Sweeney Todd Off Broadway Performances — Page 3

I sat in the second row upstairs and didn't remember it being labeled partial view when purchased, but at times it is in fact a partial view. Almost everyone stood a few times to get a better view of downstairs during a handful of scenes. It wasn't often but it happened and even at that we couldn't always see the person performing. It didn't really bother me though. It's a good view for most of the show. I didn't have to look between any heads. I'm not tall, but I should note the people in the row in front of me were also on the average size in terms of height. Still, no problems. We ate our pies at a table downstairs and move upstairs about 15 minutes before the show started.

I've never seen a production of Sweeney Todd before and truly loved this one. The actors seemed to be having a great time, too.

Thanks for the info, TheaterGal! I don't mind standing getting out of my seat and standing on occasion. I just feel a little bad because I sold my extra ticket to a friend, and now I have to tell her it's partial view. For myself, I'm just a little disappointed. After all, the price was $69, about half of the regular seats.

Hey gang,

I'm unable to go to tomorrow night's show - Feb 18. I've got 2 tix at one of the tables, plus the pie and mash. Anyone want to buy them? Or know someone that's looking for tix? Just looking to recoup the base ticket cost.

Do you mean the exit for ticket holders? That exit is near the service counter and the only one used to come and go. If you are facing the service counter the exit is to the left.

The primary thing keeping me away from this production is the notion of a three-person orchestra playing my favorite musical. To those who have seen it, how does the music sound with these orchestrations?

I would mind the small band if it was a full scale broadway revival, but because it is an intimate production, it doesn't really bother me. Also, I hope the performers are not miked. It will be a real treat to hear Norm and Carolee's natural voices.

I was at last nights performance as well and thought it was overall quite wonderful. The immersive staging is very clever and the intimacy in some (very positive) ways brings the style of the piece back to its Victorian melodrama roots. Siobhan McCarthy is the best Mrs. Lovett I've seen since Julia McKenzie in the thrilling RNT production in the 1980s and I thought Jeremy Secomb was effectively real (and frightening) as Sweeney. The entire production is extremely well sung.

Like the John Doyle production, this small cast, single setting, story theatre approach becomes a little muddied in the second act (with its quick changing locales and rising body count) and I rather wished there were more of a 'coup de theatre' somewhere towards the end, as by the finale, the show's bag of tricks had rather been emptied -- but there are plenty of imaginative (and some brilliant) touches throughout, and the first act is a total joy.

Are we sure the show was miked? It didn't sound that way to me.

I look forward to revisiting the production with its second cast. I assume Betsy Morgan (excellent) will be departing soon as she is obviously quite pregnant.

Updated On: 2/19/17 at 11:17 AM

I was on the floor (and I would strongly encrourage being on the floor if possible) but there were some moments when the actors did indeed go up on the second level.

The orchestration by the way was perfect for this concept of the show. SWEENEY to me is the only Sondheim piece that can work with a cast of ten or a cast of fifty (and orchestration reduced or enlarged accordingly).

There are a couple of moments that have some 'enhanced' special effect sound - like when Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett are searching for Toby in the second Act, but most of these happened when the actors were off stage. I think its possible there could be a couple of area mikes on the set (for this purpose) - they could also have been pre-recorded, but it did not sound (or look) to me like anyone was wearing a mic at any other time, and hearing the clear clean unamplified vocals was definitely a highlight of this staging

@macnyc so the partial view seats are 69.00?

Does the window card reference the cast or is it generic

Anshel2 said: "Does the window card reference the cast or is it generic



"

It mentions the cast... I have a picture of it but I'm not sure how to post it to the board