Sweeney Todd on a small scale

In Chicago, I saw a production with Alene Robertson as Mrs. Lovett. It was very small-scaled (compared to Broadway) and played extremely well.

The ensemble was small, and for the More Hot Pies number, they used life-sized doll/puppets to fill out the "crowd" (similar to the Angelette March from Best Little Whorehouse...). I thought it was clever and added a touch of humor.

When the production is small, I think the show works better.

Updated On: 5/24/13 at 11:50 AM

There's the legendary eight-person Teeny Sweeney, where the cast was tiny because of how intimate the theatre was. They didn't have room for a multi-level barbershop, so Sweeney dispatched his victims with a meat hook on a pulley, not a chute.

The 1994 National Theatre production in London employed an ensemble of about 7 plus the principal cast - very small company indeed. It was minimalist I believe too, in terms of its design approach. A door for Mrs. Lovett's shop and her counter for example were the only components of her pie shop, and Sweeney's barber chair first appeared as Judge Turpin's courtroom 'throne' in Act 1, which worked because that would be the chair in which he would eventually meet his death. I don't know how the larger company numbers worked in this production - did the supporting players join the 'chorus' when they weren't on stage as their own individual characters... Anyway, all in all, this was a sparse, pared down, intimate production that originally played at the National's Cottesloe theatre which is a black box space.

The first Broadway revival was in 1989 at Circle in the Square. It was a very small scale affair with Bob Gunton and Beth Fowler. Based on a production earlier that year by York Theatre Company, it got good reviews and several Tony nominations. Everyone called it either Teeney Todd or The Teeney Sweeney.

Updated On: 5/24/13 at 01:43 PM

Well the 89 revival was literally played by two synthesizers. At least the 05 revival had live instruments, albeit played by the cast.

It was this concentrated production,without distracting effects ,that made me aware of the incredible score.

Julia MacKenziie was one of the best Lovetts

"I loved the original grand scale Prince production, but I think a director with a GRAND CONCEPT for the show (a la Doyle) can offer something else to make up for the lack of giant cast or giant sets. "

I personally don't think Sweeney Todd needs this. I think it's a great story, and the book/score can hold its own without a 'concept'. Not surprisingly, I also adore the movie.

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I think it's pretty wonderful that this musical has such a powerful story (and is told so well) that it can work on a HUGE scale as well as a small scale.

And the story isn't lost or lessened at all.

Bravo, Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler!

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Indeed! (I'm referring to best12's post.) ^^^^^

And, personally, I remember loving the small ensemble from whom I heard every note of harmony as an individual note rather than one brick in a "wall of sound". This is not to fault the original, just to say I enjoyed hearing in a new way a show I had basically memorized.

Updated On: 5/24/13 at 06:29 PM

Well put, darquegk. I hadn't thought of it exactly that way. (Though the film will always be "half a SWEENEY" to me, since they left out the role of Mrs. Lovett.)

I'm repeating myself, qolbinau, but I could overlook Bonham Carter's singing. It was her acting that was entirely wrong for the part.

It is Lovett's irrepressible capitalism that drives the action and makes SWEENEY TODD something more than a remake of FRIDAY THE 13TH: JASON'S REVENGE. Bonham Carter was so enervated and depressed, it was hard to believe she ever got out of bed, much less baked half of London into pies.

That she also wasn't funny was the least of it.

How did they present the deaths in Teeny Todd? Was it the usual raised rostra with a chute?