Sweeney Todd PBS — Page 7

I agree with those who have pointed out that the performances, especially Thompson's, were pitched for the live performance, not for television, and may have seemed overwrought. I thought she was terrific, getting all of the humor and pathos out of the character and her voice was absolutely fine for it. I do think it's the most difficult role because of the broadness inherent in the comic music hall nature of the material coupled with the vulnerability called for. I like the contrast between Lovett's less than legit voice and Sweeney's bombastic, opera-like voice. When someone like the magnificent Judy Kaye sings the role, something is lost in the relationship for me. And having the traditionally legit voices called for in Anthony and Johanna make it dramatically jarring for Lovett to also have that style of voice. IMHO of course.

"Surely they knew they were being recorded for television, and they should have done something to modulate their performances accordingly, and I'd expect a director with any sense to have seen to it." I think the director and actors made the right choice not to modulate their performances so as to leave 3000 people who paid to see them missing what - even if this had been taped in one performance, which it apparently was not - audiences at other performances had seen, and instead having faith that the television audience would understand they were watching a taped stage performance, and one of a non-naturalstic take on a non-naturalistic musical, which if indeed there even is such a thing, Sweeney Todd certainly isn't) which was pretty obvious.

Updated On: 9/28/14 at 06:37 AM

Thompson may well have been playing to the back wall, but I thought her choices were nods to the relationship between Grand Guignol and other 19th century melodrama forms, including panto. Made sense to me. I understand why my singer friends feel Thompson's head voice doesn't go well with her belting, but it is a benefit and she does have a damn Oscar!

Otherwise, and though the Beadle was a tad pitchy, I don't understand all the whining here. And I've seen a LOT of SWEENEY TODDs.

"I don't understand all the whining here."

LOL!

^^^ I'm not sure who usually plays Lucy in that sequence, but I kept thinking, "Man! That was some traumatic rape! It actually changed her race!" (I know, I know: opera is supposed to be color-blind and Leontyne Price was a famous Butterfly.)

I didn't think the bird cages were in Joanna's room, but just outside her window. Yes, most stagings place them farther away, but moving them closer got them into the same TV shot.

I deeply enjoyed Thompson and Audra but that was about it. Everything else fell flat.
There just wasn't anything special.

Thank you, Gaveston. Now that you mention it, it does add a layer of subtext concerning the literary correlation between the violation of white maidenhood and color imagery (i.e. White being equated with purity and black being equated with moral bereftness).

It's unfortunate that Emma Thompson comes off as "mugging," for a lot of you; I loved her in the concert when I saw it. I suspect it has to do with TV close ups on a performance tuned to practically a stadium.

Emma Thompson was far better than I thought she was going to be, but IMHO miscast. She is much to attractive for the role. I said earlier in the thread her key moment is when Sweeney ARRIVES. It's the climax of the play for her... all the rest is just plotting to get Sweeney alone, even though it's a delusion. I agree the Toby looked like he was in over his head. I've heard 1000's of young actors his age who were both better singers and actors. The Joanna never got the dizty part down. She's not the sharpest knife in the drawer. As lots of people have said some of the staging was bizarre. The trombone as the meat chopper, or whatever it was. And one more thing... who decreed that LONNY PRICE is the ONLY director able to stage these performances? Give me a break and give someone else a chance to show what they can do. He's had some hit's and some misses. Last random thought... Patti Lupone is probably the worst of all the Mrs. Lovetts. She is about as believable as an Victorian English working woman as Barbra Streisand would be. And NO... there is no need for Bernadette to do the role.

I think LuPone was the most miscast person to ever play that role.

God, I hated her in it and that entire ridiculous production.

She had reinvented the role into something it never had been before: a sexy, all-knowing villain.

I feel the same way about her Lovett. I recall plenty of groaning on here when she was announced for the 2005 revival. But once it began, her performance gained a lot of buzz and admiration because she completely reinvented her interpretation from every single aspect. The performance wasn't for everyone, but I found it astounding how she completely changed her interpretation and kept almost all of her mannerisms to a minimum.

Updated On: 9/30/14 at 12:51 AM

Thank you, Gaveston. Now that you mention it, it does add a layer of subtext concerning the literary correlation between the violation of white maidenhood and color imagery (i.e. White being equated with purity and black being equated with moral bereftness)

I hope you (and the other poster who posted something similar) are being sarcastic!

Yes, I know white equals purity in some Western symbiologies, but I don't apply that color symbolism to HUMAN BEINGS! It's unfortunate enough that black children have to grow up in a society that equates "white" with "goodness" (not to mention "cleanliness" and "beauty"). Jeeze!

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Lovett has plenty to do even after Sweeney returns. She has a business to run, you know. She has middle-class dreams of retirement by the sea.

Terfel was DREADFUL and I think that sums it up, Emma Thompson I really liked.

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