"Sweeney Todd" then and now

[goodlead2]

Posted: 7/10/23 at 12:09pm

The original production rarely if ever had a sold-out  week and closed at a loss.  Is the success of the current revival due to Josh Groban or because audiences are more comfortable wit h the subject matter and the music?

[bear88]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 1:07am

All of the above. Others on this board could speak more accurately about the original production was received in 1979, but what was once an unsettling night of new theater is now an established classic - and thanks to the movie and multiple revivals, better known to the public. Familiarity sells these days.

I guess we’ll get more of an idea of Josh Groban’s impact on the box office during his vacation weeks, but I wouldn’t underestimate star power. Groban may not be the greatest actor who ever played Sweeney, but as with Great Comet, he brought his own fan base. There are people (my daughter and her boyfriend among them) who might not have seen this revival had it not been for the presence of Groban, Gaten Matarazzo and Jordan Fisher in the cast. That tipped the scales for them. I’m sure they are not the only ones.

We have seen repeatedly this past season the clout of star power, whether on musicals or plays. This is no different.

[binau]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 2:17am

Josh Groban may not be the greatest actor ever to play the role but his singing and acting while singing in my opinion is one of the greatest I’ve ever heard in the role - and over the years now I’ve seen a lot of productions and listened to most/all recordings. I think the other thing that surprised me about the production is that the aesthetics of the performances especially Ashford has much more modern sensibilities than the tone of other productions, which I think would appeal more to a mass audience today than if say Bernadette was playing the part. While ultimately I kind of miss the ‘private club’ feel that I think other Sondheim revivals have I am so pleased that the production does seem to appeal widely. 
 

I also kind of enjoy that was expectations for Ashford in particularly were quite low and I personally think I was proven wrong. Ashford’s performance as Mrs Lovett is probably the first one on stage at least that truly broke the mould. I think it’s clear if we start listing names like Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Emma Thompson, Carolee Carmello and Ashford that Ashford is the odd one out. I was worried about this, but I needn’t be and in fact it’s probably the breath of fresh air I myself needed because there is only so many times you can hear a middle aged woman speak singing ‘Worst pies in London’ without starting to get bored. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 11:53am

If this production recoups, that will make three financially successful (and very different) versions in a row in New York City, after the Doyle and Barrow Street revivals. It couldn't happen to a better show!