the touring production of the Sweeney Todd revival

[JonathanGroffislove]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 12:23pm

I've been hearing negative stuff about it, I was supposed to go this weekend actually, but my dad heard from a friend at work that it was terrible, I know it had some success on broadway and won 2 tonys, does anyone know why the touring production is sucky?

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 12:26pm

Sucky?

[timote316]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 12:33pm

It's not.

If you know what the show was on Broadway (with the actor/musicians thing), then its pretty much exactly the same. Perhaps the people that say its sucky don't like the way its presented?

I saw it last week, and loved it as much, if not more than, the Broadway production.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 12:35pm

With Judy Kaye!
GO!
Dont listen to your father for once!

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 12:50pm

It's not sucky at all. As someone who saw the recent revival on Broadway several times, I can say that that touring production, which I saw in Boston last week was just as good if not better. Judy Kaye is perfect as Mrs. Lovett. I saw the understudy for Sweeney, David Garry and while he got off to a bumpy start, got into gear around "My Friends" and excelled from there. There were a few changes to some of the blocking and obviously the instrumentation (if we can call that a word) from the revival, but these changes do work.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 12:51pm

It's not sucky at all. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I did on Broadway. See it and form your own opinion.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 12:54pm

I just saw it last night. It was awesome. I've seen it on Broadway and now Boston, and Judy Kaye is even better than LuPone. Go!

[sabrelady]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 1:05pm

Seeing it this FRi in TO. Looking forward to it. My only concern is the stage @ the Princess of Wales is LARGE ( Orig designed to accomodate Miss Saigon) Hope the show doesn't get lost in the distance translation.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 1:06pm

I wish Kaye was on my CD not LuPone

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 1:18pm

It's just not as dark as the broadway revival was because most of the actors performances are lighter in tone and substance. David Hess is moi disappointing, but other than than the show's well worth seeing.

It's really far from horrible. It's still an amazing night at the theatre, and I think you'll miss out if you don't see it. Tickets in Boston can be like $25 too, so there's not a whole lot to lose even if you don't like it.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 1:18pm

Where do you keep hearing negative things? I personally didn't care for it, but the response around me (and online) was pretty positive.

Updated On: 11/4/07 at 01:18 PM

[Boq101]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 3:28pm

The negative press you heard was probably from people who prefer bigger spectacles. Your dad's friend from work is like my dad's dentist, who turned away from the production because it wasn't Oklahoma. Now the tour is everything except New York City, making it twice as impossible for me to get tickets.

[Nellie Lovett 2]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 3:39pm

The touring production is great. I can see why some peole wouldn't like it if they are usd to or prefer big productions with elaborate sets and and staging. Judy Kaye is wonderful as Mrs Lovett. Go see it and decide for yourself

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 4:14pm

That wasn't why I didn't like it, but I do think people should go see it, just to try. :) And the cast is excellent.

[BWayFanatic]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 4:24pm

I thought it was spectacular with the exception of the kid who played Toby. It really seems as though they pulled him right off the street and stuck him in the show, I almost thought it was a joke. His singing was off pitch and often cracked and his acting felt extremely amateur, although he did play violin very well.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 4:39pm

I think the off-pitch singing (which only happened a couple times) and cracking was a character choice because Toby IS a boy pulled off the streets. I thought Edmund Bagnell did an admirable job.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 4:45pm

Also, I saw David Garry go on as Sweeney yesterday afternoon. He was great, and what is peculiar is that, entirely coincidentally, he has a bald head, just like Michael!

[BWayFanatic]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 4:55pm

I was there too Fantasma, and I was very happy to see a bald Sweeney understudy, I thought he did a great job!

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 5:11pm

I saw David go on Friday night and he was phenomenal- better than Michael! Judy was also better than Patti, which isn't something I ever expected to say.

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 5:12pm

I wasn't impressed with Ed Bagnell. His voice did crack often and it was kind of distracting, and I thought he overdid it with the Mano-channeling. But he is a good violinist. Did you guys see his violin upclose? It's gorgeous.

I wish I had seen David Garry.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 8:03pm

I'm sure this would be a hard question for someone here to answer, but does anyone know the situation with David Hess? It seems like he was out from the Wednesday evening show (which I saw) all the way through the end of the run in Boston today.

[timote316]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 10:03pm

Maybe we saw a different Toby, because I thought Bagnell was absolutely wonderful. I didn't have a single problem with his voice, and found his characterization to be spot-on.


It's just not as dark as the broadway revival was because most of the actors performances are lighter in tone and substance.

I'd agree with that - I noticed it as well. Even the actors that are reprising their Broadway roles (notably Lauren Molina and Diana DiMarzio... I saw an understudy for Ben Magnuson) found a fresh take on the role, something still wonderful yet fitting with the slightly lighter tone of this production. That said, I think it all still worked wonderfully.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 10:17pm

Yeah, my only with Edmund was the fact that his was the only voice I couldn't hear coming directly from the stage- it lacked power. It was beautiful, though, and he was every bit as good as Mano.
And I agree the tone was much lighter- the show got a lot of laughs, which works well for an otherwise dark show.

[BWayFanatic]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 10:44pm

Perhaps Bagnell was having a bad night or sick, because I know it was him that we saw and his voice cracked quite noticeably at least 4 times, and the first two times when it happened he got very uncomfortable and put his hands to his throat.

In regards to returning players, I agree they were all wonderful and added something new to their role. The beggar woman looked a little different this time around, and I LOVED Antony and Johanna, their KISS ME was just wonderful as was the song JOHANNA.

Question/SPOILER- When Pirelli goes to get a shave and she admits that she knows Sweeney's identity, did Pirelli on Broadway also drop her accent, because I noticed the tour Pirelli do so and I though it was a marvelous choice. Perhaps I just missed it when it was on B'way.

[yellibean2]

Posted: 11/4/07 at 10:52pm

I saw the matinee today and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Was is it every bit as amazing as on Broadway? No. But I really thought I would just be comparing it the whole time, and I totally wasn't. I loved the cast and especially Edmund Bagnell - I thought his voice was beautiful and his characterization both adorable and heartbreaking. I also saw David Garry as Sweeney and he left something to be desired, but at the same time, he had his moments.

If you have seen it on Broadway, it brings back great memories, and if you haven't, then it's really an opportunity not worth missing.