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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2019 6:21:03 GMT
You don't seem overly impressed davidIs this a case of a dud or just something that will find its feet over time? When you say 'orchestra', could you describe that further, know its limited to 4 players.
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Post by david on Apr 16, 2019 7:07:00 GMT
You don't seem overly impressed david Is this a case of a dud or just something that will find its feet over time? When you say 'orchestra', could you describe that further, know its limited to 4 players. Having had a chance to chew over last nights performance and reread my my post show thoughts, I don’t think they got a good sound balance between the orchestra and the vocals. Whether being sat only a few feet away from the orchestra didn’t help the issue, I’m not too sure. In in terms of the orchestra you get a keyboard, clarinet, violin, double bass and trumpet. Timing wise Act 1 was around 90mins and Act 2 around the 70 min mark. For me Act 2 was definitely the stronger of the 2 Acts. Though overall I didn’t get that WOW feeling of seeing something special either acting or singing wise. Maybe as you say, once the production beds in more it will find it feet. As I haven’t seen any other Todd productions prior to last night, so I can’t really make any comparisons to other productions. I’m going to reread the programme notes tonight after work. Hopefully that may clarify why certain production design decisions were taken.
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Post by dgjbear on Apr 16, 2019 7:41:53 GMT
These days this seems to be revived regularly (the last one I saw was a Welsh National Opera one which was enjoyable). Whilst I always loved Sweeney Todd I have no desire to see yet another take on it and feel that it might benefit from being withdrawn for a while.
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 16, 2019 8:34:50 GMT
Did the revolve work well David ?
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Post by david on Apr 16, 2019 8:39:43 GMT
Did the revolve work well David ? the revolve was moved manually rather than via any complex engineering system. Basically people with poles and using their feet to get it going and for stopping! Apart from that no issues with it.
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 16, 2019 8:52:03 GMT
That’s very interesting don’t know whether or not to trek to Liverpool from Manchester. Would you think it’s worth it or not? And I’m not a huge fan of really small bands I just don’t think they make a big enough sound like in RAGs at the hope mill except they used actor musicians but the offstage band just sounded like a piano accompaniment.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Apr 16, 2019 9:42:25 GMT
That’s very interesting don’t know whether or not to trek to Liverpool from Manchester. Would you think it’s worth it or not? And I’m not a huge fan of really small bands I just don’t think they make a big enough sound like in RAGs at the hope mill except they used actor musicians but the offstage band just sounded like a piano accompaniment. With the right orchestration a small band can be a truly wonderful thing. Especially with Sondheim as he was trained by a classical composer and so his musicalality is one of detail and nuance
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2019 9:48:48 GMT
That’s very interesting don’t know whether or not to trek to Liverpool from Manchester. Would you think it’s worth it or not? And I’m not a huge fan of really small bands I just don’t think they make a big enough sound like in RAGs at the hope mill except they used actor musicians but the offstage band just sounded like a piano accompaniment. With the right orchestration a small band can be a truly wonderful thing. Especially with Sondheim as he was trained by a classical composer and so his musicalality is one of detail and nuance Amen. Something I saw last year consisted of Piano, Violin, Cello and was wonderful.
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Post by david on Apr 16, 2019 10:02:22 GMT
That’s very interesting don’t know whether or not to trek to Liverpool from Manchester. Would you think it’s worth it or not? And I’m not a huge fan of really small bands I just don’t think they make a big enough sound like in RAGs at the hope mill except they used actor musicians but the offstage band just sounded like a piano accompaniment. Having seen shows, particularly with Sondheim where a small is used can have mixed results in my opinion. Having watched A Little Night Music last year at the Chester Storyhouse, the small band really were great in playing the music and it was really nice to listen to. In ST, I personally didn’t get that same feeling. To answer your question about making the trip over from Manchester, I might wait a while and let it get some more performances under its belt.
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Post by theatre241 on Apr 16, 2019 11:36:44 GMT
Yes I might do the last weekend. I do like going to see things at the end of the run because I think the performances are more developed
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Post by david on Apr 16, 2019 19:04:21 GMT
Having had a chance to reread the programme notes (which are in a proper programme format and cost £3.50, don’t contain a list of the musical numbers 😡 ), the main objective of the production team is to move away from the more traditional Sweeney Todd Victorian setting and move it into a more modern setting (more akin to Boys From the Blackstuff) with a dark combination of social realism and gallows humour with a bare-bones approach to its staging (the dozen chairs and a few token props. Though there are lots of pies used (thankfully not the cast offs from Waitress!)).
Personally, having sat in Row B 72, which although close to the stage, I’d probably have chosen a seat further back and away from the orchestra to try and resolve both sight line issues due to cast members sitting in front of me and blocking the view on the revolve when not performing as well as trying to stay away from the orchestra section who where near me.
With respect to the musical score, the idea was to build up from starting a piano score rather than take the more symphonic score and dismantle it. The plan was to try and reproduce the score on a available musical resources to the theatre. As I posted earlier, I think this was an issue for me. Having watched ALNM in Chester last year, that Sondheim score was beautifully realised with a small orchestra. Here, I didn’t think it did that with the Sweeney Todd score.
Liam Tobin, who was part of the 2018 Everyman Company Rep season played Todd with good effect. He managed to convey the anger and evil of the character that we know. Kacey Ainsworth (Little Mo from EastEnders), although not particularly vocally strong in my opinion, did play Mrs Lovett with a nice comedic touch, but was able to bring out the darker side to the character.
Comedic relief came from Dean Nolan as Pirelli during his number (Pirelli’s Magical Elixir).
I think the production does suffer from not having clearly defined locations of the different Acts, though this is the impact of the non-frills approach taken here. Though the lighting, particularly in Act 2 is particularly effective in conveying the darker elements of the plot in the absence of fake blood.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Apr 17, 2019 9:55:54 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 27, 2019 16:35:47 GMT
Just saw the matinee in a very rainswept Liverpool. Hated the first 20 minutes but had completely changed my mind by the interval. This production is reminiscent of the WYP version, we even have Mrs L scuttling round the stage in a similar pair of ASDA trainers. It’s deffo one to see for the acting more than the singing, although nobody embarrassed themselves. Act 2 was suitably dark, could have done with some real blood flying about though. Very enjoyable ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Post by matilda1 on Apr 28, 2019 8:38:42 GMT
I saw this last night, and i have to say that i found it distinctly average. Mrs Lovett was good, as was Pirelli and at times the Judge. My biggest bug bear, however is the lack of singing ability amongst the cast. This is a musical after all, and the lack of singing ability detracted from the overall performance. Would anybody agree that Kacey Ainsworth might make a good Mme Thenardier?
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 28, 2019 9:50:57 GMT
I saw this last night, and i have to say that i found it distinctly average. Mrs Lovett was good, as was Pirelli and at times the Judge. My biggest bug bear, however is the lack of singing ability amongst the cast. This is a musical after all, and the lack of singing ability detracted from the overall performance. Would anybody agree that Kacey Ainsworth might make a good Mme Thenardier?Yes, she would. Re-use that accent again! Little Mo, Mrs Lovett, Madame T... It’s a no brainer!
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Post by crowblack on May 4, 2019 9:45:49 GMT
I saw it with friends on Tuesday and we all really enjoyed it. The running time's quite long, but it flew by, and in modern dress and with inventive staging felt far more politically current and darker than the movie (I'm not a musicals fan so can't comment on other versions). No sightline issues from row C, even though it was a £10 'overlooking the orchestra' seat - that's cheaper than the cinema round here.
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Post by Someone in a tree on May 4, 2019 12:07:00 GMT
crowblack a lot of nuances and music was removed for the film. I find it to be a poor version on so many levels. Glad to hear this version into tapping into the depths of the piece. I wonder if it will have an after life in another theatre?
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Post by crowblack on May 4, 2019 12:36:23 GMT
have an after life in another theatre? I don't know - it's in-the-round staging with a round turntable grille on the floor, and has some Everyman regulars in the cast so probably limited in the sort of space it could transfer to.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 6, 2019 21:08:51 GMT
The REX/WYP production proved you can do Sweeney in the round with no revolve very effectively.
I keep thinking about the Everyman production to the point where I might go back and see it again before it closes. This happened with the WYP production at the REX but not with the Pie Shop production I saw in the WE although I loved that too.
There’s something really haunting about this show. I’m also obsessed with ‘Not While I’m Around’ all of a sudden. So beautiful.
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Post by theatreian on May 6, 2019 21:15:27 GMT
I’m also obsessed with ‘Not While I’m Around’ all of a sudden. So beautiful. Well here is a great interpretation of that beautiful song. I remember seeing her sing it in 1994.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 6, 2019 21:42:08 GMT
I’m also obsessed with ‘Not While I’m Around’ all of a sudden. So beautiful. Well here is a great interpretation of that beautiful song. I remember seeing her sing it in 1994. Aw yes. She gives it the Babs spin and her son is very handsome. I like the Neil Patrick Harris version (but Patti reminds me of Derek Faye, dear). The Movie version with the little boy is heartbreaking and I like the Imelda version very much (don’t know who the Tobias is on that).
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Post by Someone in a tree on May 7, 2019 6:11:57 GMT
For those who are interested the James Brinning Dundee Rep, WY Playhouse, REX, WNO production is getting a new life with the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen later on in the year. This production gets more lives then one of Mrs Mooney pussy cats!
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2019 18:04:05 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 12, 2019 19:05:10 GMT
Merged
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Post by kzf on May 17, 2019 21:12:26 GMT
Glad I managed to catch it this week -- almost didn't go because of this thread. Might have been thanks to my lowered expectations but I really enjoyed this. I was sat just down from the orchestra and didn't have any sound issues so they might have worked on that over the past month (though I might just have dud ears). There were a handful of moments where I found the singing was grating but for the most part not an issue. Really well acted and I loved the revolve with the grate and some of the lighting from below. Well worth catching in the.... two remaining performances.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Mar 30, 2021 7:24:27 GMT
I think this is the best place for this pic?
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Post by grahamb on Mar 30, 2021 11:29:00 GMT
Love-it ..... Get it Love-it LOL
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 28, 2021 12:08:58 GMT
I'm never going to Greggs again!
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