#since I saw her as Mrs. Lovett

[slasherscream]

Hi, can I request a poly ghostface with a reader who's in drama? How would they react to her getting a lead in a horror musical (for example Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd)?

A/N: going through my inbox and trying to get to the oldest stuff that still inspires me to respond. sorry for the world's longest wait. i am simply an easily distracted creature of the night.

They're hyping you up beyond reason. You're talented, but it doesn't matter if you sucked, they'd give you an ego about how good you are either way. Why? Because they love you. So everyone else better love you too... or else 🔪🔪🔪.

It's giving everyone better clap for my s/o when they come out to make their final bow or we'll blow up this fucking building, yeah.

Despite loving you, attending theatre really isn’t their favorite thing to do in the world. 

So you getting a role in a horror musical is like… even though they love you: *insert finally some good fucking food gordon ramsey image here*

Are you more pumped to have gotten the lead in this play or are they?

No amount of fake blood is enough for them. They want to see you dripping in the fake blood of your fake victims. They bully their way backstage during the intermission of the show and they make you do a twirl while covered in fake blood. You look delicious.

It isn’t appropriate to do but Stu can’t stop himself from cheering at certain points. Billy hits him and tells him quietly to “shut your fucking hole they’re trying to act up there!”  

Billy reads up on how to care for your vocal chords. Right before you go on stage he’s always got a hot lemon tea in hand for you. He makes you use a vocal nebulizer every day and go to a steam room twice a week. He’s got no clue if any of the stuff works but he doesn’t want you damaging your voice, so do it just in case and stop bitching about it.

Stu is your hype man. Even on the days they don’t attend performances, since the show runs for a while, he sends a shit ton of flowers for you to receive. We’re talking roses in every color. If someone working on stage crew has allergies, watch out! The sheer amount of flowers is a genuine public health hazard. He wants everyone to know you’re the best there is. A dozen rose bouquets might not send the message. Twenty will!

They keep an eye on your understudy as if your understudy is going to plot to kill you. You are not allowed to hang out with your understudy when they’re not around. 

Billy saw you drink a beverage that your understudy handed you and barely wanted to speak to you on the way home after rehearsal. “You’re asking for it. You’re really asking for it, Y/N. You don’t know what that nutcase might have put in there!” Sir, I think the only nutcase here is you. 

They might have to kill that understudy just to be safe.

[thrifty-swiftie]

wonka gate: an examination of the parallels between wonka (2023) and sweeney todd (2007)

i saw wonka (2023) approximately 10 hours ago and since then i have been plauged by the film's nearly exact parallels to sweeney todd. over the past 10 hours, i have employed the help of my friend @orfisheus and we have successfully deconstructed every similarity between wonka and sweeney todd, though this post will specifically focus on the 2007 tim burton adaptation.

**SPOILER ALERT FOR BOTH FILMS. DO NOT READ AHEAD IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS!**

the simplest place to start is to introduce whom each of the wonka characters is trying to replicate. in my opinion, the most recognizable of these characters are mrs. scrubbit, portrayed by olivia colman, and mr. bleacher, portrayed by tom davis. these two are obviously trying to replicate sweeney todd/benjamin barker and his counterpart mrs. lovett. these two are recognizable by name alone, with "scrubbit" sounding extremely similar to "lovett" and "bleacher" sounding similar to "barker." however, the personalities of scrubbit and bleacher are nearly exact replicas of lovett's and sweeney's personalities. both sets of characters run "shops" that aim to harm the people coming in. one character, lovett in sweeney todd and bleacher in wonka, lures their victims in while the other, sweeney and scrubbit, do the actual harming. even from a non-theatre fan standpoint, the similarities between these characters is undeniably recognizable.

now, you may be asking "if scrubbit and bleacher are meant to represent the main characters from the original source material, why aren't they the main characters of wonka?" to that, i propose that we look at wonka as if it's the story of sweeney todd told by another character: anthony. timothée chalamet's wonka is almost a 1:1 copy of sweeney todd's anthony. both characters are dreamers and see the world in the best light possible despite all of the tragedy surrounding them. if you choose to view wonka as a story told through an anthony-esque character's perspective, the fun, colorful atmosphere of wonka feels less out of place than it did upon my initial viewing of the film. in a society where law enforcement and religion is corrupted by corporate greed, willy wonka still chooses to see the good in the world and the people in it, hence the film's upbeat and colorful atmosphere.

no anthony can be complete without a johanna, which willy wonka finds in noodle, the film's female lead played by calah lane. noodle, a supposed orphan (although, like with sweeney's johanna, the viewer finds out the true parentage of noodle later in the film), was taken in by the film's antagonists and is literally caged in by said antagonist. this directly mirrors johanna being trapped by turpin, sweeney todd's antagonist.

though the characters do not take a romantic interest in each other (which, let's be real, would be illegal) wonka and noodle form the same kind of bond that anthony and johanna did in sweeney todd. wonka rescues noodle from her cages multiple times throughout the film, just like anthony freed johanna. the duos care more about the wellbeing of their partner rather than the rest of the world and at the end of both films, the two sets characters both have happy endings.

in terms of minor characters, i would consider wonka's trio of chocolateers to be an extension of judge turpin, while keegan michael key's police chief character takes on the role of beadle.

as for plot parallels, the two films share many similar vital plot points, including quite literally opening in the exact same way. tim burton's sweeney todd film begins with anthony singing on a boat, while paul king's wonka opens with willy wonka singing on a boat. both sing about similar topics too, with wonka singing "after seven years of life upon the ocean... the city i've pinned seven years of hopes on lies just over the horizon... i've got twelve silver sovereigns in my pocket and a hatful of dreams" and anthony singing "i've sailed the world, beheld it's wonders... but there's no place like london." right off the bat, the viewer is exposed to the dreamer's perspective before the rest of society is shown.

not long after, wonka is brought to the shop of mrs. scrubbit and bleacher, where bleacher then attempts to club wonka. this could potentially serve as a callback to sweeney and his razors.

we meet noodle right after this. although noodle is most definitely the johanna stand-in of wonka, an argument could also be made for her representation of sweeney todd's toby. in the 2007 film, mrs. lovett takes toby in both out of usefulness and emotional attachment and she puts him to work in her shop as an assistant. like toby, noodle is taken in by mrs. scrubbit and put to work. however, mrs. scrubbit feels no emotional attachment at all towards noodle, hence why her name is scrubbit, a pun regarding her profession, rather than lovett, a name that professes why the character takes toby in.

as the wonka film progresses, we see more and more parallels with burton's sweeney todd. firstly, bleacher lies about his identity for a large portion of the film, just like sweeney does, and in both films the audience is made aware of these lies before the other characters find out. another parallel can be drawn between sweeney and wonka as both characters go "underground" to escape arrest, although wonka literally uses the underground sewer system while sweeney conceals his identity from the people who used to know him as benjamin barker. additionally, both wonka and sweeney utilize their stores to evade police capture.

at the very end of the film, we see our last two similar plot points. first, noodle is reunited with her mother. johanna meets her own mother at the end of the film, but while noodle is able to obtain a happy ending and live the rest of her life with family, johanna doesn’t realize it’s her mother, and is unable to reach that same fulfillment. johanna’s ending is much more tragic than noodle’s, however wonka is a children's movie, so what can you really expect? finally, in the post credits scene, we see justice delved out to mrs. scrubbit and bleacher as they are arrested for their wrong doing, similar to how mrs. lovett and sweeney die at the end of their film. once again, they're not killing people in a children's film, so this is the best we can get in terms of a parallel ending.

after breaking these similarities down with @orfisheus, i am completely convinced that wonka is a cleverly concealed parody of sweeney todd, but in the end, the movie represents a genre that is critically underappreciated in today's society. musical theatre should not have to be concealed to be enjoyed by all and theatre should not be relegated to the stereotypical shakespeare dramas. at the end of the day, who can really say if wonka is secretly a replica of sweeney todd? all that truly matters is the knowledge that allows us to appreciate wonka's worth. more than just a children’s film, it builds off of the foundation of two great works to become something that both pays tribute to and evolves the stories of willy wonka and sweeney todd.

[bumblingest-bee]

bee’s thoughts on the sweeney todd revival!!

idk if recordings just didn’t do him justice or if he’s improved as his run has gone on, but i did truly enjoy aaron as sweeney. to be clear he’s still not a baritone but he didn’t struggle with the range as much as i’d feared. unfortunately but not unexpectedly he didn’t have that deep resonance that the role should have, yet at the same time he almost made up for it with the sheer intensity of his acting. (almost.) i REALLY enjoyed that he did a proper cockney accent - it was surprisingly good and fit his take on the character very well. he was genuinely frightening and impressively intense at times (his “how about a shave?” section in epiphany was a highlight for me) but at other times he was. aaron tveit. overall while still i wish they’d cast a proper baritone on the role, aaron was wonderful in his own way and im very very glad i saw him. the fact he was aaron tveit in a very tight shirt may or may not have helped.

guys. folks. sutton was FUCKING INCREDIBLE. i know, i am just as shocked as you, but she was born to play mrs. lovett. i’ve never laughed so hard at worst pies in my life. i can’t say enough good things about her which is insane bc i’ve been joking about her casting since the beginning. vocally, she knew exactly when to turn on the deranged lansbury style belt and when to sing it straight. i won’t lie her accent was much better than annaleigh’s (I’M SO SORRY). acting-wise, she was just hysterically funny; over-the-top without being over-the-top, if that makes any sense at all. just a really truly delightful take on the role.

JOE LOCKE. HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK. i came in knowing nothing about him but thinking he was stunt casting and i was SO wrong. he was, bar none, THE best toby i have ever heard. he made the role sound completely effortless with a gorgeous classical tenor that turned into a high belt so powerful it made the couple in front of me nearly leap from their seats in amazement.

jamie jackson’s deeply creepy judge and john rapson’s slimy, flamboyant beadle made the perfect dickensian villain duo. they were THE essential ingredient to the atmosphere of the show, which they just about stole.

maria bilbao was a wonderfully unnerving, constantly in anxious motion, adorably sweet johanna. she and daniel yearwood (who was lovable and vocally gorgeous as anthony) had great chemistry. ruthie ann miles was, of course, perfect as the beggar woman, heart-wrenching and unsettling and probably the best acting performance out of the whole cast.

the entire ensemble was brilliant - of course i’ve got to give a special mention to pirelli because that contest was the funniest one i’ve ever seen. also shoutout to hennessy winkler who was on as jonas fogg!

the sets were great, though at times i wished there was a bit more of them instead of being minimalist for the sake of it. the choreography was used to great, unnerving effect at times (that stumbling in the opening ballad!) though sometimes i wished they’d just stay still for god’s sake. two things that stood out to me: the blood effects were very effective, and the sound design in the bakehouse was so creepy.

for a 26-piece orchestra you’d think they’d make it a bit louder. compared to other big orchestra shows i’ve seen the instruments felt a bit tinny and canned at times, despite the fact that they really turned it up for some songs, proving that they could!! in any case i was just very very glad to hear that gorgeous full score at any volume.

overall it was a brilliant experience - though im not sure how much of that is due to just how fucking good the material is no matter what you do with it. it wasn’t perfect, but i laughed so hard i cried (and just plain cried) and got goosebumps about every five minutes. so happy i got to attend the tale ❤️🥧❤️

[boltlightning]

ok. saw sweeney todd revival on broadway. i went from not knowing any songs to seeing two productions in one summer so. thoughts:

because im me my immediate takeaway was: it's been a hot second since i saw a show with the orchestra in a pit down in front of the stage AND it was a 26-person orchestra with refreshed orchestrations! it was so crispy and tight and the energy of being able to see the conductor is difficult to put into words. i'm beyond glad they didn't hide the musicians backstage

there were a lot of people there just for josh groban — i was with family whom i persuaded to see this show because of josh groban, and i heard many people in line being like "hey so is josh groban the bad guy? how much does he kill" and there were some changes i feel reflected that. there was so much physical humor, and sometimes lines were added to further give context to someone's actions. i think it works overall, but you could feel the crowd paying less attention when mrs. lovett or sweeney weren't on stage lol

and it's so unsettling! the chorus has some incredible and strange choreography; the light coming through the steps up to the second story is so ominous; the harmonies SOAR through the theater. it's good stuff.

potentially spoily stuff about the production itself below:

and yes OF COURSE the leads were incredible. i feel like len cariou's sweeney is so angry and yet refined, and michael ball's goes hard on the madness and revenge, but groban's is so...sad. he's such a dad, he sings like an angel, it is so uncomfortable when he does something violent. groban's epiphany is HAUNTING and ELECTRIC and the way he interacts with the razors is incredible! and the way he plays a little priest is hilarious but makes it very clear that it is an extension of his mental break. genuinely and eye-opening experience thank you mr. groban

and ashford takes the more emotional cues from the 2007 movie, but makes you actually care about her lmao. like compared to lansbury's frenetic and absent-minded lovett, ashford is laid back and casual and almost lazy about all the weird shit happening around her. she feels bad about locking toby up, sure, but she's still gonna use it as an excuse to get sweeney to pay attention to her! she's funny she's heartfelt she's insane she wants to fuck sweeney todd so fucking bad. it's an incredible combo

and. yeah the rumors are true. she climbs josh groban like a jungle gym the entire time, and on the rare occasion sweeney snaps out of his brooding to reciprocate the flirting, it is HOT. their camaraderie on and off stage is potent. and it works in the other direction too — when he starts to flinch away from her in the second act it's painful.

i do think that the ending sequence in particular is kind of messy up until the last scene in the bake house; there's not a moment to breathe and not in a way that seems intentional? and some of the scenes with the judge/johanna/anthony subplot could have used some love. but. minor qualms. i am biased because kiss me through pretty women is probably my favorite section of the show 😵‍💫

my last takes are: johanna and the beadle in this production are unbelievably good. johanna leaned so into the bird motifs, as well as the idea that she is done waiting around and ready to do violence, much like her father. and the beadle is delightfully amoral and hates his job and delights in the power it affords him. i am so glad they didn't cut parlor songs and let him really eat it up

and. the last shot of sweeney and mrs. lovett is so so so good and i hope they do a professional filmed production of this so people can experience that alone. josh groban's in this it'll sell like hot cakes PLEASE just do it

my first experience with sweeney todd was a local production i saw this june, in a deeply intimate 300-seat theater. i was sitting so close i could've set my drink on the stage. the sweeney was elegant and suave and tortured; mrs lovett was so casually and affably mean. i will think about them forever! and it's very interesting to compare it to the big fuck-off money production considering they both got roasted for having a more emotional sweeney!! here's the theater's 40 second promo for it!!!

nothing will ever replace the original soundtrack in my heart. but i'm gonna be unwell about this revival for a bit

anyway that's all i got!! thanks for reading if you read this. attend the tale and all that (obligatory tag for @r-osehips thank you for the interest ❤️)

[sixty-silver-wishes]

My thoughts on Broadway's "Sweeney Todd"

A few days ago, my friend and I saw Sweeney Todd on Broadway, and I have a lot of thoughts about the production. I've been obsessed with this musical for years and have seen quite a few performances, so here's what I thought of this one.

Right away, it was amazing. The lighting added a lot to this production, and while the way the set was constructed was a bit unconventional (usually, there's a separate area of the stage sectioned off for the pie shop so two scenes can happen at once, but in this one, they had a bridge over the stage that some scenes took place on), I thought it was still effective. The orchestral arrangement was an interesting change (and even sounded like Shostakovich or Weill at times!), although I was disappointed to not hear the iconic factory whistle in the opening.

So, the acting. I'll go through each character/actor and what I thought of their performance, and how it impacted the overall show. "Sweeney Todd" is a play where every single action or bit of dialogue is important and culminates towards the conclusion, and so the way the characters are interpreted often offers a different angle on the play as a whole.

Josh Groban did an excellent job as Sweeney Todd, and I really appreciated that, since his voice is very melodic, he didn't try to replicate Len Cairou or George Hearn. Sweeney is a very complex character, and I've noticed that most actors who play him take on a different angle of his personality to focus on. Cairou focuses on the pensive, methodical side of the character, Hearn's Sweeney emphasizes madness and rage, and while I'm not a huge fan of Johnny Depp's performance in the movie adaptation, his Sweeney Todd focuses more on his melancholy side. Groban's Sweeney, by contrast, is sentimental. We see him express rage and impatience, two core aspects of Sweeney Todd, but where he's most effective are numbers like the "Johanna" reprise and "No Place Like London/The Barber and his Wife." Sentimentality isn't an emotion typically associated with the character of Sweeney Todd, but Groban's performance hammered in how critical it is to his character. After all, Sweeney Todd is haunted and motivated by his past- his love for his wife and daughter, and his hatred of the judge who tore them from him. This even allows for moments of tenderness- for example, during the "Johanna" reprise, Sweeney spares a man who comes into his barber shop, because he came with his wife. While this could be explained by him not wanting any witnesses, Groban's performance made this moment (forgive the pun) surprisingly cutting. Sweeney is hoping to be reunited with his daughter and is reminiscing about Lucy, and so the man who earlier declared that "we all deserve to die" is letting a young couple live. Groban's "Epiphany," probably the moment I examine the most when watching an actor play Sweeney Todd, was stunning. The insanity and anger wasn't as pronounced as Hearn's, perhaps, but with the way Groban played the character, it didn't need to be. His rage is mainly driven by grief more than madness, and it showed through his angular movements, the near-desperation mixed with fury during the "you, sir" sequence where he breaks the fourth wall, and of course, his emotional performance during the "and I'll never see Johanna"/"and my Lucy lies in ashes" sequences, which require a sudden, yet convincing, emotional shift that he pulled off masterfully.

Jeanna De Waal's Lovett was just plain fun. While I was curious to see how Annaleigh Ashford would have played her, De Waal pulled off a youthful Mrs. Lovett in a hilarious, flirty way. Angela Lansbury was perhaps the most iconic Lovett (although LuPone's performance was stunning as well), and was particularly notable for her dark comedy through the juxtaposition of being a matronly pie shop owner and an accomplice to murder and cannibalism. I feel like the "matronly" aspect of Mrs. Lovett is probably one of the most important facets of her character, which is why I tend to prefer performances by older actresses as Lovett to younger ones, but De Waal, like Groban, gave a unique performance, in her case using her youth to her advantage. Her Lovett was constantly flirting with Todd, which created some hilarious juxtaposition between their personalities, and she added a lot of energy to her comedic lines, especially during "A Little Priest," where her chemistry with Groban was a blast to watch. I do wish she had a bit more chemistry with Gaten Matrazzo as Toby, which would have made the ending scene hit harder emotionally, and her sinister side explored further. De Waal focused mostly on the comedy aspect of Mrs. Lovett, who at her core is a ruthless manipulator, so I understand she's an incredibly difficult character to pull off when balancing those two elements. Nonetheless, I thought her acting was really enjoyable to watch, although she was more effective in comedic scenes than dramatic ones.

I don't have a ton to say about Jordan Fisher's portrayal of Anthony; I liked his performance overall, but I felt he came across as slightly too mature, although maybe this came down to his voice. Anthony is a very idealistic and naïve character, meant to contrast with the cutthroat, conniving world of "Sweeney Todd." I didn't think I really got this with Fisher as much as with some other performances I've seen, but the maturity he gave to the character did pose an interesting angle in his scenes with Todd, as Groban's sentimentality meant an almost paternal dynamic between Todd and Anthony. This isn't an angle I see a lot, but it was definitely one I thought was really fascinating. His chemistry with Maria Bilbao as Johanna was good, and I felt he provided some grounding to her more neurotic portrayal.

I loved Bilbao's Johanna. Technical skill of singing "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" aside (which she nailed), I feel like a lot of productions miss the point of this number. "Green Finch" is to introduce Johanna and her trapped circumstances, yes, but I see too many productions that simply have it performed as a sad, pretty, virtuosic number, without saying too much about who Johanna is as a character, or the effects the circumstances she sings about have had on her. Betsy Joslyn's was unique in that she attempts to seem somewhat frazzled while singing it, but her purposefully-crossed eyes and overexaggerated vibrato risk coming across more as caricature than a sincere performance. Bilbao, however, is heartbreaking. Her Johanna is fighting to keep her wits together, evidently broken by living with an abusive father figure, and when she sings "teach me to be more adaptive," it almost seems like a prayer. (This also has the effect of making the following number, "Ah, Miss," darkly hilarious, as it implies Anthony was watching this random girl having a mental breakdown and immediately decided he was in love with her.) Her blocking was restricted and tense, almost making her look like a caged bird, and her facial expressions and gestures were cautious and restrained, bringing to mind a scared animal. This really brought home the essence of Johanna's character- while she's often played as a classic ingenue, Johanna is, in fact, a subversion of the archetype- a realistic portrayal of the mental strain a young girl locked away with a man like Turpin and kept from seeing the outside world would actually face. I honestly really like Johanna as a character because there's a lot more depth to her than is often portrayed, so it was really refreshing to see Bilbao apply this level of nuance to her.

Matrazzo's Toby was, of course, excellent. Toby is probably the character with the most variation across productions, as he can be portrayed as anywhere between a child to a young adult. Matrazzo shone particularly in two scenes- "Not While I'm Around" and the final monologue. Like "Green Finch," "Not While I'm Around" is a number that's frequently misinterpreted, with some performances portraying it as simply as an example of Toby's affection for and devotion to Mrs. Lovett. "Not While I'm Around," despite its lyrics, is not a sweet, tender number. In context, it's terrifying, and luckily, Matrazzo portrays this. His Toby is desperate, even frustrated. While it's not particularly dwelled on in the play, Toby has been mistreated by Pirelli, and so latches onto Mrs. Lovett, who he sees as a genuinely nurturing protective figure. However, not only is Lovett turning people into meat pies, she has no real love for Toby and is primarily focused on manipulating Todd, who, in turn, is also trying to use her for his own gain. However, from Toby's perspective, he's been abused, sees signs of abuse in Todd, and wants to prevent Mrs. Lovett, whom he genuinely loves, from meeting the same fate. Matrazzo's desperation puts this context largely into focus, adding to the suspense of the number. And in the final monologue, I got chills from the way he vacillated between a manic sing-songy tone and complete numbness, sometimes even normalcy. I've seen many productions where Toby keeps the "insane" tone throughout the monologue, but Matrazzo doesn't do that. When he says "you know, you shouldn't harm anyone," it's eerily straightforward and calm.

John Rapson (Beadle Bamford), Nicholas Christopher (Pirelli), and Ruthie Ann Miles (Lucy) were all fun to watch; I enjoyed how Rapson kept the character quirk of rolling his "R's," which not all Beadle Bamford actors do. His falsetto range was incredible, and his performance during "Parlor Songs" was both amusing and suspenseful. Christopher's Pirelli was good, but I felt he didn't place as much over-exaggeration in his lines as I would have liked to see, although I really enjoyed his facial expressions. And Miles' Lucy was absolutely haunting; I've seen a few productions where "Poor Thing" is portrayed through interpretive dance, and thought she especially stood out here, as her movements and blocking added a lot to her character.

Finally, Jamie Jackson as Judge Turpin was repulsive in the best possible way. His voice and delivery had me on edge, and I also couldn't get it out of my head that his facial expressions reminded me of Werner Krauss in "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," which added a whole extra layer of creepiness. His Turpin felt incredibly realistic, like that creepy uncle or skeevy politician you always read about in the news, although he was surprisingly effective with comedic lines, especially the way he enthusiastically delivered the line "ah yes, women!" in "Pretty Women." He brought an air of discomfort to the stage every time he was on it, and the suspense in every scene between him and Groban was extremely palpable.

[the-sparkling-theater-kid]

Sweeney Todd Review

Last night, I saw Sweeney Todd on Broadway. Oh my god. I don’t know how to describe how much I loved this show. I’m a newer fan of Sweeney Todd. I knew most of the plot but there were some little details i didn’t know about. I didn’t expect this show to make me laugh, but it did multiple times. I saw Josh Groban as Sweeney Todd, and Jeanna de Waal as Mrs. Lovett. At first, I was upset not to be seeing Annaleigh, but later learned she played Chris in the 2012 Off-Broadway revival of Carrie, which I am not only a big fan of, but am currently in a community theatre production of. I sadly saw this show after Gaten Matarazzo left, and as a Stranger Things fan, I was upset. I thought the Toby I saw (an understudy but I can’t remember whom) was very good, but I still wished I was seeing Gaten.

This show was my first stage door experience, and it was a great first. I was towards the beginning of the line, but wasn’t at the very front. With the first couple of actors who came out, I sadly wasn’t able to get their signature, but I was lucky enough to get Josh Groban’s. I even got a picture and a signature from Maria Bilbao, who is making her Broadway debut as Johanna, since most of the crowd left after Josh Groban went back inside.

[harley-quinnss]

It's been a week since I saw Sweeny Todd on Broadway, and it was absolutely fantastic. I didn't expect it to be as funny as it was and Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford had amazing chemistry. here are some of my favorite moments from this incredible production

-THE OPENING. The ensemble did a fantastic job at the Tony's, but seeing it live was on another level.

-Annaleigh played Mrs. Lovett so thirsty for Sweeny (she bounced on his lap, tried to get him to feel her up, and was constantly hitting on him).

-The entirety of Worst Pies in London (if you know, you know).

-The way Annaleigh Ashford slid down the stairs.

-At the end of Epiphany, Josh was so menacing and it looked like he was signing to the audience.

-*after Josh explains his first murder* Annaleigh: "Ooooohhh, I thought you've gone mad or something."

-The entirety of A Little Priest, particularly the pun I'm about to mention.

-"We have General, WITH OR WITHOUT HIS PRIVATES, WITH IS EXTRA."

-Annaleigh literally rolled on the floor hysterically laughing after saying that. Josh had a good laugh too.

-The way Josh smiled at Annaleigh when he realized her idea about making people into pies.

-Annaleigh and Gaten Matarazzo played the mother/son relationship between Mrs. Lovett and Tobias amazingly (Not While I'm Around was INCREDIBLE). She even referred to him as 'her boy" in one scene.

-During the Joanna Act II Sequence, a man came in for a shave with his wife. Josh smiled at her, then turned to the audience and gave a big frown. It gave the audience a good laugh.

-Annaleigh sang By the Sea in a bathrobe, and it was hilarious.

-If you can see this production, do it because it was such a great time.

[abliafina-18782]

for the ship + kiss writing meme: 16 goldrose >:)

Goldrose and lazy kisses were a challenge bro😂

Send me a Ship and a Number and I will Write a Kiss:

Lazily

The first thing I hear is music. A tune that’s far too upbeat for my mood. 

I enter the dining room and that’s where I find you. You’re sitting at the end of the table, two bottles of beer in front of you, humming along to the music. You look happy, like you didn’t just make me frame an innocent woman. 

“Hello, Joe.” The amusement is audible in your voice. You hold up your beer at me as if in a toast, a smug smile on your face. “You know there’s nothing quite like a nice, cold, crisp lager after sex.”

I wouldn’t know, even if I had slept with Kate just now. You keep talking but your voice is like background noise to me, it doesn’t help that you let that god-awful preppy song play. I grab the vinyl record and toss it hard on the floor. It breaks in two pieces and it gives me no satisfaction because you’re still here, pestering me like an annoying mosquito I can’t swat away. 

You’re talking about how we’re going to have so much fun killing Lockwood. Sometimes I think you’ve made it your mission to suck the life out of me. I was already married to Mrs. Lovett, I don’t need to have Sweeney Todd hanging after me as well.

“Well go on then, drink up. God knows you’ve earned a beer, mate.” You say, motioning to the bottle. “Or perhaps Kate gave you enough of a treat.”

It wasn’t as much of a treat as it was a parting. I saw Kate tonight because she thought she needed me and I came to tell her that she doesn’t. What her father has done to her is awful, yes, but she needs to break out of his shadow alone. If she has me, I'll just be shouldering whatever responsibilities he had.

That, and the fact I can’t get you out of my head every time I kiss her. 

“She didn’t,” I say.

“Really?” You tilt your head to the side. “That was quite the kiss you two shared.”

Oh, it was, except I can’t keep lying to her anymore. I can’t kiss her and pretend that I'm not wishing it was you. You understand me, Rhys. I'm pulled to you like there's a magnetic force between us. You’re confident and sure of yourself no matter the resistance I put up. Would you resist me? If I finally came to you instead of you coming to me.

Perhaps it's the desire to finally swat away that mosquito that makes me get up from my chair.

You’re watching me, lips quirked in a slight smirk. I push back your chair, just wide enough for me to straddle your lap. Your eyes widen, an arm sneaking its way around my back, steadying us both. I take your beer and finish it in a long swig, tossing it somewhere on the floor along with the broken vinyl.

“I was going to finish that,” You chastitise.

“Shut up.”

I take your face in my hands, just like I did with Kate. Your skin is soft underneath my fingers and I let my thumb caress your cheek. It’s not the earth-shattering attraction they speak about in books, rather it’s a sense of everything sliding into place. I bring our lips together and it’s everything I wanted it to be.

You don’t even hesitate before you respond, moving your mouth against mine like they belonged together. Your arm tightens around my waist and your free hand grabs my thigh, holding me in place. It’s slow, you’re letting me explore on my own terms and I can’t think of anything more sensual. I tease your lips open and I can feel you smiling against my mouth. 

You’ve intrigued me ever since I came to London. The way you turned your life around and clawed your way to the top. I want that, Rhys.

I want a good man in a cruel world, I want you.

[simperoniandcheese]

Call Me Nellie, Will You?

summary:

nellie pov fic for y'all *big smooch* After Mr. Barker is taken, Nellie makes a rushed decision to aid the family he leaves behind and protect them.

Mrs. Lovett stared out of the little window that overlooked the cobbled road of Fleet Street, her head in her hands as she halfheartedly watched the engorged droplets of rain speed down the worn panes of glass, the dark clouds racing the other way as if to escape.

The faint fussing of a baby caught her attention again, and her eyes widened in alarm as she whipped around, her grip on the countertop turning her pale knuckles white. That bloody judge had been poking around again recently, and to Nellie, it was the doings of a guardian angel of some sort that all the days of crying hadn't reeled him in again like flies to a rotting corpse.

She suspected it was evening now, from the pale orange-black sky she spied through her front door's peephole. After touching down carefully onto steady ground from her makeshift plywood step, Mrs. Lovett quickly kicked it under the row of cabinets that served as her worktop, turning on her heel and descending the basement stairs to check on Lucy and the infant that seemingly couldn't keep its cavernous gob shut to save a life.

By God, Nellie. Have a heart for the poor things, will you? It's only been a week or so! Her inner voice needled painfully as the jingle of the bakehouse keys sounded in her grip, just as grating as every other noise she'd heard in this bloody shop.

The padlock fell from its perch as the key was turned, and Mrs. Lovett bit back a yelp, fumbling as she caught it in her cold hands. If the lock had hit the tiles, it would've meant exposure to danger that was very, very likely, what with the absence of the daytime's clamor in the streets around them.

Mrs. Lovett straightened back up as the padlock was placed on the latch, and she steeled herself to be nice, for Chrissake to the woman she felt she was always going to be second fiddle to in Benjamin's gaze. But honestly, it felt like the right thing to do. She hadn't done anything 'right' since she married Albert almost a decade ago. And now he was dead, so that said a lot about what kind of person Mrs. Lovett was.

"Everything decent down 'ere?" She called out softly to the darkness, and soon after her voice was answered when a trembling figure appeared, Johanna now asleep in her embrace. Nellie's face fell with dismay, and she strode to Lucy's side, gently dusting the shivering young mother off.

"If I may say anything, Mrs. Lovett, thank you dearly for your generosity." The distressed-looking woman replied quietly with a curtsy, her dress bobbing as she moved.

"Just call me Nellie, will you." She threw up her hands absently, her attention on a ripped seam on the front of Lucy's dress, looking back up at her with a twinge of irritation flaring up in her gut as Lucy frantically burst into another panicked flurry of words.

"How is it you act so placid and unscathed when those horrible men are sure to be listening by the door as we speak? I saw they harmed you dreadfully, what he did to you, if your monthlies are absent--"

"Don't worry about me, love. Look, I've been checkin' for days, neither the judge nor the beadle have shown their 'ideous mugs round the city. So why don't we take what time we have, and I'll clean you up all good, you and the babe." Nellie sighed, chewing on her already curled lip before eventually ambling up to the front window again to check the street.

Clear.

Lucy carefully passed Johanna over fearfully, her eyes flitting between Johanna and the window, where she ducked her head beneath the sill as she crouch-walked to the next door, following timidly behind Mrs. Lovett, who turned around incredulously with Johanna in arms, her eyebrows raised.

"Oh get up, nobody's even on the street, and I can handle it if anything goes amiss." She snapped, ushering the terrified girl over until the door was shut securely.

"Now, I have a feeling you'll try something daft, and that wouldn't be very good for you or the little bugger, so I'll have to be around all of the time, got it?" Nellie instructed as she placed the baby back into her mother's arms when she had leaned back on the edge of the little tub that called her above average sized slum home.

"Is this how the both of us will spend the rest of our days? Never going outside?" Lucy faltered, her eyes misting over as she gazed at her infant daughter, then back to her caretaker with a dismayed lilt to her hushed voice.

Sighing again, Mrs. Lovett emptied out her handmade rope basket onto the tiled floor, the garments that were in it moved aside with a flick of her ankle.

She'd ignored Lucy's question.

"I think I still 'ave a few things lying around in this place that you could use for Johanna," Nellie muttered as she hefted a pail of water to the inside of the tub, grimacing as it spilled partially.

At least this time, it ended up where it's meant to be. She thought with a huff, gesturing to the bath with one waved hand. "Now then, are you fit to lift the pails before I help clean you up?"

A nod followed Nellie's request, and exhales of relief were released as Mrs. Barker lowered herself into the tepid water, shivering as her bare skin prickled all over in response to the new situation.

"You've been so charitable towards me, friend." Lucy mused in a timid smile, her voice still quavering as Johanna splashed her tiny arms about, being held on her mother's knee firmly. "I am sorry you've had to face London alone, and though I do not relate to you currently, I feel for you with all of my soul."

Mrs. Lovett turned her face away, blissfully pretending to respect Lucy's privacy.

Should I let her know about how I feel towards Benjamin?

Who needs secrets anymore? Everything's gone to hell, anyways, and before the year is up, I bet an ass that we'll either both be in Turpin's pit or the looneybin.

"I used to hate you. I was jealous, I s'pose. Perfect hair, eyes, face, and, perfect...something else.." Nellie trailed off, now thinking about cutting her tongue out as soon as she was alone.

Lucy's face changed dramatically, still processing what she'd been told but the gist of it revealed. She had that look in her eyes where someone knew more than they were letting on, and she hoped that her bias for the barber hadn't been that obvious.

"If I am correct, I assume you are referring to how you've fawned over poor Benjamin time and time again," she spoke up, clearing her throat with the smallest of smiles tugging on her lips.

Mrs. Lovett sniffed, frowning. "Rub the salt in a bit more, why don't you? I've been a widow for almost ten stinkin' years, it'd be about time I was bedded by now."

"Had I not been pursued by Judge Turpin, I would have handed you in myself." Lucy retorted, gently prying the scrubbing brush off of its owner despite her slicing tone.

"Alright, alright. I don't want to ruffle any feathers, just dip your head under nice and quickly, I'll hold pretty little Jo."

And just like that, the small one-year old was nestled back into the crook of Nellie's elbow (with a sighed thank you from Lucy), no doubt confused as to why there was a bootleg copy of her mother glancing down with wide brown eyes instead of Lucy's blue-tinged ones, wild curls instead of long wisps.

Albert hadn't wanted a child, much less had he wanted to pleasure her in any way shape or form.

And even if it hurt to make countless trip after trip to the back door of the physicist's, Nellie liked to stroll back lazily, dreaming up names, scratching out little dresses on the road with a rusty nail, sitting on the cobbles a few streets away until she was sure he'd gone for work with his dusty brown leather suitcase.

She'd liked the idea of having a child, and the moment of Mr. Lovett's death wasn't really as joyous of an occasion as the newly-widowed Mrs. Lovett had thought it to be.

But she now owned his entire family's items and the pie shop too, so she had to thank him for something.

"Y'know, you're very lucky to have a mum who loves and values you, so don't you go causing any trouble for her, or you'll be the secret ingredient in my pies, alright?" Mrs. Lovett murmured out of earshot of the child's mother, picking her way around to her small dresser to locate a towel for Lucy, and maybe, just maybe, she could find that blanket she'd hoarded for years.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

"A-are you sure, Mrs. Lovett? Where on earth are you going to go?"

"Now, now, I just want to make sure you two are comfy, and you need an actual bed to sleep on more than I do, you're still nursing! No objections." Mrs. Lovett quipped, her robe pooling around her knees as she sat on the bed, tucking Johanna in with Lucy.

"I'm not much a singer, but 'ere goes, it's the only one I know, really." Nellie stretched, rolling over onto her back, letting her hair down from its usual high perch.

Sweet Polly Plunkett lay in the grass,

She turned 'er eyes heavenward, sighing,

As the next lyrics approached, she put on a high voice, while still staying as quiet as she possibly could, not wanting the neighbours snooping in on her again.

"I am a lass, who alas loves a lad;"

"Who alas has a lass in Canterbury," Nellie grinned a little as she rolled her tongue along the roof of her mouth, listening to Lucy applaud softly.

Soon enough, she could hear rhythmic breathing, and smiled faintly to herself.

I won't ever let your family suffer again, Mr. Barker, I swear on my life.

[skytga]

Movie overview on Sweeney todd : the demon barber on Fleet Street

The film used meany of the same songs the the brodway show. I knowest that this strips away what a Normal musical is . People don’t dace that much and and it’s black and gray and white (most of the time) and is low key the anti musical musical.

The story begins with Sweeney todd who is played by Jonny depp and he’s returning to london after being exiled for a crime he didn’t commit. Before being exiled his name was Benjamin barker and he was a barber on Fleet Street. He had a beautiful wife and a new born daughter acruped judge in the area called judge tupen saw Benjamin barkers wife and decided that he wants her for him self so he made a false charge that exiles. Benjamin barker gets taken away from London now he is returning for his exile now going by the name of Sweeney todd. After being save by a young sailor called Antony and mr.todd is back in London ready for an act of revenge on judge Tupen. Todd returns to his old barber shop that sits on top of a bakery that is were he meet mrs.Lovett. She’s the owner of the a bake shop were she makes “the worst pies in London” Todd asks why mrs.Lovett isn’t renting out the space above her meat pie shop and she said it’s because people say it’s haunted because there was a barber and his wife and daughter lived a very tragic life and Todd said asked mrs. Lovett “what happened to the wife” and basically judge tupen came by every day sending flowers to her waiting for her to except his proposal but she refused.so one day the judge invited her over for a maskerade park were she was probably assulted. After that it was to much for her so she possend her self in atemptt to kill her self. Judge tupen ends up adopting her daughter and we find out throughout the film he plans on marrying her to stop other men from haveing her. Mean while Anthony gets a glimpes of Johanna (the daughter) in her tower and falls in love instantly . As he’s looking at Johanna the judge catch’s him and sends him with a very painful warning that he can not look at her that way again. But Anthony gets a plan to steal Johanna away from her tower

(THE BEGGER WOMAN)

She’s a character throughout the movie that gives little bits of information and the ironic placement ( crazy woman that knows everything)

Mr. Todd reopenes his barbershop and he wants customers. So he decides to go the town square with Mrs. Lovett to attract customers there he sees a small boy called Toby who is holding a “magical elixir” witch ends up being made up off piss and ink and he’s selling it to people as a hair elixir. The maker of said hair elixir is called Pirelli an Italian bombastic barber. Todd changes him to a barber off to get people to his barbershop. Todd wins resulting in everyone including judge turpens bench man. The henchmen tells todd that they will be at his barbershop before the week it out. Todd is ready he’s like 15 years ima finely kill him and have revenge. Mrs. Lovett tells him to plan since he’s been waiting all these years for this moment . Then Anthony comes and tells todd that he wants to steal Johanna and asks todd is it okay if he keeps Johanna at the barbershop for a bit while he propers for them to leave Todd agrees because it his daughter. He will be able to see what she looks like and get her away for judge tupen . Not to long after Pirelli comes to pay Todd a visit along with his son Toby he’s being entertained by Mrs. Lovett while Pirelli comes to talk to mr todd . You see Pirelli isn’t who he thinks he is he’s actually an Englishman and in his youth used to be an apprentice for todd back when his name was Benjamin barker.he’s come to black mail Todd to in to giveing him some of a portion of his errnings from his barbershop otherwise he will go to the judge annpd say that Benjamin barker is back after being exiled . Now we the audience knows that this isn’t gonna end well because todd is crazy and in what must be a incredible display of anger todd grabs a scolding hot iron kettle and beats pirelli with it . After that we get the first actual kill of the move about and hour in to the movie when Todd slits the throat of Pirelli soon there after judge tupen comes in for his own shave.he comes to look his most attractive to applie more to Johanna and Todd it is thinking finally finally after 15 years I’ll have my revenge I wanna saver this . I wannna remember why I’m here. And they both start to sing about pretty women (todd singing about his wife who has past and then the judge singing about Johanna) as todd is ready to get his second kill Anthony comes barging in talking about how he’s gonna steal Johanna which of course enrages the judge and Todd gets extremely angry and he goes on a rant we’re he goes back and forth between rage and sadness and Mrs. Lovett is like what are we gonna do about Pirelli since his body is roting in a box but then she suggests that they bake him in to pies to sell. So Todd has his barbershop up top he’ll kill them and send them down to the basement we’re Mrs. Lovett will bake them in to pies. Then Mrs. Lovetts bisness takes off but all the dead people are corsesing a stench around London. But people just think it the sewer system the only person who doesn’t ? The begger lady of course. Mrs. Lovett gets all excited about the new life she can have with mr.todd were they get married and were they will be livening in this beautiful world but unfortunately todd is not on the same page as mrslovett he’s to busy trying to plot his revenge. Around this time Toby starts getting suspicious of mr. Todd he doesn’t think he’s a good man but he feels devoted to mrs.Lovett since she’s the one who took her in after perilli ‘disappeared’ but Toby knowst that Mrs.Lovett is using perillis old coin purse just uping his suspicion even more.

Mrs.Lovett decides to put him in the basement and we are left to wonder why she put him in there. The henchman comes back to check on the smell all around the pie shop but there able to flatter him in to getting a shave again. He dies and gets thrown down in to the basement and that’s the first body that Toby will ever see . Only confirming some suspicions that he had and so he hides. Mean while Anthony has save Johanna from an asylum that she was put in by the judge so other men won’t look at her. He helped her escape and then dresses her up as a boy and brings her to the barbershop for safe keeping until they both can leave.while Johanna is there the begger woman goes up to the barbershop looking for the henchmen because she saw him going up there and she’s suspicious of Todd. Nobody believes her while the beggar woman is still there Todd returns and that’s the the beggar woman tells him that judge turpen is on his way lookin for Johanna. The beggar woman then says “don’t I know you” so then Todd kills her with swiftness and sends her down to the basement. Then the 15 year plan for revenge on judge turpen for the death of his wife is finally put in to place were he is able to stab in the jugular several times. Finally in an act of revenge on judge turpen. It all goes down hill in a matter of seconds when Todd realises that there was a witness to the whole thing. A boy hidden in the trunk who does end up being Johanna and he nearly kills her his own daughter but is able to to get away since Mrs. Lovett let out a howling scream all because judge turpen was grabbing on the bottom of her skirt. Todd come down to the basement and says “open the oven we’ll throw them in” while he’s moveing judge turpens dead body he’s able to get a close up of the old begger women and sees her face for the first time that’s when he realises that it’s his wife. She was alive this whole time giving us hints along the way. The whole reason he want an act of revenge on judge turpen was because he thought judge turpen was the one for his wife’s death only for him to be the reason why he’s holding her limp cold body. Then todd begins to question Mrs.lovertt and asks why she lied. She then tells Todd that she only told him that she possessed her self you just assumed that she died she also add she did it because she loves him. They start singing and Wailting and dancing together about haveing a life together. This gets her under theatrical false sense of security until he hurls her into an open oven leaving her to do nothing but burn to death closeting the oven door. Todd then goes over to his now deceased wife just holding her limp body in his arm wondering what he’s done and then Toby comes out from his hideing spot in the sewer to be the one who kills Todd to get his revenge.

The only thing that is bright and saturated and in hype colour is blood.

[sweeneytoddblog]

This is way overdue, but I saw Sweeney Todd last week!

Mrs. Lovett pretty much carried the show; she hit all the right beats with the humor and her voice was also nice. Pirelli was also good, further adding to my theory that Pirelli is always good.

I went with a group of people including a family friend who, when Not While I’m Around started, went “ooh! I know this song! I like this song!” Then after the show she stormed that the song is RUINED for her now since Mrs. Lovett sings it in an evil way lol. She was also insisting that Mrs. Lovett did not deserve death and that Toby should have saved her, which I found pretty funny.

Overall a good time was had, and I feel very blessed to have the show performed so close to me at a time when the Broadway revival is just around the corner, since I probably won’t get to see that in person.

To be totally transparent: tumblr in general is kind of bad for my mental health (although I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with this blog) and so summoning the motivation to talk about the Broadway revival more has been hard. I have actually written up several posts about it, and everytime I just don’t press the “Post” button. It is definitely my desire to talk about it more actively, but I don’t want anyone to expect anything of me at this point. I am still here tho and really welcome any kind of asks/engagement, and who knows, maybe once their social media stops posting the exact same photo shoot I will have more to say. Fingers crossed. 🤞🏻

[alwaysbeyondhope]

She gave me a hug tonight.

Carolee Carmello gave me a hug tonight.

And I’m seeing the show again tomorrow night.

how. How. HOW. is this real life?

I drove up to Saratoga Springs yesterday after work, checked into the hotel, worked all day from the hotel today, then met up with friends and saw Sweeney Todd tonight. And talked a little bit with Carolee after the show. (before the venue turned off all the lights on us and made us leave)

According to JA tonight’s performance was very similar to how Carolee played Mrs Lovett at Barrow Street. Which makes me really happy to know since I missed her in that the first time around.

I love that this gets to be my life. Seeing my favorite Broadway stars, seeing musicals, traveling and meeting new people and deepening friendships and LIVING. I’m actually LIVING.

[chefediaboiv]

Conversations with Jr. GGG Pt. 3

Woosah, nope I refuse to recommend a therapist. She was just teething for hope and apparently it's clear as shit, imagine the farmers face when the cow says it likes being beat rearing inn. The Genie in a bottle doesn't want you making appearances during the rubbing the fuzzy purple wall procedure she got from the rapist. What's supermanmanns one wish when kryptonite is his favorite dish. Don't complain when you chose the Louis lane, giggity goo. Plain English, I bet she say's cheers if I came to kick it with you. Drug test? You popped up for Royce da 5'9 and Eminem, when you see me outside don't ask if we can be friends again. The Shitty boss works at City Hall, a fitting infit for a shitty call. If Sifu gave you some homework don't get it wong, let's play Captain a shore I see. I'm wading between two islands, don't fuck up my punchline just say Sir I see. I've been easter egging the masked singers surest seats, career choice is in demand but you need triangles like Isosceles. She clicking me in for security, don't act pompous please. You been writing? Do you mind if I saw some sheets, why so nervous soldier would you like some sauce with cheese. I'm a Saturday morning cartoon freakazoid, me and my bros quote lyrics from the beastie boys. Dealing with heart born illnesses, you might as well be annoyed. My grilling outfit is a Gothic Speedo, SSX tricky gets a little Christiana Ricci since your concerned about my beetle juice. Handled by Barefoot wine, I won't need new shoes. Don't confuse cologne with stinkmeaner, halitosis is way neater. How low can you you go sis, my Sunday after noon gets racier. If I were you I'd drive out about 50 miles, double it or 2 and drive off a cliff, you had help and the lie is awful as shit. Remember when paying with quarters you get a Nickelback for 30 cents, I bet your on iPhone with your Siri sense. When parrying long hair don't care waving at the Aryan, he's a Nazi extremist. Apparently the message to him is you do not need a penis, I'd much rather you think about the drum set between us. It doesn't have to be yours, but I thought the hole in reality might be convenient. You seem about as threatening as ficus, I seriously like hugs and I mean it. What's up with uppercutting, you gotta put the gravy on the stuffing just because Im up to nothing I figure that today I'd plunge the summit. I bet I have ez pass at every immediate family gathering, Mcnugget stuck like he's wrapped in batarang. I saw that stupid look on your face the last time you had chance to swing, why don't you look your mother in the eyes and tell her love don't cost a thing. Pretty sure we have different views on that because either way I end up in a sausage sling. Poor thing Mrs Lovett's meat pies poor thing, poor thing had me at Hello with sweet lies, poor thing, poor thing. Where the party at don't look like you 112, jodeci, D4L boy you Clay Aiken, Ruben studdard, Tracy McGrady Houston, Bulls, Clippers I can't put no trust in this boy that's a Billy Jean full zipper. It's you that's biting my style to be a full Witcher, be grateful I took my time to fool with ya. My deep thoughts of late are mask on or mask off, either way the back soft.

[theaterreviewswithbella]

𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

date of show: 12/26/23

production: 2023 revival (broadway)

star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*repost from my main account.

Last night, I saw Sweeney Todd on Broadway. Oh my god. I don’t know how to describe how much I loved this show. I’m a newer fan of Sweeney Todd. I knew most of the plot but there were some little details i didn’t know about. I didn’t expect this show to make me laugh, but it did multiple times. I saw Josh Groban as Sweeney Todd, and Jeanna de Waal as Mrs. Lovett. At first, I was upset not to be seeing Annaleigh, but later learned she played Chris in the 2012 Off-Broadway revival of Carrie, which I am not only a big fan of, but am currently in a community theatre production of. I sadly saw this show after Gaten Matarazzo left, and as a Stranger Things fan, I was upset. I thought the Toby I saw (an understudy but I can’t remember whom) was very good, but I still wished I was seeing Gaten or Joe Locke. 

This show was my first stage door experience, and it was a great first. I was towards the beginning of the line, but wasn’t at the very front. With the first couple of actors who came out, I sadly wasn’t able to get their signature, but I was lucky enough to get Josh Groban’s. I even got a picture and a signature from Maria Bilbao, who is making her Broadway debut as Johanna, since most of the crowd left after Josh Groban went back inside. 

[hauntthumans]

BENJAMIN “SWEENEY TODD” BARKER

42. heterosexual. he/him. was wrongly convicted for a crime he didn’t commit. spends his time in jail plotting revenge. wants nothing more than to see judge turpin dead. still has hope that lucy might be alive, despite what mrs. lovett said. thinks mrs. lovett is clingy and annoying but he likes her ideas. grows more and more paranoid as time goes on. fc: josh groban. primary.

ELEANOR “NELLIE” LOVETT

38. bisexual. she/her. has been in love with sweeney since she heard the story about him and turpin. is extremely jealous of lucy for getting to marry him. doesn’t like johanna because she’s proof that sweeney has no feelings for her. loves toby like he’s her own child. wants desperately for sweeney to take an interest in her but knows deep down that he never will. doesn’t like turpin because he took sweeney away from her. fc: annaleigh ashford. primary.

LUCY BARKER

40. heterosexual. she/her. didn’t want to go to that party but went anyway so as not to seem rude. rejects the judge’s advances even more after. loves her daughter more than life itself and, even after she takes the poison, does what little she can to make sure she’s safe. doesn’t like lovett at all. is absolutely heartbroken when sweeney is arrested and spends her days waiting for him to come back. takes the poison because she can’t live with herself for letting the judge do that to her. fc: ruthie ann miles. primary.

PHILLIP TURPIN

61. heterosexual. he/him. arrests sweeney so that he can have an easier path to his wife. doesn’t think that lucy will take poison and gives up on her once she does. takes johanna in because it’s the right thing to do and also because he thinks she’s pretty. has been intending to marry her since she was thirteen or so. threatens anthony and would have killed him if he hadn’t had to be in court. wasn't expecting sweeney to know him and genuinely liked him as a barber until anthony showed up. fc: patrick page. plotting only.

SIMON BAMFORD

55. heterosexual. he/him. has been working with turpin since they were young. knew phillip when they were children but didn’t properly meet him until they were adults. sometimes wishes it were him that was marrying johanna, but respects phillip’s wishes to marry her. the only reason he doesn’t kill anthony is because he had to patrol town. has been trying to get the beggars off the streets for years. doesn’t like lucy or lovett, as he thinks they're foolish and flighty. fc: john rapson. secondary.

DANIEL “ADOLFO PIRELLI” O’HIGGINS

32. heterosexual. he/him. used to work for sweeney when he was a child and greatly respected him. saw sweeney and lucy as parental figures. working for sweeney is the reason he’s a barber today. adopted toby from the workhouse. doesn’t like toby very much because he doesn’t bring in good sales. resents sweeney for getting arrested and leaving him without a job. fc: nicholas christopher. secondary.

JONAS FOGG

40. heterosexual. he/him. had an absolutely terrible childhood and was sent to the workhouse at a young age. managed to get out after a year and find work in an office building. worked his way up to become a higher-up and then, once he'd been there for three years, left. decided to open the asylum because something needed to be done about the lunatics in london and he was the best man for the job. treats the inmates absolutely horribly. uses the money he gets from the government on himself instead of putting it towards the asylum. fc: domnhall gleeson. plotting only.

verses

BENJAMIN “SWEENEY TODD” BARKER

the face of a prisoner in the dock ; verse - pre canon.

the demon barber of fleet street ; verse - canon.

sweeney’s weeping for yesterday ; verse - post canon.

his needs are few, his room is bare ; verse - modern.

hearing the music that nobody hears ; verse - crossovers/aus.

ELEANOR “NELLIE” LOVETT

i haven’t seen a customer for weeks ; verse - pre canon.

it’s man devouring man, my dear ; verse - canon.

have all the demons of hell come to torment me? ; verse - post canon.

by the sea we’ll be comfy and cozy ; verse - modern.

my, you do like a good story ; verse - crossovers/aus.

LUCY BARKER

had her chance for the moon on a string ; verse - pre canon.

alms for a miserable woman ; verse - canon.

never said that she died ; verse - post canon.

city on fire, rats in the grass ; verse - modern.

lunatics yelling in the street ; verse - crossovers/aus.

PHILLIP TURPIN

he was there alright, only not so contrite ; verse -pre canon.

when i offered myself to her, she showed a certain reluctance ; verse - canon.

there is indeed a higher power to warn me thus in time ; verse - post canon.

a pious vulture of the law ; verse - modern.

he made the devil so much stronger than a man ; verse - crossovers/aus.

SIMON BAMFORD

spoken of with great respect ; verse - pre canon.

you shall surely see me there before the week is out ; verse - canon.

i try my best for my neighbors ; verse - post canon. 

someone has called the beadle ; verse - modern. 

the beadle calls on her all polite ; verse - crossovers/aus.

DANIEL “ADOLFO PIRELLI” O’HIGGINS

sweeping up hair and the like ; verse - pre canon.

this is, from early infancy, the talent give to me by god ; verse - canon.

what are we going to do about him? ; verse - post canon.

to shave the face ; verse - modern.

for if you slip you nick the skin ; verse - crossovers/aus.

JONAS FOGG

we are one happy family here ; verse - pre canon.

all my patients are my children ; verse - canon.

smile for the gentleman ; verse - post canon.

now, where shall i cut? ; verse - modern.

to be corrected when they’re naughty ; verse - crossovers/aus.

[cosettepontmercys]

Hi!!! I totally missed talking to you too! I would love to hear about the performance or festival! It sounds super cool and I've never been to one. I hope it was amazing. I totally agree that the surprise songs are a nice bonus and how it makes every show different and special no matter what. I totally agree about the Folklore dresses..they are my favorite next to Speak Now. Unfortunately I didn't get to go to the Paramore show the other night which is a huge bummer. It just didn't work out at the last minute. But I finally saw the Barbie movie last night! It was pretty good. There were some things that surprised me still even if I got stuff spoiled. I loved all the pink stuff and the Ken stuff. It managed to be funny but also kinda heartfelt and real. Like even America's speech..even though it felt on the nose at times, it was kinda nice to hear her say it in a simple relatable way and it did make me think about being a woman. It had a lot of good themes and ideas but almost felt like two different movies...and I guess because of the two settings. It made it a little different than what I expected though and I don't even know what I was expecting either. I loved the I'm Just Ken song and scene! It makes me happy that he got to sing in another movie again haha. I guess they are still working on a La La Land stage version but I haven't heard anything else about it. I'm curious what other kinda songs could be in your musical version. I could definitely see a welcome to Barbie land song and maybe a song for Weird Barbie. I could see it being similar to Mamma Mia I guess. I love Megan Fahy as a choice and I loved her in the Bold Type and then I found out she was in Next to Normal. I'll watch the videos you posted too. Gavin Creel and Jen Coella seem perfect haha. I was lucky to see Gavin as Cinderellas prince/wolf in Into the Woods last month and he was funny so he'd be great in this. That's so awesome about getting Hadestown tickets! I'd definitely say it was one of my favorites in the last few years and to see live. I haven't actually listened to the new Sweeney Todd yet but I guess I'd recommend the original cast with Angela Lansbury as Mrs Lovett, but I've also seen Patti Lupone. For Rent, sometimes I just like hearing the songs compared to watching the show..like you can get most of the plot from the cast recording even if you're unfamiliar. That is sooo cool about Newsies!!! Did you get to see Jeremy Jordan? I've seen the proshot a ton of times anyway but I'm so curious. I also enjoyed and would recommend SMASH since we are talking about musical shows lol. But Schmigadoon was the same way with all of the references and stuff. Also who did you see in Waitress? I still watch the Tony's and try to keep up with it but I feel like the revivals were better than new musicals this year or that's what I was familiar with and I didn't listen to any cast recordings. I used to always do that before the Tony's with any new show but I didn't this year..but I will eventually. It's really hard for me to know who should win Tony's since I usually like most musicals. The only ones that I don't really like are the bio ones that's also jukebox cuz they all seem similar to me. I have a musical sideblog so I do try to keep up with it and I love all your gifs. You have great taste in musicals. I love anything Sondheim and those are great picks. Spring Awakening is also a favorite of mine! I forgot the rest of your list but I think I'm familiar with most of them. Also that's pretty cool about the Notebook musical and I'm sorry it wasn't good. Maybe some things shouldn't be a musical and I can't really imagine the songs translating well or how many songs it would be but at least you liked the actors. I'd be curious to hear more about it if you wanna share! I thought it could have potential with Ingrid Michaelson. I think I saw a clip of Joy Woods singing Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop if I'm remembering correctly and her voice is so good!

hellooooo friend!! i went to lollapalooza last week, which was my first music festival and it was a lot, but also really fun! i definitely am not an outdoorsy girl, and i was not as prepared for chicago summer heat as i should've been. i lowkey had more fun at the aftershows (for sabrina carpenter, and maisie peters), and i think if i was to do lollapalooza again, i'd probably just do aftershows and maybe not do GA for all 4 days, but just one day? there were a few sets where i was like "... i probably would have a better view and have more fun watching this on the hulu livestream", which is a little bit unfortunate, but you live, you learn! it was actually kind of scary watching so many people around me pass out, and i just ... do not think i am a festival girlie! which is fun because i have bumbershoot coming up, but it's not really a big music festival, just a very small one in seattle and i'll probably just hang out with the crafty things instead (unless the people i'm going with really want to listen to the music)! i got to see some of my favorite artists though, and it was just really, really lovely — especially holly humberstone, because i don't think i'll get the chance to see her for a while (unless she tours to seattle with her new album)! i don't think i've asked you this, but aside from paramore and taylor swift, who else do you like to listen to? 🤍 i'm sorry about paramore :( i thought of you earlier! i got a notification on my phone about cheap paramore tickets in seattle tonight and i was like oh .....! i almost caved and got tickets but i am 1) still run down from chicago/lolla + 2) i spent money on tickets this morning! but eeeee i'm glad you got the chance to see barbie!! i do agree about it feeling a little clunky / like two separate movies! i don't know what i had expected from the barbie movie, but i definitely didn't expect that! ugh i'm already thinking about how beautiful a barbie musical set would be (can you imagine the barbie house?) maybe something by jason sherwood or beowulf boritt? i just think it would be so fun!! and yes — love love love meghann fahy! she also sang a bunch of kerrigan-lowdermilk (who wrote sam brown) songs back in the day that i really like, like say the word i'm so jealous you got to see gavin in into the woods! the tour didn't come to seattle :( i've only heard the best things about gavin, and one of my close friends loves gavin creel so i was like "oh he'd be a perfect ken!" i think they finally announced the sweeney todd revival cast recording release date, so i mightttt hold off and wait till then, and then go backwards and listen to angela lansbury! i did not get to see jeremy jordan in newsies, but i have seen him live — he came to seattle with betsy wolfe to sing with the seattle symphony a couple years ago! i saw newsies on august 9th, 2014, actually (what are the odds), with corey cott, liana hunt, and ben fankhauser! i like the proshot, but i think i'm more partial to the casts i saw (and i think that jeremy and kara and ben and akb were all a little too old to play teenagers at that point)! although my favorite cast is probably actually an amalgamation of the first national tour cast — stephanie styles as katherine, joey barreiro as jack (i've actually seen him as jack twice; once on tour and once regionally), and i think i've just loved every davey i've seen! i love smash! i was talking to someone in chicago about it, actually — they were sitting at the table next to ours and i just struck up a conversation about lolla since they mentioned someone i really love and we ended up talking about broadway / smash and it was really fun! i always say i'll do a smash rewatch and then i never do, but the music is just so good! i'm super curious to see what happens with the smash musical (bombshell musical?) they're supposedly working on.

with waitress, i saw betsy wolfe & drew gehling twice on broadway, desi oakley twice on tour, and i saw alison luff & mark evans on broadway three times! my jenna ranking is probably alison then desi then betsy, and i just really liked how alison and mark played off each other (i have a soft spot for mark from when he was in the play that goes wrong). but i think my favorite jenna overall would be nicolette! i kind of stopped paying a ton of attention to waitress after it closed on broadway though! i also feel that way with this last tony season! i feel like everything now is just either a revival (no shade to revivals), or an adaptation, or a jukebox and it is very rare that an adaptation feels ... complete to me now rather than just a cash grab. it's just very disheartening, as someone who loves theatre! if/when you feel comfortable coming off anon, i'd love to follow your sideblog (and/or your main blog), but that's totally up to you! always happy to chat with you on anon 🤍 i got to see a sunday afternoon on the island of la grande jatte again in chicago, and i had a good little cry! i'm such a sondheim girlie. and that's okay; not all musicals are winners/will speak to me! i think the notebook musical just felt very ... cashgrabb-y? it did make me cry though, so there's that (not that it takes much to make me cry)! i think the songs were just kind of ... forgettable, which really sucks because i like a lot of ingrid michaelson's songs! joy woods' voice is BEAUTIFUL, and john cardoza really just stood out to me! i remember sitting in the theatre and thinking to myself "this man needs to be orpheus someday" and then went to look at his insta and realized he covered epic II from it! i was so so happy when he was cast in moulin rouge as christian; i've heard some clips of his christian and i really like him too! i think the set was beautiful too; i remember being really impressed by the rain scene! i wonder if they've reworked it for broadway, and what will be the same!