What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
#0What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:02amI thought that the general concept of this Sweeney revival is that the cast also plays the music during the show. What instrument does Patti play besides those glorious pipes??!?
Slotted spoons don't hold much soup
#1re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:03amIf they stick to the original plan, she'll play the trumpet......
#2re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:07amwell then, BLOW GABRIEL BLOW!
Slotted spoons don't hold much soup
#3re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:09am
I just do not see how this is going to work. I don't want to watch Mrs. Lovett stop singing "The Worst Pies In London" to blow a few notes on an instrument.
#4re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:19amI'm intrigued. It's a concept you'll either like or won't--very little middle ground. There will be lots of threads on here i'm sure.
'The Devil be hitting me!'--Whitney Houston
#5re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:20amI bet that we will see a revised revival when it finally opens in NY where Patti, and perhaps others, do not play an instrument. Producers, in casting her, were clearly going for a "name" rather than musical talent (non singing I mean).
The truly beautiful should be lawfully restricted from wearing clothing; and the truly butt-ugly should be lawfully mandated from going naked.
#6re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:26am
Well, quite frankly, thank god. I wouldn't mind if the chorus were to be playing musical instruments, but I really don't like the idea of two people singing a love song to each facing out to the audience and playing instruments.
Now, maybe this means I'm predisposed to not liking this roduction but it's clearly a concept that's being shoehorned into this musical.
#7re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:28amActually, Lupone isn't playing Lovett, she's playing the instrument that Mark Jacoby will play. It's an old ancient instrument called "The Warbler".
#8re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:34amthis concept reminds me of the cabaret revial,
Attend the tale of Bovine Boy
His party threads we all enjoy
But does he have Mad Cow Disease?
He doesn't eat beef - but cows skating? - oh please!!!
With cocoa!?!
And lemonade!?!
The heifer-mad poster of Broadway
(World)
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#9re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:57am
"I wouldn't mind if the chorus were to be playing musical instruments, but I really don't like the idea of two people singing a love song to each facing out to the audience and playing instruments."
I don't think this production even HAS a chorus.
#10re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:58amNo chorus or ensemble, just 9 actors.
#11re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 11:03amI still don't understand how the actors are going to play instruments and sing. Can anyone explain it to me?
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#12re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 11:26am
Bwy Singer -- If the production is anything like the glorious production in London on which it is based (and it may not be, given they way they are casting the show for NYC), then you'd probably best stay home. The production is very, very stylized and presentational, and while Mrs. Lovett doesn't stop to play the trumpet in "Worst Pies in London," she does play in the musical interlude during "Poor Thing" etc.
The show is a completely different look at the material -- call it a theatrical experiment. It worked beautifully in London, but the entire concept was built around that original cast, so its a very risky proposition to try and take that idea and shape it around other people.
That said, LuPone and Cerveris will have to play instruments. There are only nine people in the cast total. If LuPone and Cerveris don't play, there won't be an orchestra. Using only seven performers who only sporatically play wouldn't work. You have to have at least nine.
When I saw the show after it transfered to the AMBASSADOR Theatre they added four additional "ensemble" members who also fleshed out the orchestra. The director has said, however that he is sticking with the original concept of nine singer/actor/musicians for Broadway.
Updated On: 4/28/05 at 11:26 AM
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#13re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 11:26amI just can't imagine any value in this production. To me, it would be like trying to experience the brilliance of a Seurat painting only by viewing a black and white photograph.
#14re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 11:32am
Morosco -- This production focuses on the theatricality of the material as a piece of drama, rather then the NYCO and Philharmonic versions which obviously focused on the score.
It's a viable take on the material, and the show received mostly raves in London, including one from Ben Brantley. They wouldn't be risking bringing it to Broadway if it hadn't already been so phenominally well received.
It's not a question of whether the concept works -- clearly it does -- whether that concept will transfer with a different cast remains to be seen however.
Updated On: 4/28/05 at 11:32 AM
#15re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 11:37amI'm slightly confused Bennett. Does the ensemble play the entire score, or do they play parts of it with an actual orchestra?
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#16re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 11:39am
"...This production focuses on the theatricality of the material as a piece of drama, rather then the NYCO and Philharmonic versions which obviously focused on the score."
They should have done a new production of the PLAY instead of the musical.
#17re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 11:42am
Bobby, in London, there was an "ensemble" of four who sang and also played instruments on the side of the playing area (obviously there is no orchestra in the pit).
But these four musicians were added as an afterthought (and when they needed understudies for a West End transfer) -- as the show originally played at Watermill, the show featured a cast of nine. Most members of the cast played more then one instrument and yes, they would often play while in a scene "in character" and then would join the other orchestra members on the side and play during the scenes they were not in.
#18re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:19pmWon't equity and the musicians union have some objections to this production?
#19re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:20pmWhether you like the concept or not, the fact remains that this revival wouldn't be happening WITHOUT the concept. Nobody was looking to do a revival of SWEENEY on Broadway. Sondheim and the Broadway producers were just so taken with the brilliance of this production in London, they thought it should be seen in NYC.
#20re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:24pmI agree Bennett. It was already revived once, in a scaled down but very by the book production. I think new innovative ways to produce musical theatre should be praised and supported. Don't knock it till you've seen it. Maybe Lupone took the role because she wants the challenge of playig an instrument.
#21re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:24pmI agree Bennett. It was already revived once, in a scaled down but very by the book production. I think new innovative ways to produce musical theatre should be praised and supported. Don't knock it till you've seen it. Maybe Lupone took the role because she wants the challenge of playig an instrument.
taylorliz
Swing Joined: 4/28/05
#22re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:34pmI hope she randomly stops the show and does encores of stuff, like in Can Can. ACtually, i think it would be funny if randomly did encores of songs from can can during sweeney todd
#23re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:35pm
I should really not read the NY Post anymore. lol It causes rumors in my head. :P
Is Patti Lupone definitely playing Mrs. Lovett? Because I thought it was Cyndi Lauper. I like Cyndi, but it's Broadway. I will breathe a sigh of relief if it's Patti.
"It's the little things; the details, that distinguish the Barbra Streisands from the Rosalyn Kinds."~Gilmore Girls~
#24re: What instrument will LuPone's Lovett play?
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:43pm
Its definitely Patti. Its not official yet because she hasn't signed her contract, but apparently she's been offered the role and has accepted.
I'm wondering if she had to audition though. I'd like to think LuPone campaigned heavilly for the role and revealed the previously unknown fact that she plays musical instruments.
In other words, I'd like to belief that LuPone proved to the producers that she could bring something to the concept of this production besides her name and previous experience with the role.
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