Sweeney is my favourite show. However, I have seen it far too many times (most recently before this at the NYPhil with Emma Thompson), and there are so many audio/video recordings that I must admit I am/was a little bit 'over it'. Pretty much the only thing I thought would ever ignite the spark again in the show for me was if Bernadette was playing Lovett. I didn't imagine that it was actually this production that would do this for me.
One of the challenges of seeing this show so many times, listening and watching so many great performances etc.. is that it can be hard to see what new things people bring to the role etc. I can't say that I found any performance particularly revelatory/new/interesting/different - though I did find the cast in general to be highly skilled or serviceable singers and actors. Carmello in particular is giving a very, very highly skilled high-energy performance with great humour, menace, vulnerability - and is able to both show off her amazing vocal skills at times while also very much slipping into the character speak-singing style characteristic of many Lovett performances.
What I do find to be a 'revelation' is how truly immersive this production is such that - at least sitting basically at the first position of the table opposite the pie shop bench - it made me feel so engaged with the text and music in a way I have never felt before seeing Sweeney, and probably never felt at the theatre generally in my life. I've seen and listened to this show a million times but basically being on stage with the actors while they are performing (what sounds like) 'raw'/with no microphones, was just quite frankly for me an amazing experience. The show flew by - it was GENUINELY, chillingly scary at points for me. It was like watching the show again for the first time. God, just thinking about the very warranted long silence and catharsis after the Judge's death makes me miss the show so much!
The audience interaction greatly added to the experience and humour. I must admit though when the actors would look directly at you it did take me slightly out of the moment because it's a bit awkward/difficult to know how to react except awkwardly smile and/or try to look the other way.
I don't know if this would be particularly interesting to see from far away or on the second level (otherwise, all you essentially have is just yet another scaled-down/tiny production of Sweeney). But if you can sit close, go and see this show!!
Give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch.
Updated On: 4/30/17 at 11:51 AM
haha.....
