The new Sweeney Todd: God, That's Good! (Don't miss today's Weekly Blast)
My April Broadway trip, part two (Sweeney Todd and Camelot)
Shalom!
The Broadway Maven’s classes are on hiatus.
• This Weekly Blast focuses on Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd:
A) an ESSAY about the second part of my April Broadway trip, in which I saw Sweeney Todd and Camelot (included here FREE in this “preview” issue;
B) PETER FILICHIA on Sweeney Todd: Peter talks about the identity of the author who almost wrote the book, and Sondheim’s attitude toward the film with Johnny Depp;
C) a GAME with possible slogans for Sweeney Todd “merch” (T-shirts and mugs);
D) a Broadway Maven YouTube GEM that’s a one-minute version of Sweeney Todd;
E) a SURVEY on the quality of the Tim Burton film of Sweeney Todd; and
F) a LAST BLAST about The Lion King.
NOTE: Peter Filichia’s Broadway is a new feature of the Weekly Blast. These brief show-specific videos will be available on YouTube for subscribers only (except the first issue of the month, of course). Last Blasts are free every week; just scroll to the bottom.
NOTE: This is part two of a two-part report on my April trip to Broadway. In the last issue, I discussed Parade and White Girl in Danger.
Last week, I was lucky enough to attend the tale of Sweeney Todd in a remarkable new production starring the master singer Josh Groban as the titular murderer and Annaleigh Ashford as Mrs. Lovett, the baker who devises their cannibalistic scheme.
Both were terrific.
Groban delivers a passionate, if not quite “demonic” performance as Sweeney, while Ashford shines as the hilariously twisted Mrs. Lovett. She breathes new life into lines that I have never found quite as funny even when recited by Patti LuPone or Angela Lansbury.
The chemistry between the leads is evident, particularly in the Act One closer, “A Little Priest,” which showcases their comedic timing and expert delivery of the song's intricate puns and wordplay. It’s lots of fun even for those of us who know the song intimately. Director Thomas Kail, known for his work on Hamilton, deserves praise for his fresh approach.
Gaten Matarazzo, known for his role in TV's Stranger Things, gives a sweet and engaging (but not cloying) performance as Toby. His rendition of “Not While I’m Around” is one of the highlights of the current production.
With a runtime of nearly three hours and a primarily sung-through score, audiences should expect an operatic experience from this Sondheim masterpiece. Despite the commercial challenges that Sondheim productions often face (they almost never recoup their costs), this captivating revival has the potential to break that curse.
I also got to see the gorgeous new production of Camelot at Lincoln Center. The pacing was a little off, although Aaron Sorkin’s new book is a serious improvement over previous efforts, with plenty of laughs and deeper insights into the personalities of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot. Tony winner Andrew Burnap’s performance as Arthur was particularly impressive, given his transformation from a callow, uncertain youth in the first act to a battle-hardened ruler in the second.
The best part of the show, though, is the sword fighting. In the original production of the show, we got to see the faces of people watching sword fights, but not the fights themselves. This rendition presented the duels in their full glory. It was like watching the high-octane light-saber fights from Star Wars, but without the CGI.
Truly thrilling.
NOTE OF THE WEEK:
Substack Notes are short-form content (like a tweet) that I’m using several times a week to provide commentary on musical theater in the news. Here’s a Note from last week as an example:
HOW TO JOIN: Head to substack.com/notes or find the “Notes” tab in the Substack app. As a subscriber to The Broadway Maven's Weekly Blast, you’ll automatically see my notes (don’t worry, they won’t fill your email box). Feel free to like, reply, or share them around!
LAST BLAST: In The Lion King, the gustatory habits of Timon and Pumbaa are played for laughs — but in both directions. Twice they sneer at “carnivores” and at one point they tell Simba that if he’s going to live with them he’s going to have to eat with them (by consuming bugs). But that’s contradicted by “Bowling for Buzzards,” which they’re playing when we first meet them. It’s a high-spirited, jokey game in which buzzards are sent flying away by Timon and Pumbaa chasing them, leaving the dead animal behind for the two friends to consume. And indeed meerkats are carnivores. While warthogs mostly eat plants, they are known to eat carrion, too (that’s the flesh of dead animals). Next time, Disney should stick to one kind of joke or the other.
The Broadway Maven, David Benkof, helps students further their appreciation of musical theater through his classes, his YouTube Channel, and his Weekly Blast. Contact him at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.