Thursday, November 29, 2007

Chit Chatting about Lovett and a Few Others

Theatre Aficianado (7:11:59 PM): did you watch the brief Sweeney clip??@!!!!!
Theatre Aficionado (7:12:10 PM): I'm debating it with a friend of mine who's let down while I'm uber excited
SarahB (7:12:18 PM): yes love it did you see the news about Mama Patti?
Theatre Aficionado (7:12:35 PM): she's coming to Broadway in the spring?
Theatre Aficionado (7:13:42 PM): huzzah
Theatre Aficionado (7:14:07 PM): my friend just wrote that he has nothing to live for after this movie and I typed Gypsy opens march 28. With Patti.
Theatre Aficionado (7:14:35 PM): huzzah
SarahB (7:16:08 PM): so there's good news after all!
Theatre Aficionado (7:16:19 PM): yes!
Theatre Aficionado (7:16:33 PM): have i told you how much I am looking forward to Sweeney Todd?
Theatre Aficionado (7:16:35 PM): especially now???
Theatre Aficionado (7:16:46 PM): i love what Little Priest looks like its going to be
Theatre Aficionado (7:16:56 PM): the way they pick out people on the street
Theatre Aficionado (7:16:57 PM): oh god
SarahB (7:17:52 PM): the sound is up on the website the orchestration is magnificent and lush the voices, a little weak, but listenable and sweet sounding
Theatre Aficionado (7:18:04 PM): i was thinking about it
Theatre Aficionado (7:18:08 PM): the voices aren't spectacular
Theatre Aficionado (7:18:21 PM): but the acting and characterizations look like they're going to be something to marvel at
SarahB (7:18:34 PM): I agree!
Theatre Aficionado (7:18:51 PM): and though I would have preferred Emma Thompson as Lovett, I'm really amped about Lovett's seemingly no nonsense approach to Mrs. L
SarahB (7:19:14 PM): she certainly looks spooky enough
Theatre Aficionado (7:19:13 PM): oh god they all do
Theatre Aficionado (7:19:28 PM): especially when she's slinking around like a vamp while the little boy sings "Not While I'm Around"
SarahB (7:19:35 PM): a little too beatlejuice though?
Theatre Aficionado (7:19:35 PM): not really for me
Theatre Aficionado (7:19:46 PM): i can see Burton touches
Theatre Aficionado (7:19:52 PM): but it doesn't overwhelm me
SarahB (7:19:58 PM): I dig it either way I can hardly wait and I plan on cutting work for it
Theatre Aficionado (7:20:03 PM): i made a countdown on my facebook for it
SarahB (7:20:15 PM): cool
Theatre Aficionado (7:28:55 PM): so I see they abbreviated Little Priest, getting rid of a lot of the shtick
Theatre Aficionado (7:29:00 PM): but that's ok
SarahB (7:29:25 PM): It's still pretty perfect Little Priest, that is
Theatre Aficionado (7:29:31 PM): it still makes my heart light
SarahB (7:29:43 PM): And mmmmm, this Bloody Mary is making my heart light
Theatre Aficionado (7:29:38 PM): in a sick twised bizarre way it has since I first heard it
Theatre Aficionado (7:29:42 PM): hahahah
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:01 PM): i love how the percussion in the final rideout of the song
SarahB (7:30:09 PM): I am in love with Little Priest Angie and George did it to me at Wall to Wall
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:03 PM): wowowowowowwo
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:09 PM): haha
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:15 PM): i have had this sinc I watched it on my VCR
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:28 PM): it was spring break '02
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:33 PM): i got it from the library
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:37 PM): and i was fascinated
SarahB (7:30:46 PM): ah nice
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:41 PM): with how they told the story
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:45 PM): and how brilliantly they told it
Theatre Aficionado (7:30:58 PM): and when I got through Little Priest, I was over the moon, I rewound it for about an hour

Theatre Aficionado (7:31:05 PM): taking in Epiphany through Priest several times
Theatre Aficionado (7:31:17 PM): so much so I had to put off the second act till the next day it was so late and I was so tired
SarahB (7:31:30 PM): I don't typically love horror stories, but this one just is so much more the humor, the ridiculousness, the love stories, the pathos, the brutality
Theatre Aficionado (7:31:28 PM): yes
Theatre Aficionado (7:31:31 PM): the music
SarahB (7:31:55 PM): And even hearing George sing Epiphany at the Sondheim Festival in Chicago nearly did me in
Theatre Aficionado (7:31:54 PM): oooh
SarahB (7:32:03 PM): oh God, the music
Theatre Aficionado (7:31:59 PM): its an incredibly powerful rendition
SarahB (7:32:17 PM): I wish I could hear the Teeny Todd
Theatre Aficionado (7:32:19 PM): the 1989?
SarahB (7:32:26 PM): I adore Beth
SarahB (7:32:27 PM): yes
Theatre Aficionado (7:32:23 PM): hang on
SarahB (7:32:33 PM): Oh brilliant!
Theatre Aficionado (7:32:30 PM): i have that
Theatre Aficionado (7:32:35 PM): and I believe I have teh Julia McKenzie
Theatre Aficionado (7:32:40 PM): also have the Maria Friedman
SarahB (7:32:56 PM): Oh sigh triple brilliant
Theatre Aficionado (7:33:09 PM): I see they cast a really young girl as Johanna
SarahB (7:33:18 PM): I may have the Julia lemme check
Theatre Aficionado (7:33:14 PM): you can hear her youth in her tone
SarahB (7:33:51 PM): which probably makes sense her vulnerableness, her gullibleness plus the time setting
SarahB (7:34:10 PM): Yes, I have Julia's
Theatre Aficionado (7:34:28 PM): i love the way she drops her voice on "no you don't" in worst pies
SarahB (7:34:51 PM): HBC?
Theatre Aficionado (7:34:46 PM): i wonder why they opted not to record this one
Theatre Aficionado (7:34:48 PM): yes
Theatre Aficionado (7:34:50 PM): lol
Theatre Aficionado (7:34:59 PM): im all over the map with Sweeney!!
SarahB (7:35:09 PM): the run was too brief?
Theatre Aficionado (7:35:09 PM): it ran 189 performances I know
Theatre Aficionado (7:35:17 PM): unless it was an executive decision
SarahB (7:35:30 PM): Unusual for a Sondheim not to be recorded
Theatre Aficionado (7:36:03 PM): quality is eh, but its Beth Fowler
Theatre Aficionado (7:36:12 PM): the reduction is a trifle ridiculous
SarahB (7:36:25 PM): I adore her
Theatre Aficionado (7:36:41 PM): k I'm compressing and uploading to sendspace
SarahB (7:36:54 PM): sweet
Theatre Aficionado (7:36:48 PM): its in the Angie vein

SarahB (7:37:06 PM): I like both any lovett is fine with me
Theatre Aficionado (7:37:49 PM): she belts "Worst Pies" almost no trace of head voice
Theatre Aficionado (7:37:53 PM): until the end
Theatre Aficionado (7:38:05 PM): did they really use a synthesizer in this?
SarahB (7:38:26 PM): oy I think they probably had to circle in the square theatre right?
Theatre Aficionado (7:38:23 PM): yeah
SarahB (7:38:29 PM): no room for much more
Theatre Aficionado (7:38:26 PM): boo
Theatre Aficionado (7:39:38 PM): she's a marvelous L
Theatre Aficionado (7:39:54 PM): i wish the quality were better
SarahB (7:40:54 PM): Have you ever seen the Tale of Sweeney Todd?
Theatre Aficionado (7:40:53 PM): no
Theatre Aficionado (7:41:01 PM): do you have a recording of the London production?
SarahB (7:41:13 PM): Joanna Lumley and Ben Kingsley not a musical I really want to see it
SarahB (7:41:14 PM): No
Theatre Aficionado (7:41:11 PM): i have that
SarahB (7:41:19 PM): I don't of the London production
Theatre Aficionado (7:41:16 PM): from 1980 with Sheila Hancock
Theatre Aficionado (7:41:25 PM): its the final performance
SarahB (7:41:37 PM): You know, I didn't even know it transferred
Theatre Aficionado (7:41:33 PM): she gets huge ovations during Worst Pies like whoa
SarahB (7:41:40 PM): duh
SarahB (7:41:45 PM): who was Sweeney?
Theatre Aficionado (7:41:47 PM): lol
Theatre Aficionado (7:41:49 PM): you know
Theatre Aficionado (7:41:50 PM): i have no idea
Theatre Aficionado (7:42:06 PM): Bob Gunton as Sweeney. that's interesting
Theatre Aficionado (7:42:10 PM): (1989)
SarahB (7:43:11 PM): Yes I knew about Bob Gunton in the Teeny Todd
Theatre Aficionado (7:43:14 PM): Dennis Quilley
Theatre Aficionado (7:43:34 PM): and it was the Prince production
Theatre Aficionado (7:43:48 PM): Fowler reminds me a bit of Routledge on Little Priest
Theatre Aficionado (7:44:49 PM): i love that June Havoc played her on a national tour
SarahB (7:45:03 PM): God how perfect would Patricia have been?
Theatre Aficionado (7:45:39 PM): I KNOW!!!!
Theatre Aficionado (7:46:56 PM): The London audio is quite spectacular
Theatre Aficionado (7:47:55 PM): Sheila Hancock sounds so incredibly cockney its almost unsettling and I love it.
Theatre Aficionado (7:48:06 PM): as if Tessie O'Shea were playing her
Theatre Aficionado (7:48:10 PM): OMG IF ONLY
Theatre Aficionado (7:48:10 PM): lol
SarahB (7:48:29 PM): I'll keep Angie!
Theatre Aficionado (7:48:29 PM): i just want a parade of Lovetts
SarahB (7:48:36 PM): But

SarahB (7:49:09 PM): Angela Lansbury Balancing Act Page 229 Despite Sondheim's preference for Angela, Patricia Routledge remained Harold Prince's actress of choice to co star with Len Cariou in Sweeney Todd. The director even arranged for Cariou and Routledge to confer by telephone, while he was in Vienna making the movie version of A Little Night Music. In fact, that was the one reason why Sweeney Todd wasn't being produced in 1976.
Theatre Aficionado (7:49:04 PM): im curious to see how the film will catapult the show further into the popular lexicon
Theatre Aficionado (7:49:36 PM): ooh
SarahB (7:50:45 PM): Routledge, a splendid actress and a good singer (!), was not entirely sold on the show, and in fact, had the creeps just thinking about it. "You don't know what it's like," she told Cariou on the phone. "I was raised on that story. I'm not kidding you, it's scary having anything to do with it. For us that 'penny dreadful' is like Grimm's Fairy Tales. When we were kids, it was always something to be afraid of. Even my parents would say to me, 'You'd better be careful or we'll get Sweeney Todd after you.'"
Theatre Aficionado (7:50:56 PM): i remember reading that
Theatre Aficionado (7:50:57 PM): !!
Theatre Aficionado (7:51:09 PM): good
Theatre Aficionado (7:51:14 PM): she's a spectacular singer
Theatre Aficionado (7:51:26 PM): lol
Theatre Aficionado (7:52:49 PM): http://www.geocities.com/sondheimguide/sweeney.html#LP
SarahB (7:53:11 PM): Prince agreed that {angela} was "clearly the best for quality," but he feared that she would be too "obvious" a choice to play the middle aged Cockney who was the show's female lead. He wanted somebody "different, an unusual choice."
Theatre Aficionado (7:53:23 PM): hm
Theatre Aficionado (7:53:53 PM): i suddenly have a desire to see Angie and Patti play sisters
Theatre Aficionado (7:53:59 PM): dont ask me why
SarahB (7:54:27 PM): Angela herself was hedging. There was nothing subtle about her concerns. She was simply protecting her position as a star..."Listen, Steve," she said, "your show is not called Nellie Lovett. It's called Sweeney Todd. And I'm the second banana." "But," he argued, "you carry all the comic weight."
SarahB (7:54:40 PM): "You're going to have to prove that to me," she warned him.
Theatre Aficionado (7:54:41 PM): yowza
SarahB (7:55:13 PM): Good lord, Angie and Patti on the stage together? Eyes roll back in head. The only thing that will make it more perfect? Throw in Bernadette. A trifecta.
Theatre Aficionado (7:55:28 PM): add a little Marian
SarahB (7:55:38 PM): Oh darling.
SarahB (7:56:17 PM): Aside from anything else, Angela had quit playing unlikable women a long time ago. She was not quite thrilled about playing the weird girlfriend of a mad killer.
Theatre Aficionado (7:56:16 PM): hahaha
Theatre Aficionado (7:56:35 PM): little did she know she's play one that would dwarf everything else
Theatre Aficionado (7:56:36 PM): lol
SarahB (7:57:39 PM): Jesus, I forgot this one. In between after Bednobs & Broomsticks, she did The King and I and then she did Albee's "Listening" and "Counting the Ways" in Hartford.
Theatre Aficionado (7:57:43 PM): oh... King and I

Theatre Aficionado (7:58:03 PM): it would have been something had she opened opposite Brynner
Theatre Aficionado (7:58:10 PM): of course I can see the conflicting interests of stars there
Theatre Aficionado (7:58:53 PM): there's a funny flub on Little Priest
Theatre Aficionado (7:59:10 PM): on the 'with is extra'
SarahB (7:59:29 PM): Supposedly there is a person in CA who has a recording of her in King and I. I would like to do whatever it takes to get my hands on this.
Theatre Aficionado (7:59:34 PM): "Oh i don't care you know.... who's turn is it?"
SarahB (7:59:52 PM): She didn't do it opposite Brynner, she did it instead of Brynner who was taking a vacation.
Theatre Aficionado (7:59:51 PM): Michael Kermoyen I think
Theatre Aficionado (8:00:08 PM): that would something spectacular to hear
Theatre Aficionado (8:00:14 PM): her lovely alto on those Anna songs
Theatre Aficionado (8:00:19 PM): what a match!
SarahB (8:00:37 PM): She did it for 2 weeks or so I've heard conflicting reports the book says 2 weeks, she told me 3 weeks....revisionist history?
SarahB (8:00:44 PM): Exactly.
Theatre Aficionado (8:00:40 PM): haha
SarahB (8:01:01 PM): I have a playbill that she signed for me over the summer.
SarahB (8:01:14 PM): She said, "Wow, where did you get this one?"
Theatre Aficionado (8:01:25 PM): its so boisterous
Theatre Aficionado (8:01:27 PM): lol
Theatre Aficionado (8:01:30 PM): ill send the whole thing
SarahB (8:01:44 PM): hooray!
Theatre Aficionado (8:01:59 PM): Sheila's probably the daffiest Lovett I've heard
Theatre Aficionado (8:02:25 PM): a bit unhinged
Theatre Aficionado (8:03:17 PM): i love hearing London recordings
Theatre Aficionado (8:03:25 PM): b/c the ones I've heard have the audiences going buckwild like this one
Theatre Aficionado (8:03:30 PM): and Im so used to hearing how reserved they are
ATTENTION (8:05:58 PM): Transfer complete: 2 01 A Little Priest.m4a.
SarahB (8:06:10 PM): "the batty energy and the mindless, almost good natured evildoing of Nellie Lovett"
SarahB (8:07:13 PM): Listen to this voice? It's hysterical!
Theatre Aficionado (8:07:12 PM): Sheila Hancock?
SarahB (8:07:21 PM): yes!
Theatre Aficionado (8:07:19 PM): she is
Theatre Aficionado (8:07:27 PM): she gets almost 30 seconds of applause after Worst Pies
SarahB (8:08:56 PM): thank you!
Theatre Aficionado (8:08:57 PM): you're welcome
Theatre Aficionado (8:09:05 PM): the complete london is now uploading
SarahB (8:09:26 PM): you're a doll!
Theatre Aficionado (8:09:25 PM): aw shucks
SarahB (8:09:58 PM): You have to see August.
SarahB (8:10:02 PM): It's unbelievable.
Theatre Aficionado (8:09:58 PM): i know
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:04 PM): he's going to get me tickets when its up again
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:10 PM): since i missed them the first time
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:13 PM): it
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:14 PM): lol
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:18 PM): will this damn strike end?
SarahB (8:10:27 PM): Sheila's voice reminds me a little of Glynnis
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:28 PM): a bit
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:34 PM): she reminds me of Tessie O'Shea
SarahB (8:10:47 PM): Yes, I hear that too.
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:47 PM): that real genuine music hall sound
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:56 PM): Georgia Brown
Theatre Aficionado (8:10:57 PM): etc
Theatre Aficionado (8:11:40 PM): i didnt know this until just now
SarahB (8:12:57 PM): Sondheim said, "I want Mrs. Lovett to have a music hall character. It seems to me that's the right tone for the part."
SarahB (8:13:09 PM): Hmmm given that, I guess Patti's Lovett was dive biker's bar!
Theatre Aficionado (8:13:16 PM): haha
SarahB (8:13:25 PM): "Not just music hall," Angela said, "but dotty music hall."
Theatre Aficionado (8:13:49 PM): haha
Theatre Aficionado (8:14:02 PM): she really influenced what the character did

SarahB (8:14:48 PM): That was brilliant! Oh how I love Little Priest!
SarahB (8:14:53 PM): It's such a waltz.
Theatre Aficionado (8:14:49 PM): i know
SarahB (8:14:59 PM): A bedroom scene.
Theatre Aficionado (8:14:55 PM): it makes me want to jump up and move
SarahB (8:17:25 PM): Lansbury loved the song (Little Priest). She was getting excited about the part, for now she knew that "Mrs. Lovett was going to be an incredible departure for me an opportunity to do something that really came from my roots, my Cockney London roots, and I am a Cockney, I was born within the sound of the Bow bells. I was quite prepared to go to town with it and play the total slattern. I felt there was something beguiling and pathetic about this lost soul who didn't know good from evil and was caught up in the maelstrom, the Dickensian background, of London in those times."

1 comment:

Bob said...

oooh! I want to hear Sheila Hancock and Julia McKenzie!