Sweeney Todd in Paris - Stunning!

Le Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, which has recently been introducing Sondheim shows to France - starting last year with their gorgeous looking production of A Little Night Music with Leslie Caron, seems to have topped it with their current Sweeney Todd production.

As with Night Music, it's performed in English by a largely English speaking cast - Mrs Lovett here is played by a seemingly ideally cast Caroline O'Connor. After all the small and smaller recent revivals, THIS is how I like my Sweeney best--the stage design seems to be based relatively on the Eugene Lee original, but a bit darker

Photos can be found here: http://www.westendtheatre.com/12936/show-photos/photos-sweeney-todd-at-the-theatre-du-chatelet-paris/

And found two clips on youtube. This is from the official Theatre du Chatelet youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyxn_sh6nhg

And a short news behind the scenes thing (en francais...) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQnejy1ZmZg

It's true Sweeney can work both ways--it just seems more and more rare to see it done BIG. I didn't see the Doyle production, just clips, but I loved the genuinely scary, intimate production the Royal National Theatre did in London in the 90s with Julia McKenzie--I was a young teen and it kinda traumatized me--in a good way.

Updated On: 4/28/11 at 10:24 PM

Updated On: 7/20/18 at 11:36 PM

Thanks for posting these pics and clips, Eric. Just reminds me -- I like my Sweeney big with a nice phat-ass orchestra, please and thank you.

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Interesting note: they appear to have Sweeney with classic Sweeney Todd hair, in the film's Sweeney Todd outfit.

"Legendary Sweeney Todd composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim attended the opening night of Sweeney Todd in Paris and declared Caroline, "the best Mrs Lovett he has ever heard." (Le Monde, Sweeney Todd review)."

Thats high praise indeed!

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Tanya McCallin did the designs.
As My oh My said--I think it's a perfect revision of the Lee original--I actually prefer it.

Updated On: 4/30/11 at 05:55 AM

MAGNIFIQUE!!!

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Oh wow. Going to be in Paris in the fall; I wonder what they'll be doing then?

I was in Paris on Friday and, while walking around, saw ONE (and only one) poster for the show... and the poster was in a niche behind a giant potted tree... it was such an afterthought. I love Sweeney Todd, so I made note of the show, but I had not heard of Théâtre du Châtelet, so I figured it was a small production.

THANK YOU ALL for your notes on this thread. I found this thread on Saturday and your comments and YouTube links made me decide to go see the show. If it weren't for you, I'd not have gone.

So I thought I'd share a review with you. I'm not a professional critic, so I can only tell you my reaction. I'll call out the things that I feel need calling out, but let me start with the conclusion: I'm VERY glad I went!

I arrived 15 minutes before curtain and, as a single seat, ended up front row mez, four seats off center. Couldn't have been a better seat.

So ST is my favorite work of art--period. I really adore the piece and the way it is crafted. It's also an insanely difficult piece to pull off. IMO, the best production *I* have seen is the Lyric Opera of Chicago's, followed by the Bway revival...

And it is always AWESOME to hear a full-blown production and this was definitely that! A gigantic, powerful orchestra and big, beautiful voices. For my ears, HEAVEN. For my eyes--the design (lights, sets, costumes) maybe the best I've seen (or at least as good as Chicago's).

Caroline O'Connor was really, really good. Mrs. Lovett is such a tough role--to capture the comedy, the romance, the eccentricity, and the evil. I've liked most of the Mrs. Lovett's I've seen, but I think hers will be the one I remember.

The rest of the cast provided *outstanding* voices, but the acting and directing fell just a tad short for me. Everyone was just one step short on their journey to find the truth in their characters, in my opinion, leaving me feeling disconnected from them. I hate to say anything bad about a cast that obviously worked INCREDIBLY hard on such a tough piece, but that's the case.

And in the role of Anthony, Nicholas Garrett was really miscast. His voice was glorious--perhaps *too* good and baritone for a young role that should (IMO) be more tenor sounding. But from my seat, he read VERY old--2-3 times the age of the 16-year-old Joanna (who also read somewhat older), and Garrett played the role too mature, too smarmy, and his never-ending fluid movements without any noticable intention caused me to simply close my eyes when he was on stage and listen, leaving the acting to my imagination... in which he was perfect

The direction had some brilliant moments, but the direction and use of the ensemble as a London crowd was awkward and distracting. I am not sure whether actors or director should be mentioned for some of the stiff, disconnected moments.

Small thing, but probably the best "kills" of any ST I've seen. The use of blood, both jugular and in the streets, was effective, and gruesomely beautiful.

The Chatelet and its team should be highly commended for pulling off a VERY solid production of this most-difficult piece in a town not accustomed to musical theatre. The audience was justifiably appreciative, with at least three encore curtain calls.

While I've mentioned the drawbacks of the production, I am THOROUGHLY glad I saw the show, EXTREMELY glad that this piece has once again been done justice in a full-sized production, and GRATEFUL that all you on BWW convinced me to invest $150 USD on an evening that was heaven to my ears.

The production will be transmitted on radio on 11 May.

http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/em/rue/emission.php?e_id=65000060

To Feldzieg: The theatre seats about 2500. I was there on opening night and the reaction was great - there were quite a few British accents in the theatre, so I can't say hand-on-heart that it was a completely French reaction, but the French friends I was with, enjoyed it. They had seen the Doyle version previously in London and were surprised by the operatic take on the show. The French press have given it good reviews and I know that there have been sell-out performances since.

It runs till 21 May

The NYT review came out today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/arts/04iht-loomis04.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

I agree with the bulk of the review, and was pleased that Mr. Loomis noticably left out Nicolas Garrett in the list of good performances.

Mr. Loomis DID remind me that:
Pascal Charbonneau’s sweet tenor makes Tobias’s “Not While I’m Around” a high point.

Agreed! Pascal was great! Again a superb voice... good acting... wish he "read" a bit younger (and shorter).