (which they inevitably did).

I am so disappointed because this was the show I was looking forward to the most and now it felt like I didn’t even see it. Looking forward to the cast recording so I can finally enjoy these performances in peace"

Aww geez. I'm sorry about that. I had a similar experience with Hadestown and it really upset me. I wanted to get into the vibe show, which I was enjoying, but a twerp nearby was a complete distraction (even though he was college-aged and surely knew how to behave himself). I missed so much of Act One, I feel like I was robbed of the chance to immerse myself in the show. I almost walked out, honestly. Now, if I see it again, I'll already know what's coming up, and won't be able to have that exciting "first time!" experience.

Something similar also happened at Sweeney, with two women eating bonbons next to me throughout Act One. Can't they wait until intermission to stuff themselves? Or eat beforehand? Really now. We're all supposed to be here for the show.

I stared daggers into her several times, and finally when the lights came up a bit, she was there, smiling back at me, oblivious to the fact she was making me wish she'd get turned into a meat pie. Like...really??? I have to TELL you to please stop eating? You can't piece this together yourself?

I mimed it out for her that her treats were making noise and she still seemed confused. Some people are dense.

I don't know how ushers can handle it, though. How do you teach manners to a bunch of strangers, while a performance is going on? Flash lights on every person chatting, snacking, scratching, fidgeting or snoring?

Part of me wonders if the more expensive seats buy you not only a better view of the stage, but the privilege of people being there who know how to keep quiet and still. Are there also distracting people in the orchestra section?

Plexsis said: "However, at some point during “No Place Like London”, I began to hear someone behind me (I was in the front mezz) whispering or talking. I looked around but couldn’t spot anyone. This continued through all of act one. I was so distracted and frustrated that I felt like I missed it. I spoke to an usher at intermission, and found out some of the people around me were annoyed and spoke to an usher as well, as someone who I think was the house manager came over to get more details about our experience. The second act was much better but I still heard this person from time to time, and I was spending the rest of the performance bracing myself for when they would begin talking again (which they inevitably did)."



I too had this experience in the front mezz. Because of the frequency of the talking/whispering and consistency of 'loudness of the voice,' I thought it might be an audio description service for visually impaired audience members. I don't know if Sweeney offers this service? I was able to quickly ignore it during the second act when I told myself this. Another random thought that doesn't make too much sense. Could it have been the audio from the stage manager calling cues? ....but it probably was a ghost.

Updated On: 4/24/23 at 05:15 PM