Sweeney Todd
Posted in Personal Stuff by John E. Pannell on November 16th, 2008 at 11:06 pm In 2007 “Sweeney Todd“, a musical by Stephen Sondheim as adapted for the silver screen and made into a movie starring Johnny Depp in the title role. It has developed a cult following of sorts, especially among the college aged generation. However, I first became acquainted with this show in its original stage form when I was in high school and even had the opportunity to play in the pit for a production of this while in college. Recently I have been reacquainting myself with the stage production.
The movie adaptation has artistic merits of its own, but for me it pales in comparison to the original score. A lot of the craziness, and even humor, of the original was removed in the movie. More emphasis was placed on the goriness of the plot. All the choral numbers, especially the “Ballad of Sweeney Todd” were cut.
For those who are interested here’s a chance to experience a few of the scenes from the stage production. George Hearn sings the title role. Angela Lansbury, who was a well-known stage actress before being known for “Murder She Wrote”, plays Mrs. Lovett. You’ll find this very different from Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter’s performances.
First, I offer the opening scene. The organ prelude was much shorter in the movie. The “Ballad of Sweeney Todd” existed only in instrumental form during the opening credits.
The premise, laid out in the first scene, is that the story of Sweeney Todd is being told to us by the people of the street who take on the personas of the characters in the show. (For those who notice such things, the sopranos of the chorus have to hit a high C-sharp, on “Swee-ney!”)
The opening scene of the second act, “God, That’s Good!” is sung in the movie only by the principals. In the stage version this is a big company number. Those in the audience can find some “black humor” in the premise of the company lauding the merits of these meat pies. We know what’s in them; the customers don’t… yet. A lot is lost when the crowds are reduced to not much more than scenery in the movie.
“The Chair”, as a supply delivery device didn’t appear until the second act.
I think my favorite scene is in the second act, a duet between Tobias and Mrs. Lovett, called “Not While I’m Around”. Toby (Tobias) is realizing what’s up and pledges to protect Mrs. Lovett. When we mounted the production in college a male alto — a freshman whose voice had not yet fully changed — was cast in the role of Tobias. Unfortunately for him his voice finally dropped during the rehearsals for this, making his big song a bit harder for him to sing as a baritone, instead of as a male alto. In the movie this is sung by a boy soprano.
Finally we have the final scene and the epilogue. It was changed significantly in the movie. Todd finally realizes who the crazy beggar woman was. In the stage version, Toby has a much larger role in the climax, where three key characters meet their Maker.
Toby has clearly gone mad and has much more to say about Todd’s fate than he did in the movie version.
The people of the street step back out of their roles for the final epilogue. Yes, in true stage tradition the dead come back to life to sing again.
(Not to be outdone by their performance in the opening, here the sopranos of the chorus sing high D on “Swee-ney!”.)
Popularity: 7% [?]
I hated Tim Burton’s movie version of SWEENEY TODD so much that I put up a permanent personal website devoted to my hatred of it, called GAG ME WITH A RAZOR. Thanks for helping to introduce people to the original stage version!