Sweeney Todd, Around the Block - Nice article from FoxNews.com- Page 2

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:49pm

OasisBroadway has a point...

[Follies]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:52pm

"No, Sondheim is an expert on Mrs. Lovett. And it seems as though he really likes Patti's take on the role, maybe even more so than he likes Angela's."

Sondheim does that with everyone who plays Lovett. He praised Baranski and Judy Kaye like you would not believe. He also never said he likes Patti's better than Angelas. He said Patti plays a more wicked Nellie. Lansbury was the best because she did not play the role "Wicked". Her lovett was not obvious. Upon first listen/viewing one could assume that Sweeney or the Judge were the villians while Lovett was the real snake. God Lansbury was awesome!!!

[OasisBroadway]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 4:58pm

"Sondheim does that with everyone who plays Lovett. He praised Baranski and Judy Kaye like you would not believe. He also never said he likes Patti's better than Angelas. He said Patti plays a more wicked Nellie. Lansbury was the best because she did not play the role "Wicked". Her lovett was not obvious. Upon first listen/viewing one could assume that Sweeney or the Judge were the villians while Lovett was the real snake. God Lansbury was awesome!!! "

Well he did pick Patti for the role after all didn't he? I think that means something a little more than praise after the fact.

And I do not disagree with you that Angela was great in the role.

Updated On: 2/1/06 at 04:58 PM

[Follies]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:00pm

"Well he did pick Patti for the role after all didn't he? I think that means something a litte more than praise after the fact."

I think we need to agree to disagree here. We are never going to change each other minds. I would also like to go on record saying I don't always agree with the casting dept of Sondheim shows ::::coughneilpatrickharriscough::::

=)

[kgee30]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:10pm

This is fun: I like Patti's performance because she does act the hell out of it.

[Follies]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 5:56pm

"This is fun: I like Patti's performance because she does act the hell out of it."

If by acting you mean "playing a cockney brit like Maria from Bedstuy, NY" than you would be correct.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:07pm

The best part of Patti's new Lovett is that she totally changed EVERYTHING from her concert Lovett. In concert she was more comical, goofy and more Lansbury. In the revival she reinvented the character like no other actress has done before. Lovett is now displayed as the real vilian. She is VERY desperate, she is sexual, and conniving.

Patti shows she is not a jolly ol' Lovett from the start. Angela approached Todd with a excited "A CUSTOMER!" Patti approaches the line way more subtle and you can hear (and see) how desperate she is with her "A CUSTOMER?" Notice the question mark.

[Follies]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:16pm

"she reinvented the character like no other actress has done before."

Did you see Baranski, Kaye or McKenzie?

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:22pm

Nope, but I doubt they played a Tuba tooting Lovett in torn fish-net hose and a rump-grabbing black mini, and a gothic black wig.

[Follies]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:33pm

"Nope, but I doubt they played a Tuba tooting Lovett in torn fish-net hose and a rump-grabbing black mini, and a gothic black wig."

Patti Lupone should NOT be wearing a mini-skirt. That is another problem I had with her. LOL Again, we need to agree to disagree here =)

[kgee30]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 6:58pm

Wow. You're totally right. Patti sucks! If only I'd seen the light earlier.
Updated On: 2/1/06 at 06:58 PM

[Follies]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 7:16pm

"Wow. You're totally right. Patti sucks! If only I'd seen the light earlier."

It's OK. Sometimes it can take a while.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 2/1/06 at 7:28pm

Thanks, Ljay, you just explained it all.
And Follies, I saw Baranski and Elaine Paige live, I have seen the DVDs with Mrs.Lansbury and LuPone herself. All of those performances have been similar one way or the other, Lansbury created the role and the other actresses didn't imitate it but they played Lovett in the same vein. It wasn't until Doyle directed Ms.LuPone, that she found a way to break with tradition and make Lovett work effectively while making unique choices for the character. And she does look damn sexy in the miniskirt and the hoses.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 1:20am

"...I don't know many people who have seen as many production of "Sweeney" as I have. I do consider myself a bit of an expert on the show...

Well now let's see.... I have seen Lansbury, Rosalind Elias (NYCO), Beth Fowler (Teeny Todd), June Havoc (tour), Christine Baranski (Washington), Patti LuPone (Concert) as well as 6 regional/community productions.

I also did the broadcast premiere of the OCR on my weekly radio show (complete over 2 sunday nights) when it was first released back in 1979.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 1:27am

Frontrowcentre, I figured you (and probably Margo) could chime in on that one (and probably a few others as well)