Sweeney Todd 2/3/08
I saw Sweeney Todd again yesterday at 6:30pm. It seemed like I knew half of the people in the audience. My review is under a cut because of the length and spoilers for the show.
My second time seeing Sweeney Todd was more interesting for me, probably because I had much better seats last night. I still love the intensity of the "Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and the energy the actors give off by singing, acting and playing their own instruments. I also think David Hess (Sweeney) might be injured because he seemed to be limping around on stage and I didn't notice that on Wednesday night. I guess I noticed it during "Barber and his Wife". I know a lot of people don't like Hess' Sweeney but I think he makes a fine Sweeney. You can't really deny the intensity that he has in the role. That being said, I didn't like all of his choices but at least he made choices instead of being dead on stage (no pun intended). Judy Kaye is still wonderful as Mrs. Lovett. There's really not much else to say about her because she's so amazing. Lauren Molina (Johanna) probably makes the best facial expressions I've ever seen on stage. Her "Green Finch" is still crazy and really has a beautiful voice. Ben Magnuson (Anthony) had a beautiful voice and acting choices during Johanna. You find yourself feeling so sorry that he can't have Johanna and hope the best for him. It's interesting because sometimes the actors playing the instruments in the background can be so distracting. It's great that they play in character but I find myself looking at them instead of the actual scene. Lauren Molina, Edmund Bagnell and Ben Eakeley were the main culprits in this and I give them major props for being in character so long. I'm still not a big fan of Keith Buterbaugh's Judge Turpin. I almost want him to take more risks during his "Johanna". I feel like it's almost to that level of intensity but never quite gets there. Magnuson and Molina have such a great dynamic and chemistry during "Kiss Me". It's a thrill to watch those two on stage together. Ben Eakeley's slimey and creepy Beadle Bamford is fantastic. The way he creeps around the stage makes you loathe him yet he has this charm that makes you like him in a weird way. Not to mention his "Ladies and Their Sensitivities" is vocally beautiful. The "Quartet" is wonderfully sung and acted by all four actors (Molina, Magnuson, Eakeley and Buterbaugh). "Pretty Women" is a beautiful song, filled with so much angst, and I feel like Buterbaugh and Hess do a fine job, nothing spectacular but nothing horrible either. Hess' "Epiphany" is manic and crazy, as it should be, and I love the "obsessed" level he goes to that makes it work. Kaye shows what a gem she is to the cast in "A Little Priest" by being comedic and almost scary at the same time. Hess and Kaye's chemistry during that song is something that is inspiring because they both have such a trust and willingness onstage.
Act 2 begins with "God, That's Good" and beautiful acting and mannerisms by Diana DiMarzio as The Begger Woman. She walks around the stage and presents herself as a truly "crazy" begger woman. The "Johanna" quartet is wonderfully sung and acted by the four players (Magnuson, Hess, Molina and DiMarzio). Especially wonderful in this scene is Molina who goes through emotions through her cello and her facial expressions. You can clearly see the brokenness of a girl lost and confused and not quite sure what to do. Kaye's "By The Sea" is again a triumph, playing her tools while singing the song and often using them as props. Edmund Bagnell's (Tobias) "Not While I'm Around" was a lot better, for me, during this performance than the one I saw on Wednesday. I could see the work put into making the song, and the next thing with Kaye, innocent yet frantic in his attempt to help Mrs. Lovett. Whenever we see Eakeley's Beadle again is in the upright coffin, signing, and it is perhaps one of the creepiest moments in the show. The dynamic between Kaye and Eakeley in this scene is what made me realize what a tight ensemble this group was. Whenever we see Sweeney kill the Beadle it almost makes your heart stop because, in Hess' eyes, you can see that this isn't the last time we are going to see death. "City on Fire" is not only intense but you know only bad things are going to come from it. And the "Final Sequence" wiyth three more deaths only makes your stomach turn even more. And Hess' realization of killing Lucy is probably the most heart-breaking moment in the show. The blank stare before Tobias comes up and kills him is an image I don't think I'll ever forget. During the final "Ballad" when the whole cast is downstage it really makes you think about what you've seen through all of these characters and exactly what they've been through.
Overall, I think it's a wonderful production filled with strong actors, singers and musicians who tell a story with, and without, words. Overall: 4.5/5
Stage door stories to come when I can upload the pictures.
My second time seeing Sweeney Todd was more interesting for me, probably because I had much better seats last night. I still love the intensity of the "Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and the energy the actors give off by singing, acting and playing their own instruments. I also think David Hess (Sweeney) might be injured because he seemed to be limping around on stage and I didn't notice that on Wednesday night. I guess I noticed it during "Barber and his Wife". I know a lot of people don't like Hess' Sweeney but I think he makes a fine Sweeney. You can't really deny the intensity that he has in the role. That being said, I didn't like all of his choices but at least he made choices instead of being dead on stage (no pun intended). Judy Kaye is still wonderful as Mrs. Lovett. There's really not much else to say about her because she's so amazing. Lauren Molina (Johanna) probably makes the best facial expressions I've ever seen on stage. Her "Green Finch" is still crazy and really has a beautiful voice. Ben Magnuson (Anthony) had a beautiful voice and acting choices during Johanna. You find yourself feeling so sorry that he can't have Johanna and hope the best for him. It's interesting because sometimes the actors playing the instruments in the background can be so distracting. It's great that they play in character but I find myself looking at them instead of the actual scene. Lauren Molina, Edmund Bagnell and Ben Eakeley were the main culprits in this and I give them major props for being in character so long. I'm still not a big fan of Keith Buterbaugh's Judge Turpin. I almost want him to take more risks during his "Johanna". I feel like it's almost to that level of intensity but never quite gets there. Magnuson and Molina have such a great dynamic and chemistry during "Kiss Me". It's a thrill to watch those two on stage together. Ben Eakeley's slimey and creepy Beadle Bamford is fantastic. The way he creeps around the stage makes you loathe him yet he has this charm that makes you like him in a weird way. Not to mention his "Ladies and Their Sensitivities" is vocally beautiful. The "Quartet" is wonderfully sung and acted by all four actors (Molina, Magnuson, Eakeley and Buterbaugh). "Pretty Women" is a beautiful song, filled with so much angst, and I feel like Buterbaugh and Hess do a fine job, nothing spectacular but nothing horrible either. Hess' "Epiphany" is manic and crazy, as it should be, and I love the "obsessed" level he goes to that makes it work. Kaye shows what a gem she is to the cast in "A Little Priest" by being comedic and almost scary at the same time. Hess and Kaye's chemistry during that song is something that is inspiring because they both have such a trust and willingness onstage.
Act 2 begins with "God, That's Good" and beautiful acting and mannerisms by Diana DiMarzio as The Begger Woman. She walks around the stage and presents herself as a truly "crazy" begger woman. The "Johanna" quartet is wonderfully sung and acted by the four players (Magnuson, Hess, Molina and DiMarzio). Especially wonderful in this scene is Molina who goes through emotions through her cello and her facial expressions. You can clearly see the brokenness of a girl lost and confused and not quite sure what to do. Kaye's "By The Sea" is again a triumph, playing her tools while singing the song and often using them as props. Edmund Bagnell's (Tobias) "Not While I'm Around" was a lot better, for me, during this performance than the one I saw on Wednesday. I could see the work put into making the song, and the next thing with Kaye, innocent yet frantic in his attempt to help Mrs. Lovett. Whenever we see Eakeley's Beadle again is in the upright coffin, signing, and it is perhaps one of the creepiest moments in the show. The dynamic between Kaye and Eakeley in this scene is what made me realize what a tight ensemble this group was. Whenever we see Sweeney kill the Beadle it almost makes your heart stop because, in Hess' eyes, you can see that this isn't the last time we are going to see death. "City on Fire" is not only intense but you know only bad things are going to come from it. And the "Final Sequence" wiyth three more deaths only makes your stomach turn even more. And Hess' realization of killing Lucy is probably the most heart-breaking moment in the show. The blank stare before Tobias comes up and kills him is an image I don't think I'll ever forget. During the final "Ballad" when the whole cast is downstage it really makes you think about what you've seen through all of these characters and exactly what they've been through.
Overall, I think it's a wonderful production filled with strong actors, singers and musicians who tell a story with, and without, words. Overall: 4.5/5
Stage door stories to come when I can upload the pictures.