TONY Performances That Were Altered or Changed from their Original Form- Page 2
TONY Performances That Were Altered or Changed from their Original Form
#25TONY Performances That Were Altered or Changed from their Original Form
Posted: 3/31/21 at 6:06pm
NameGreg said: "ggersten said: "I've read on this board that Lansbury lip-synched Worst Pies in London. I don't know if that was a factor in Carriou's attitude reported on this thread. Either because he was unhappy to beasked to be part of a number that wasn't live - or perhaps, he was asked to lipsynch to a different number and said "no." I guess A Little Priest was considered too risque for the time....
"
To be fair, A Little Priest is a long, slow moving number. It would need to be cut up a bit andwhile an excellent number, it’s not the best showcase to sell the show."
Respectfully, I disagree. I think it's tremendous fun, moves very quickly and is perhaps the best embodiment of the show's perspective.
#26TONY Performances That Were Altered or Changed from their Original Form
Posted: 3/31/21 at 6:10pm
For those saying Cariou should have done it anyway, I don't disagree. I'm guessing if it was me, I probably would have, though I might of asked "Can't we fit just a bit of something I do in here somehow? I'm going to feel like a fool just sitting there silently, looking like a mannequin."
I'm just saying I think I can understand why he didn't.
#27TONY Performances That Were Altered or Changed from their Original Form
Posted: 3/31/21 at 9:32pm
I love Sweeney Todd stories, if you can’t tell from my avatar...
I always thought Lansbury’s rendition of “By the Sea” with Walter Charles (the understudy) awkwardly sitting there was the Tony performance. I guess that was other publicity that Cariou ALSO refused to do, ha ha.
Both Lansbury and Sondheim have gone on record admitting they preferred George Hearn over Cariou - Lansbury saying Hearn was “more fun” to work with and Sondheim saying he preferred Hearn’s more “Grand Guignol” stylization. For them to admit that publicly indicates that perhaps Cariou rubbed them the wrong way at times during the original production. However, I believe Cariou didn’t do the tour mostly due to the vocal issues the role caused him. He was determined to never miss a show, but it’s a really tough sing to do eight times a week for a year, and he has spoken about how the (real) dirt used in the grave in the opening number actually caused him some respiratory issues. I think that he was just “done” with the role, which after a year is totally understandable. It’s rare that the original stars of a hit Broadway show tour with it unless they are being offered a ton of money. I’m surprised Lansbury did it.
I agree that they probably beefed up Mrs. Lovett’s role to give Angela Lansbury more to do. “Wait” in particular just stops the momentum of the story. It should be optional to cut like the extended Pirelli sequence and Judge Turpin’s solo, IMO. The first act is a bit too long - otherwise it’s a perfect musical.
#28TONY Performances That Were Altered or Changed from their Original Form
Posted: 3/31/21 at 11:51pm
While I don’t know how large the role of Mrs. Lovett was ever intended to be, I have heard that Sondheim had to basically audition to Lansbury by writing her songs, as she needed to be sold on taking the second lead of the show. Apparently she wasn’t too attracted to a show being called “Sweeney Todd” rather than “Nellie Lovett”.
I do feel bad for Cariou, as while the show did bring him acclaim and accolades, the advertising and whatnot for the original production was blatantly pushing him to the side in favor of his more famous costar. And while that can be defended as business, they also gave Lansbury the final bow which is a fairly insulting given he’s the largest part and the title role. Maybe part of my pity comes from me liking Cariou’s Sweeney more than Lansbury’s Lovett - and Heaven’s Sweeney while I’m at it - but I still think they kind of did him dirty. Anyway for what it’s worth, the two leads bowed together after Lansbury’s solo one.
I don’t know if this bowing order was retained or not for their replacements, but I do believe that Dorothy Loudon was a bigger name than George Hearn at the time, so maybe it stayed that way. Unlike the original production though, I know that Michael Cerveris got the final bow over the much more famous Patti LuPone for the last revival.
Anyway, whatever kind of drama might’ve happened, I know that Lansbury and Cariou stayed friends years afterwards, so imagine it couldn’t have been too bad, if it even did occur. But this isn’t a Sweeney Todd drama thread, so I’ll try not to write anymore on the subject. In my defense though, I really, really like that show so it’s not hard to get me to start talking about it.
And one last thing, but I’ll defend Wait. Yes it’s slow moving, but it nicely sets up Todd’s mistake in Pretty Women, and I think the slow pace works the moment as it gets across both Lovett’s message and Sweeney’s impatience.
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