Sweeney vs Pacific Overtures

I may only have room for one of the two current Sondheim revivals on my next trip to NY. This may seem like a no brainer but I am deeply on the fence. I love SWEENEY to death but this would be my forth or fifth time seeing it live (the John Doyle revival, at San Francisco Opera, and a couple of local productions) - is the production truly worth missing out on Pacific Overtures, which I have never seen? On the other hand, going beyond the cuts made to the score (which I have kinda made my peace with), is the rare privilege of seeing Pacific Overtures at all worth seeing a production that I might not think is great?

This was my first exposure to Pacific Overtures, and I found it to be wan. I could happily have waited for a better production, and look forward to seeing one someday.

I am looking forward to Sweeney.

As it happens, I saw both shows yesterday.

The discussion at the 'PO previews' thread sums up pretty clearly the situation over at Classic Stage. A group of wonderfully talented actors and musicians are making the best possible case for (what I think is) a deeply flawed concept.

The score is wonderfully performed and 'Someone in a Tree' is very rewarding, but--overall--I can't say you will see a production that will give you that uniquely satisfying experience of ***finally*** seeing the show that goes with an OBCR you've been listening to for years. In fact, if it's really an OBCR that you've been listening to for years, you're likely to be repeatedly aggravated and disappointed.

'Sweeney Todd', on the other hand, is a thrilling, extraordinarily satisfying production that hits almost every note that you are hoping it will hit yet is almost certainly unlike any version of the show that you've seen before.

If you choose 'Sweeney', do everything you can to sit at the front tables--seats 'A' through 'F'--doesn't matter where, or which direction the seats face.

Updated On: 4/30/17 at 07:58 AM