The Definitive Production- Page 2

[Rainah]

Posted: 4/2/18 at 3:19pm

You know in some ways a mass consumption not great version of a show may be the definitive version. It's not the best version, but it's the version the majority of people will think of when you mention the show and it will be what new productions will be compared to.

 

Not wading into any specific examples because this calls for WAY more years watching theatre than I have. I'd love to hear people's thoughts on Les Mis though. Usually the version I hear everyone reference is the 10th anniversary concert, it being both mass produced and actually pretty good. Until it comes to specific roles/performances, in which case Colm's Valjean and Tveit's Enjolras seem to be the ones everyone goes for. 

[greensgreens]

Posted: 4/2/18 at 3:43pm

Someone should start a thread about all the shows you saw that you thought were definitive or predicted would be definitive - only to be disproven after watching other productions. Many shows I've seen I initially dismissed and realized after seeing other stagings, they were definitive (Carousel, 1994 revival). Others I went into hoping they would be the definitive version, but proved the original was still the best (Into the Woods, Central Park & 2002 revivals). Anyone have experience with this?

[darquegk]

Posted: 4/3/18 at 9:16am

Nobody would probably call it the ultimate best, but if we're defining definitive as "the production that placed the biggest stamp on the show and how it would be seen in the future," it's hard to argue that the first "Teeny Sweeney" had almost a bigger impact than the original production, creating Sweeney Todd's long-running track record as a claustrophobic chamber musical rather than an epic production.

[Rainah]

Posted: 4/3/18 at 11:43am

Goodness, I've never heard sweeney described that way and it fits so well. I'm stealing that. "Claustrophobic chamber musical" indeed