The Hell With It, I'm Writing

Not about the work situation or anything though. I think everything's been worked out, although now the manager must think I'm a major idiot. :/ Sooooo, yeah. No more craziness there for awhile.

The new Sweeney Todd revival started a few nights ago (previews, anyway) and so far people either love it or hate it. I already know which camp I'd be in just thanks to Patti Lupone's presence. v_v

Sweeney is seriously the best musical of all time. And there are plenty of other people who feel that way, so I'm not too crazy. :p There have been numerous major productions of it since the original cast in 1979, and they've all stayed fairly true to the original. I've only seen it in person once, several years ago in Massachusettes. Even though it was in a tiny church auditorium, it's probably the best theatrical experience I've had, and I've seen a fair amount of plays and musicals. Even though the "orchestra" was only a piano and one other thing (can't remember) everything else was so great that the change was hardly noticeable.

So, being that this is my favorite musical, I've been completely anti- this production from the first time I read about it.

First of all, instead of letting the show take place ::gasp!:: in 19th century London (you know, where the action is SUPPOSED to happen), it now takes place in a mental asylum, and the characters are played by the patients. Plus, it's taken out of its historical context and I'm sorry, but that's so important for like half the themes in the show to work. I guess no time period is given at all, but let's put it this way: Mrs. Lovett wears a fricken' mini-skirt. @_@

The next thing that I don't see working is that the actors all play instruments. Yes, during their scenes-- they ARE the orchestra. I really can't even figure out HOW this works. In some cases, it's almost understandable. Johanna plays a cello, Toby plays a violin, the Beadle plays a keyboard. But again, we have scantily clad Mrs. Lovett playing the *tuba.* WTF?

Also, I think it's a travesty that Pirelli is played by a *woman.* Half the awesomeness of that role is in the insanely high notes the *dude* that plays him (NORMALLY) can reach. It sounds like they've changed the notes all around, cuz the woman who has the role is a mezzo, so I don't think she'd be able to hit the high tenor notes. Maybe I'm wrong. In any case, the idea doesn't thrill me. The Judge is now a tenor though; can't even imagine how he and Michael Cerevis (who played JW Booth in the @#&%*#^ Assassins revival) sound together during "Pretty Women."

I was listening to the OBC on the way to work today and because I hadn't in awhile, I was completely blown away by it all over again. I wouldn't even get out of my car once I got there because it was in the middle of the final scene and I seriously *couldn't* just turn it off. It's not just the storyline (obviously, I know what happens!) but the music and the whole mood are just so perfect. I think it's a shame that this new production deviates so much from the original. Why mess with something that's already perfect?

"Swing your razor high, Sweeney--
hear it singing 'Yes!'
Sink it in the rosy skin
of righteousness!
His voice was soft, his manner mild.
He seldom laughed, but he often smiled.
He'd seen how civilized men behaved,
he never forgot and he never forgave.
Not Sweeney!
Not Sweeney Todd!
The demon barber of Fleet Street. . ."

::love::