Tracking changes to SWEENEY TODD (10/10- 10/24)

I've been incredibly lucky in being able to see this revival several times over the past week, and I thought it would be worth noting the changes that have been made from first preview one week ago to tonight. These thoughts are VERY random -- my apologies.

Tonight was the first performance that I have seen some major changes -- all notated below (along with some very minor ones).

* The show curtain is now being brought in at the end of each act. Gone are the "Brechtian exits" along with the business with Gemingani and the flashlight that opened ACT II.

* There have been two additional cuts made to the score ("The Beggar Woman's Lullabye" was heard for the first preview only) -- Pirelli's "to shave-a the face" section from the Contest and the brief "Now then my friend, now to your purpose" section right before "Pretty Woman" are both gone. Gone too are the cast vocal echos during the Judge's "Johanna" -- and bizarelly, Joanna no longer plays the tin flute during the "bum bums" before "Pretty Woman"

* Lots of new staging --

Toby now "enters" the Barber shop with Pirelli during the blackmailing.

Toby is now "locked" in the bake house and offstage during "Parlor Songs" in ACT 2.

"City on Fire" has been reblocked and reassigned vocally.

Sadly, one of the bits I loved -- when Pirelli holds up the bucket of blood in anticipation of Sweeney's first attempt on the Judge -- is gone.

Cerveris no longer plays "Not While I'm Around" on the ladder (now painted black) -- but off to the side.

All in all, I think the changes in direction are good and in the best interest of telling the story. A lot of it is much cleaner, even if some of my personal favorite bits are gone.

* Diana DiMarzio's Beggar Woman is I think being given some new direction (less Zombie -- more Merle Louise) and she's starting to really come alive.

*LuPone is continuing to find fascinating layers as Lovett. The entire cast just gets better and better. The face that continues to haunt me from this production is Donna Lynne Champlins. She is endlessly fascinating.


Audience response tonight is the best I've seen it (standing ovation immediately) and the theatre was sold out. A good sign for this ever fascinating production.

Updated On: 10/26/05 at 12:13 AM

I love "to shave-a the face"

I dunno why, but I do...

The judge's "Johanna" has been in it from the first preview but still isn't in the program.

"The Tooth Pulling" I think is cut from almost ALL productions of SWEENEY TODD -- it was never in this production.

And to clarify -- Pirelli is still a strong presence, they just cut that one verse from "The Contest."

And the Beggar Woman's changes are just character choices. She's a little more traditionaly crazy.

Updated On: 10/11/05 at 12:23 AM

Stop with the cuts, please. I know why they are doing it but still, stop with the cuts. The bucket of blood anticipation was great.
I agree the directoral changes are probably good in the long run, but no more score cuts.

I don't think the "tooth pulling" was ever in.

Poor Pirelli doesn't do much as a chacter without "pulla the tooth" but I loved Donna.
I'm back on Thursday.

---

Updated On: 10/11/05 at 12:25 AM

I am absolutely THRILLED beyond beleif to hear the ladder is now black. It was one of the main things that bothered me, but never mentioned it becuase I just assumed it was something they would get to.

As for Michael not playing "Not While I'm Around" on the ladder, this upsets me a great deal. I can understand why he's now sitting off to the side, but it was just so damn pretty when he wass sitting on the ladder.

---

I liked him on the ladder too, but now there is nothing to pull focus from Toby/Lovett -- the scene plays clearer.

I'm sure all the changes I noticed tonight were made to help clarify story or to keep the pace going. The show FLEW tonight, and like I said, I missed some of the clever bits that were cut, but the audience seemed to uniformly be more pleased.

Updated On: 10/11/05 at 12:34 AM

I'm still pissed that lovett and sweeney's part in Pirelli's Miracle Elixir weren't in the show.

---

I'm very upset that they cut Pirelli holding the bucket up in anticipation of Sweeney's first stab at the Judge - I thought that was GREAT.

I'm glad they cut the crap before Act II.

---

Thank you so much for telling us the changes! I saw the first preview and I'm particularly glad that they changed how they enter and the curtain.

* The show curtain is now being brought in at the end of each act. Gone are the "Brechtian exits" along with the business with Gemingani and the flashlight that opened ACT II.*

Also, I am sorry to hear that they got rid of the anticpatory pouring of blood by Pirlli and that they got rid of Lovett and Sweeney's comments during "Miracle Elixir". Grrr. Oh well, I still LOVE the production!

---

One has to assume every textural alteration, no matter how minor, has Sondheim's impimatur. He's famously protective, so these efforts to streamline must be endorsed.

I love the show, saw the original multiple times, and the Gunton/Fowler "Teeny" one and City Opera editions. But it's always been a tad long, and a bit repitative, though for fans, not problematically. So an edited, shorter SWEENEY might even be more vital in some ways. And the original -- as locked in a City Opera -- is always there for comparison.

---

For those of you who have seen it, is the music satisfying? Is it working well? Also, how are the doing songs like the opening where all the characters sing......Who plays the music?

Thanks! I guess since some of the instruments are not wind instuments that you can play and sing at the same time.

Mr. Bennett, I was wondering how you have been seeing the show so many times??? Will it be easy for me to get tkts when I come? I don't wanna pay more than the sro, how much is the cheapist ticket on TKTS? THANKS!