Attend the Tale ...

For my birthday this year, Kitty purchased tickets to the Broadway revival of "Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street". As a teenager, I stumbled upon the very end of Sweeney Todd on PBS (probably waiting for Doctor Who to come on), and thought "That looked really interesting". I soon rented the video from that performance, and became a big fan.

The week prior to seeing the show, I heard a story on MPR that this revival used a minimal set, and had a minimal cast, with the actors also playing instruments (no orchestra!). This did worry me a bit, knowing that there is one version of the musical that is not acted out, but merely sung while standing in place.

The production was incredibly brave, with the actors constantly acting their part, playing their instruments or moving set pieces. The music was wonderful, and amazing to watch the actors deftly handle their increased musical responsibilities. But sometimes the additional work of the actors became a distraction from the story itself; other times, the instruments and staging interfered with natural, direct interaction between the characters, leaving the audience wondering who is supposed to be a talking with who.

Also, by having the complete cast on stage at all times, it was not always clear when a scene transitioned from place to place, or even who was actually in the scene. Especially the opening scene in Act II, it's hard to tell that the pie shop is now crowded, as it is filled with as many people as before.

Sadly, one of the most important "characters" was missing from this production - Sweeney's barber chair. This prop was important enough that you can hear it in use on the Original Broadway Cast recording. I think some of the black comedy was lost without the chair. Not only did it change the timing with the way each murder was symbolically staged, but I think the quick exit of the body in the original staging made it easier to laugh at the situation. Maybe it's not as polite to laugh at a murder victim if they're still in the room (and playing an instrument).

That being said, I fully understand how the chair would be a logistical nightmare for a ten-person ensemble.

Again, it was a very brave production, and incredibly well performed by the cast. I would gladly see it again if it were to come back through town.

Now, if only they'd do "A Little Night Music" ...