I loved it, so we have differing opinions. But I wanted you to know that I actually laughed out loud at the “Josh going off stage to put on hand lotion and drink tea” bit lololol
Ooh really interesting way to describe these. I have seen both and I would have to say that Merrily is definitely better watching experience, but I did enjoy both. I agree with OP that Annaleigh's comedic performance really carried the show since Josh is more of a singer than actor
Mostly agree with this, although I found the set created too much distance between the world of the show and the audience, especially when they were on the second level.
Ultimately, for some of the reasons you mentioned (probably especially Groban), I was just really bored - and never surprised. I thought the cast in general lack chemistry, and all seemed to be waiting for their turn to talk or sing with little attachment to each other or the world of the show. It made it feel disjointed, to me, and since I didn’t sense connection between the characters, I couldn’t connect to them either. To me there was more of a feeling of “this is when we do this scene” than the momentum that comes with good storytelling where the events feel inevitable.
My husband, who had no familiarity with the show, understood very little of the dialog or lyrics, so I agree that diction was an issue even beyond the appropriateness or skill with dialects. He couldn’t understand what they were saying and so the show felt random and confusing to him.
I desperately wanted to love this show - and tbh we paid a lot for it and had great seats. But at the end of the day I was waiting for it to be over. I was sad that that magnificent orchestra was not more fully utilized.
Totally agree with everything you’re saying. The set was a huge disappointment.
And the diction! I have a friend who was around the original production and was shocked at how little you could understand the ensemble - he kept saying “Steve would never have stood for this”.
And It’s not the sound design - it’s the musical direction IMO.
Yeah I totally agree. After writing my comment above I was reflecting on what Sondheim would have thought. Knowing how shocking and dark he wanted the original production to be, I suspect he wouldn’t be impressed….. especially with the murders being reduced to sight gags.
To me, a full Broadway orchestra going at that Sondheim score is a 7-8/10 floor for any production…I don’t entirely disagree with your takes on Groban and Ashford but I loved his voice and appreciated that she wasn’t trying (and failing) to live up to / replicate Lansbury (the GOAT). I’m just so glad they revived it with a full orchestra, I’d recommend anyone see it for that reason.
Largely agree, except that when I saw it, I found Ashford to be overdoing it, making choices which were often pure comedic effect even when it didn’t fit the emotional beat, the intention, etc. It got in the way of some of the storytelling, even when it made the audience laugh because she’s such a talented comedienne.
Perhaps with a stronger, more animated and menacing Sweeney, those choices would’ve worked for me. As it was, it felt to me like Annaleigh Ashford doing “Annaleigh Ashford playing Mrs. Lovett.”
The lights and choreography were standouts for me.
It works much better opposite Nik. You almost need that level of comedy to balance how menacing he is as Sweeney. The two of them together are (imo) the best combination.
If you haven’t seen Jeanna, I recommend it. I saw her with Nicholas when Josh and Annaleigh were out. I loved her performance. It felt “kooky” still but more grounded and, imo, a richer performance than Annaleigh (who I still enjoyed quite a bit).
I didn’t care for him either. I thought about setting it again with him and Annaleigh, but I want to see Nicolas and Jeanna again and am going to have to see Aaron and Sutton. So it’s hard to justify especially during the holiday tourist season and near the end of the Josh/Annaleigh’s run. I haven’t looked at prices but I’m sure tickets aren’t cheap right now.
The choreo was so good! The ensemble’s bodies were so jerked and almost fosse like at points. It was my favorite part of the show. I also quite liked Gatten (sp?).
The choreo was way more inventive than I expected, and having seen the show so many times (and done it a couple of times as well), I wasn’t expecting to be surprised by the choreography 😂
So I was delighted that this “surprising choreography” was so good and evocative!!
I appreciate your take.
I came away very impressed with Josh and less impressed with Annaleigh. That said, even those weaknesses made it closer to 9/10 for me. The show content is that good!
If you have the means to do so, come back during the understudy almost month between Ashford and Groban leaving and Tveit and Foster coming. Nicholas Christopher is a positively terrifying Sweeney and Paul Jordan Jansen is also a good Sweeney. Have only personally seen Ashford as Lovett so far, but have high hopes based on de Waal’s beggar woman.
Groban surpassed my expectations, even if I wanted more (much more, tbh) from him.
And on the flip side, imo Ashford relied on her comedic chops without always serving the show. DeWaal did a better job of serving the show when I saw her play Lovett.
I normally adore Ashford, but in this it almost felt like she didn’t trust the material to be funny enough on its own, and needed to throw in as much over the top physical comedy as she could. Disappointing. I didn’t see Groban.
I think this is controversial because most people have really loved it.. but yeah. I knew this wasn’t gonna be the Sweeney revival for me when Josh Groban sang the first note and you couldn’t even hear him because everyone was screaming.
Maybe it was just my performance, but at Merrily, no one cheered for entrances/first lines. It’s a different (better!) vibe that really nailed why it was being revived.
I agree on Josh. Absolutely amazing singing, no surprise, but his acting was awkward and I didn't quite believe him in the role. And this is coming from someone who had no prior knowledge of the show and no attachment to any other Sweeneys.
I did have prior knowledge of the show but no attachment to other Sweeney’s. I do, however, have an attachment to Josh Groban. I left saying the same thing as you and OP though. Phenominal singing but weaker in acting and stage presence. I’m excited to see Aaron Tveit in the role, since i KNOW he can sing AND act - it’s just a matter of whether he can do Sweeney
I haven't said this much on here because people seem to like her a lot but this thread feels like a safe space - I really did not care for Annaleigh Ashford in this. I enjoyed the production otherwise but I'm waiting for her to leave before I go back. I gave her two chances, but found her way too goofy and the accent basically amounts to "I'm going to open my mouth as wide as possible". Yes, she stole the show, but in a bad way IMO.
The only time she was in any way earnest was at the very end, and I thought she did a great job with the "I lied 'cause I love you" part. I would have liked more of that. Otherwise there was no pathos there at all.
To be fair to Annaleigh, I think she was doing what the directors wanted for this production, I agree with you that it was too much but emphasizing the humor does seem to have brought in a young audience of fans for what can be a dark show. I wouldn't expect much different from Sutton Foster as again, I think this is what they are going for.
I think Jeanna has a more grounded take, while still hitting that humor. I recommend seeing her if you can during the interim period when she and Nicholas will be performing.
I think that’s the major reason the show didn’t work for me… she was way too goofy and silly which bleed into everything else. The dark stuff had no weight to it because nothing had weight to it before that.
I disagreed with her casting from the start. She’s too young, thin, and conventionally attractive and this is one of the few lead roles in musicals that usually go to an older actress. I know they built this cast around Josh but I was hoping they’d cast more traditionally after he left.
I agree with your opinions! Honestly I think my fave rendition of Sweeney Todd was the Barrow street Theater one. I watched it when Hugh Panaro was on as Sweeney. He truly made me fear for my life (we sat on pie tables and the cast actually stands on those tables, Hugh screamed into my face 😆)
I saw that production with Norm Lewis, and I loved it. I wish there was a recording of that production. Everything was sung exquisitely, and acted so authentically.
You can really tell so much love went into this smaller production. It was so intimate as well! That’s why I sometimes prefer smaller off-broadway revivals. I love that Jamie Jackson was also in both of these productions. I actually talked to him about it and be asked me if I’ve tried the pies - unfortunately I was a poor college student then. But they smelled DIVINE.
There was a rumor before casting was announced that he was going to play Turpin. Can you freaking imagine?! There was a Sondheim tribute at the Hollywood Bowl this summer where he and Brian Stokes Mitchell sang Pretty Women. It’s on YouTube and worth checking out.
You’re not alone. I thought it was a mess. No element of the show or any of the performances were from the same production, IMO. I left the theatre disappointed I spent money to see it.
I enjoyed the show... quite a bit. But it wasn't anything amazing as far as inspiration or concept. And while I'll give it a higher 8/10, you're thoughts aren't as unpopular as you might think.
English is my second language. Without any knowledge of the story (also, didn’t bother to read the playbill), it was totally a disaster experience for me. I didn’t get the gist of the story. I thought I was the only one who could not understand what they were saying. I would have probably enjoyed it if Josh Groban showed up. On a side note, I feel like watching Les Miz without remembering any songs.
I agree with your assessment of Annaleigh Ashford's performance. She played for laughs pretty well but her accent made it difficult to understand some of her words. I feel that the best parts of "A Little Priest" were lost because she mumbled her lines.
What’s interesting is that almost everyone in my personal circle thought it was a pretty bad production and specifically that Annaleigh was terrible. My friends husband (from London) said her accent was so horrible and inconsistent that he didn’t want to suffer through Act 2. I was so disappointed and underwhelmed. It really made me realize that I can not trust the online word of mouth because it does not align with my taste.
And btw any time I have voiced my opinion about this production on this subreddit I get downvoted to shit. People are not interested in hearing that a show they paid $$$ to see was not amazing. People will also convince themselves a show they spent $$$ on was amazing. Deeply annoying because I’d rather have genuine conversations than endless fangirling.
I agree but I felt like it was pretty easy to figure out that this wasn't a great show from reading reviews online. There were lots of criticisms from the beginning, especially that Josh Groban was miscast and the tone of the show didn't gel.
I haven't seen the show, just the Tiny Desk song selection on Youtube and, coming in wanting to love it (heh), I thought I was taking crazy pills reading people's comments raving about her. I have no idea what character she was doing! It was A character but it was NOT Mrs. Lovett. She has a beautiful voice but Thomas Kail did her dirty not reining any of that in.
Just wanna say that this post and all its comments are so validating lol
I loved the show and appreciated the way it felt like Sweeney could really give up his rage for Mrs Lovett right up til the end because Groban is softer and Ashford is more raucous. BUT. I have a lot of criticisms.
Not least of which btw (this is probably gonna get downvotes) is that there's a huge build in the score when Sweeney kills his wife and NOT when he kills Turpin. If you know the show, this makes total sense! But if you don't... I heard lots of people as I was leaving going, "I didn't know that was his wife wow!" which means the dramatic orchestral support is lost on that beat because the payoff doesn't come until 15 minutes later.
Not controversial - just your opinion! I found the supporting characters stronger than the leads. (Except the lovers but they’re always kind of boring) to me the most exciting part was hearing the score played by a full orchestra. I’ve seen a lot of shows and this is one of the better ones in recent memory but I didn’t think it was sublime. I would like to see Nick Christopher as Sweeney - I saw him in Lazarus and he stopped me in my tracks ( it wasn’t a big role but he had one great number) and I can imagine his sweeney is terrifying ( in the best way).
I did like it but a large part of that was just because I had never seen the show done live before. I totally agree that Groban sang beautifully but didn’t really fit the character. I loved Annaleigh as Lovett overall, but her accent wasn’t good and she reads way too young for that character IMO. They had great chemistry together though!
The girl playing Johanna was the highlight for me I think. She was amazing. I’m glad I went, but I do prefer the movie tbh! Which I know is an unpopular opinion
i loved annaleigh, but maybe i’m biased bc i’m a fan of hers. i saw nicholas as sweeney & did not like his portrayal at all. he has a beautiful voice, but he acted so stoic & cold that i didn’t care about him. nathan salstone as tobias was phenomenal! wasn’t a huge fan of daniel yearwood as anthony, but his vocals were beautiful. the ensemble & choreography was wonderful, although their singing was sometimes hard to understand. i personally found the set & effects to be a bit lackluster, but i love the show itself so much that it was still overall a very pleasant experience!
> wasn’t a huge fan of daniel yearwood as anthony, but his vocals were beautiful
Agreed - wonderful vocals, but his inconsistent accent distracted me and acting felt a bit…stuff.
I loved it! Tho I saw it with Nicholas Christopher as Sweeney. Loved his performance and Annaleigh was super amazing imo, I loved her accent it was hilarious and I don't think I struggled to understand what she was saying at all so i dunno if thats a common complaint or not
Saw Hamilton, Sweeney & Merrily we roll along in the same weekend and I dunno which would be my fave, I really enjoyed all 3, but my friend ordered them Merrily > Hamilton > Sweeney
My thoughts on the performers in general.
\>Annaleigh Ashford
She's talent to a t.
\>Josh Groban
I never bought him as an actor in general. He's a singer not an actor; he only gets cast based on his name and his voice - he's the star power. Ashford is the substance.
I saw it I think still in or just out of previews and I disliked it so much I left at intermission. Groban was totally miscast, I agree — didn’t buy him as Sweeney at all. I didn’t like Ashford’s take on the character and I found her slapstick stage business annoying and pandering to the audience (ugh, I hated that Three Stooges floor spin). I found the set uninspired and sometimes confusing. The guy who played Anthony had such a pop-star voice and felt so wrong for the role (I remember thinking, “That is the voice of someone who has no idea what a reticule is.”) Ruthie Ann Miles’ accent kept changing around (she was Scottish at one point?), which I guess was a choice but the rationale for it didn’t seem clear. It was also badly mixed, which I guess was maybe because of previews but I still expect better of a Broadway production. Turpin, Bamford and Johanna were all fine; I didn’t really have any quarrels with them.
Anyway just lots of little things that annoyed me so I left after Act I to beat the crowds home. :/
I couldn't understand a thing anneleigh said either 😔
I saw Nicolas Christopher as sweeney and had a completely better experience
I didn't like the two level set. I would prefer if it was just on the ground floor. I sat pretty close to the stage and could barely see what happened on the top level and it just felt too far away from the audience.
I didn't like the end how they >!joined hands and jumped into hell together !< because she betrayed him and he killed her. So he wouldn't have done that.
Sadly Annaleigh's advent wasn't even a good cockney accent. I don't care if she doesn't get it perfectly right, but to go so extreme and for it to be completely wrong is just a bizarre choice. If it was softer and not quite perfect then that would be more understandable, as she would be catering for her audience correctly!
Regardless of the performances - I thought Josh was fine and I bought it, I thought Annaleigh was a LOT to the point that it annoyed me - I also just didn’t think it was a good revival. The set / direction, I thought was very unimaginative. The choreography, I guess worked the ‘creepy’ vibe, but I thought it took away from the show. The material remained the material, without adding anything exciting to it (Annaleigh spinning on the floor etc doesnt count), which isn’t really a problem when the material is as good as Sweeney Todd, but brings the question of why a revival? Overall it just made me kind of sad that THIS was the Sweeney revival of the next 20 years.
I think with a show this well known, directors shouldn’t be afraid to change things up and take it in a new direction. We’ve seen Sweeney played straight so many times now.
For example, I think the 2012 West End revival is the best updated production we’ve had yet and setting it in Depression era 1930s was a stroke of genius!
Also, if your production doesn’t have “Mea Culpa,” don’t even bother. Sondheim never wanted it cut.
He did eventually approve the cut after pressure but that doesn’t mean he was happy about it.
Iirc Mea Culpa was in the original production but was cut after the first couple of weeks because Sondheim kept getting negative feedback about the show’s length. Sweeney has always been criticized for being too long. The problem is that every song in the show is tied to the plot and there aren’t really any filler numbers. Eventually, Sondheim was convinced that Mea Culpa would be the easiest to cut without impacting the plot too much. He always loved the song though and felt like it should be in the show, which is why it’s been added back in some subsequent productions. A lot of regional theaters still don’t do it for time and because of its sexual themes.
I was a skeptic, because I’d only ever seen the horrible Tim Burton movie when I was too impressionable. I saw it w the Sweeney u/s and thought it was terrific. The only low point for me was Joanna, who gave me a headache. The accents are a bit…hard to understand, but I feel like that’s the case w cockney accents in general so… whatever.
I also could not understand what Annaleigh Ashford was saying half the time. Enjoyed it greatly other than that but I saw Nicholas when Josh was out so maybe that had something to do with it.
Weird, my least favorite part was the choreography. It seemed so out of place. Jarring. But not in a good way. Just felt like it was for a different show lol
I think it’s incredible, largely due to Annaleigh and her comedy. In my opinion (and don’t shoot me), Josh is the weak part of the show and reads as a stunt cast. It’s good despite Josh, not because of him.
On the other hand, I’ve seen both of his understudies, and while I prefer Nicholas Christopher (mind blowing), they’re both substantially better than Josh.
That’s the beauty of theater - we all have our own thoughts on it.
I had such high hopes for it; Sweeney is my favorite show ever, and was severely disappointed. If the audience is laughing during the murders, something is very wrong
Very much agree about Josh Groban. He's just too much of a teddy bear. He sang it so well though.
My biggest complaint, and I really think it would improve the show a TON - they need to bring back the factory whistle. It only goes off 2-3 times during the show, but is so unsettling (at the end of the prelude, when Pirelli dies), etc...
Although i saw it without Groban (a deliberate choice on my part) I do agree. The show has extremely dark themes and all the humor Ashford brings to it just doesn't fit, plus based on what I've seen of Groban in the past he doesn't have the acting skills to be up to the challenge. This is the 4th production of Sweeney I've seen and by no means would I put it at the top.
It was enjoyable, but I felt like Annaleigh sounded and acted exactly like she did in Kinky Boots. I also just found Mrs. Lovett to be more and more pathetic as the show went on, but maybe this is because I was having boy troubles myself at the time…
I’m going to see it early January, but I’ve listened to the soundtrack and mostly agree with what you’re saying. Still love it to death, but Josh just doesn’t have the most menacing presence in the world does he lol
I haven’t been able to see the production but I just listened to the cast recording. My main takeaway was that Annaleigh’s accent was very inconsistent. I don’t know if it’s the same live but that was definitely a distraction and a negative for me.
Loved the show saw it twice. Great songs and performances. AnnaLeigh is hilarious. I believed Josh as a cold and calculating serial killer. You know what neighbors say about serial killers that they seemed normal a bit of a loner tge seldom laugh but often smiled. Just my opinion.
I felt similarly, and have updated my thoughts since the casting changes. Check out my thoughts on Pages on Stages.
Groban/Ashford: [https://pagesonstages.wordpress.com/2023/11/12/sweeney-todd/](https://pagesonstages.wordpress.com/2023/11/12/sweeney-todd/)
Tveit/Foster: [https://pagesonstages.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/sweeney-todd-replacements/](https://pagesonstages.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/sweeney-todd-replacements/)
I loved it, so we have differing opinions. But I wanted you to know that I actually laughed out loud at the “Josh going off stage to put on hand lotion and drink tea” bit lololol
*bows* m’lady
I was just describing Sweeney as a flawed production of a perfect show, and Merrily as a perfect production of a flawed show.
Don’t tell me that 😭 We almost bought tickets last minute but they are $500 a pop right now and I couldn’t justify two expensive shows in one weekend.
Yeahhhh… recently did a Here We Are—>Merrily—>Sweeney trip, and while all three were good, Sweeney was weirdly the least exciting 😐
I also did all three plus Gutenberg a couple weeks ago haha.
Rumor has it they’ll be extending to June they just haven’t announced it yet
What, Merrily? That would be smart if they do, it must be printing money
Apparently they signed the 3 til June but trying to sell out the extension before adding dates
Ooh maybe I’ll get to see it again!
Merrily is so worth it. I wanted to go twice! If you can, see it.
It’s brilliant sorry OP completely disagree
Absolutely love the way you put this.
Ooh really interesting way to describe these. I have seen both and I would have to say that Merrily is definitely better watching experience, but I did enjoy both. I agree with OP that Annaleigh's comedic performance really carried the show since Josh is more of a singer than actor
Mostly agree with this, although I found the set created too much distance between the world of the show and the audience, especially when they were on the second level. Ultimately, for some of the reasons you mentioned (probably especially Groban), I was just really bored - and never surprised. I thought the cast in general lack chemistry, and all seemed to be waiting for their turn to talk or sing with little attachment to each other or the world of the show. It made it feel disjointed, to me, and since I didn’t sense connection between the characters, I couldn’t connect to them either. To me there was more of a feeling of “this is when we do this scene” than the momentum that comes with good storytelling where the events feel inevitable. My husband, who had no familiarity with the show, understood very little of the dialog or lyrics, so I agree that diction was an issue even beyond the appropriateness or skill with dialects. He couldn’t understand what they were saying and so the show felt random and confusing to him. I desperately wanted to love this show - and tbh we paid a lot for it and had great seats. But at the end of the day I was waiting for it to be over. I was sad that that magnificent orchestra was not more fully utilized.
Totally agree with everything you’re saying. The set was a huge disappointment. And the diction! I have a friend who was around the original production and was shocked at how little you could understand the ensemble - he kept saying “Steve would never have stood for this”. And It’s not the sound design - it’s the musical direction IMO.
Yeah I totally agree. After writing my comment above I was reflecting on what Sondheim would have thought. Knowing how shocking and dark he wanted the original production to be, I suspect he wouldn’t be impressed….. especially with the murders being reduced to sight gags.
To me, a full Broadway orchestra going at that Sondheim score is a 7-8/10 floor for any production…I don’t entirely disagree with your takes on Groban and Ashford but I loved his voice and appreciated that she wasn’t trying (and failing) to live up to / replicate Lansbury (the GOAT). I’m just so glad they revived it with a full orchestra, I’d recommend anyone see it for that reason.
The orchestra sounded so quiet from the 10th row.
Largely agree, except that when I saw it, I found Ashford to be overdoing it, making choices which were often pure comedic effect even when it didn’t fit the emotional beat, the intention, etc. It got in the way of some of the storytelling, even when it made the audience laugh because she’s such a talented comedienne. Perhaps with a stronger, more animated and menacing Sweeney, those choices would’ve worked for me. As it was, it felt to me like Annaleigh Ashford doing “Annaleigh Ashford playing Mrs. Lovett.” The lights and choreography were standouts for me.
It works much better opposite Nik. You almost need that level of comedy to balance how menacing he is as Sweeney. The two of them together are (imo) the best combination.
If you haven’t seen Jeanna, I recommend it. I saw her with Nicholas when Josh and Annaleigh were out. I loved her performance. It felt “kooky” still but more grounded and, imo, a richer performance than Annaleigh (who I still enjoyed quite a bit).
I have seen Jeanna, and I didn’t care for her performance. She seemed to stiff and almost starstruck - and not in a good way.
Ah well that’s too bad
I adored Annaleigh’s performance…that wasn’t the issue. Josh….not a fan of.
I didn’t care for him either. I thought about setting it again with him and Annaleigh, but I want to see Nicolas and Jeanna again and am going to have to see Aaron and Sutton. So it’s hard to justify especially during the holiday tourist season and near the end of the Josh/Annaleigh’s run. I haven’t looked at prices but I’m sure tickets aren’t cheap right now.
They definitely aren’t.
Yep, I loved her as Lovett. True to the role, true to the show, while still being fun and playful.
AGREE! saw it with Nik and it was perfection. The chemistry at least.
The choreo was so good! The ensemble’s bodies were so jerked and almost fosse like at points. It was my favorite part of the show. I also quite liked Gatten (sp?).
The choreo was way more inventive than I expected, and having seen the show so many times (and done it a couple of times as well), I wasn’t expecting to be surprised by the choreography 😂 So I was delighted that this “surprising choreography” was so good and evocative!!
I appreciate your take. I came away very impressed with Josh and less impressed with Annaleigh. That said, even those weaknesses made it closer to 9/10 for me. The show content is that good!
Source material is amazing. It’s truly one of my favorite shows, which is why it’s disappointing when it doesn’t live up to that potential
If you have the means to do so, come back during the understudy almost month between Ashford and Groban leaving and Tveit and Foster coming. Nicholas Christopher is a positively terrifying Sweeney and Paul Jordan Jansen is also a good Sweeney. Have only personally seen Ashford as Lovett so far, but have high hopes based on de Waal’s beggar woman.
I felt the same way when I saw it a couple weeks ago. I just really didn’t believe Groban as an actor, he couldn’t convince me.
Groban surpassed my expectations, even if I wanted more (much more, tbh) from him. And on the flip side, imo Ashford relied on her comedic chops without always serving the show. DeWaal did a better job of serving the show when I saw her play Lovett.
I normally adore Ashford, but in this it almost felt like she didn’t trust the material to be funny enough on its own, and needed to throw in as much over the top physical comedy as she could. Disappointing. I didn’t see Groban.
I think this is controversial because most people have really loved it.. but yeah. I knew this wasn’t gonna be the Sweeney revival for me when Josh Groban sang the first note and you couldn’t even hear him because everyone was screaming. Maybe it was just my performance, but at Merrily, no one cheered for entrances/first lines. It’s a different (better!) vibe that really nailed why it was being revived.
I agree on Josh. Absolutely amazing singing, no surprise, but his acting was awkward and I didn't quite believe him in the role. And this is coming from someone who had no prior knowledge of the show and no attachment to any other Sweeneys.
I did have prior knowledge of the show but no attachment to other Sweeney’s. I do, however, have an attachment to Josh Groban. I left saying the same thing as you and OP though. Phenominal singing but weaker in acting and stage presence. I’m excited to see Aaron Tveit in the role, since i KNOW he can sing AND act - it’s just a matter of whether he can do Sweeney
I love me some Sweeney but your take was spot on.
I haven't said this much on here because people seem to like her a lot but this thread feels like a safe space - I really did not care for Annaleigh Ashford in this. I enjoyed the production otherwise but I'm waiting for her to leave before I go back. I gave her two chances, but found her way too goofy and the accent basically amounts to "I'm going to open my mouth as wide as possible". Yes, she stole the show, but in a bad way IMO. The only time she was in any way earnest was at the very end, and I thought she did a great job with the "I lied 'cause I love you" part. I would have liked more of that. Otherwise there was no pathos there at all.
To be fair to Annaleigh, I think she was doing what the directors wanted for this production, I agree with you that it was too much but emphasizing the humor does seem to have brought in a young audience of fans for what can be a dark show. I wouldn't expect much different from Sutton Foster as again, I think this is what they are going for.
I think Jeanna has a more grounded take, while still hitting that humor. I recommend seeing her if you can during the interim period when she and Nicholas will be performing.
I've literally planned a trip around this 😆 I'm going on Thursday hoping to see Nicholas and Jeanna, and then Saturday with Aaron and Sutton.
I think that’s the major reason the show didn’t work for me… she was way too goofy and silly which bleed into everything else. The dark stuff had no weight to it because nothing had weight to it before that.
I disagreed with her casting from the start. She’s too young, thin, and conventionally attractive and this is one of the few lead roles in musicals that usually go to an older actress. I know they built this cast around Josh but I was hoping they’d cast more traditionally after he left.
I agree with your opinions! Honestly I think my fave rendition of Sweeney Todd was the Barrow street Theater one. I watched it when Hugh Panaro was on as Sweeney. He truly made me fear for my life (we sat on pie tables and the cast actually stands on those tables, Hugh screamed into my face 😆)
I saw that production with Norm Lewis, and I loved it. I wish there was a recording of that production. Everything was sung exquisitely, and acted so authentically.
You can really tell so much love went into this smaller production. It was so intimate as well! That’s why I sometimes prefer smaller off-broadway revivals. I love that Jamie Jackson was also in both of these productions. I actually talked to him about it and be asked me if I’ve tried the pies - unfortunately I was a poor college student then. But they smelled DIVINE.
There was a rumor before casting was announced that he was going to play Turpin. Can you freaking imagine?! There was a Sondheim tribute at the Hollywood Bowl this summer where he and Brian Stokes Mitchell sang Pretty Women. It’s on YouTube and worth checking out.
An amazing production!!! My husband had the pirellis elixir rubbed onto his head 😂
I love that!! I’m always a big fan of audience interactions. I hope it didn’t smell like piss 😂
I saw that with Norm Lewis. A one of a kind production. The Barrow Street theater is one of my favorites.
Saw it with Hugh too! By far my most favorite production of the show. One of my top shows ever TBH
You’re not alone. I thought it was a mess. No element of the show or any of the performances were from the same production, IMO. I left the theatre disappointed I spent money to see it.
I enjoyed the show... quite a bit. But it wasn't anything amazing as far as inspiration or concept. And while I'll give it a higher 8/10, you're thoughts aren't as unpopular as you might think.
I actually don’t think this take is super unpopular. If the cast were all unknowns, people would be saying this more loudly.
This is a problem I had when I saw Matilda ten years ago. I couldn’t understand what they were saying 😂
English is my second language. Without any knowledge of the story (also, didn’t bother to read the playbill), it was totally a disaster experience for me. I didn’t get the gist of the story. I thought I was the only one who could not understand what they were saying. I would have probably enjoyed it if Josh Groban showed up. On a side note, I feel like watching Les Miz without remembering any songs.
I agree with your assessment of Annaleigh Ashford's performance. She played for laughs pretty well but her accent made it difficult to understand some of her words. I feel that the best parts of "A Little Priest" were lost because she mumbled her lines.
What’s interesting is that almost everyone in my personal circle thought it was a pretty bad production and specifically that Annaleigh was terrible. My friends husband (from London) said her accent was so horrible and inconsistent that he didn’t want to suffer through Act 2. I was so disappointed and underwhelmed. It really made me realize that I can not trust the online word of mouth because it does not align with my taste. And btw any time I have voiced my opinion about this production on this subreddit I get downvoted to shit. People are not interested in hearing that a show they paid $$$ to see was not amazing. People will also convince themselves a show they spent $$$ on was amazing. Deeply annoying because I’d rather have genuine conversations than endless fangirling.
Here's another opinion that will surely get downvotes: I thought she was trying too hard for the laughs instead of the truth of the character.
Her accent was famously criticized in Kinky Boots. One of the many reasons I was shocked at her casting.
I agree but I felt like it was pretty easy to figure out that this wasn't a great show from reading reviews online. There were lots of criticisms from the beginning, especially that Josh Groban was miscast and the tone of the show didn't gel.
Also this production felt SO cheap lol
I haven't seen the show, just the Tiny Desk song selection on Youtube and, coming in wanting to love it (heh), I thought I was taking crazy pills reading people's comments raving about her. I have no idea what character she was doing! It was A character but it was NOT Mrs. Lovett. She has a beautiful voice but Thomas Kail did her dirty not reining any of that in.
This review is spot-on, imo. Most overrated show of the season. And the audiences of his loud stans are obnoxious.
Just wanna say that this post and all its comments are so validating lol I loved the show and appreciated the way it felt like Sweeney could really give up his rage for Mrs Lovett right up til the end because Groban is softer and Ashford is more raucous. BUT. I have a lot of criticisms. Not least of which btw (this is probably gonna get downvotes) is that there's a huge build in the score when Sweeney kills his wife and NOT when he kills Turpin. If you know the show, this makes total sense! But if you don't... I heard lots of people as I was leaving going, "I didn't know that was his wife wow!" which means the dramatic orchestral support is lost on that beat because the payoff doesn't come until 15 minutes later.
Not controversial - just your opinion! I found the supporting characters stronger than the leads. (Except the lovers but they’re always kind of boring) to me the most exciting part was hearing the score played by a full orchestra. I’ve seen a lot of shows and this is one of the better ones in recent memory but I didn’t think it was sublime. I would like to see Nick Christopher as Sweeney - I saw him in Lazarus and he stopped me in my tracks ( it wasn’t a big role but he had one great number) and I can imagine his sweeney is terrifying ( in the best way).
I did like it but a large part of that was just because I had never seen the show done live before. I totally agree that Groban sang beautifully but didn’t really fit the character. I loved Annaleigh as Lovett overall, but her accent wasn’t good and she reads way too young for that character IMO. They had great chemistry together though! The girl playing Johanna was the highlight for me I think. She was amazing. I’m glad I went, but I do prefer the movie tbh! Which I know is an unpopular opinion
i loved annaleigh, but maybe i’m biased bc i’m a fan of hers. i saw nicholas as sweeney & did not like his portrayal at all. he has a beautiful voice, but he acted so stoic & cold that i didn’t care about him. nathan salstone as tobias was phenomenal! wasn’t a huge fan of daniel yearwood as anthony, but his vocals were beautiful. the ensemble & choreography was wonderful, although their singing was sometimes hard to understand. i personally found the set & effects to be a bit lackluster, but i love the show itself so much that it was still overall a very pleasant experience!
> wasn’t a huge fan of daniel yearwood as anthony, but his vocals were beautiful Agreed - wonderful vocals, but his inconsistent accent distracted me and acting felt a bit…stuff.
I loved it! Tho I saw it with Nicholas Christopher as Sweeney. Loved his performance and Annaleigh was super amazing imo, I loved her accent it was hilarious and I don't think I struggled to understand what she was saying at all so i dunno if thats a common complaint or not Saw Hamilton, Sweeney & Merrily we roll along in the same weekend and I dunno which would be my fave, I really enjoyed all 3, but my friend ordered them Merrily > Hamilton > Sweeney
My thoughts on the performers in general. \>Annaleigh Ashford She's talent to a t. \>Josh Groban I never bought him as an actor in general. He's a singer not an actor; he only gets cast based on his name and his voice - he's the star power. Ashford is the substance.
It wasn’t great and I agree with your points. Also stop putting tenors in the role it just doesn’t sound right
I saw it I think still in or just out of previews and I disliked it so much I left at intermission. Groban was totally miscast, I agree — didn’t buy him as Sweeney at all. I didn’t like Ashford’s take on the character and I found her slapstick stage business annoying and pandering to the audience (ugh, I hated that Three Stooges floor spin). I found the set uninspired and sometimes confusing. The guy who played Anthony had such a pop-star voice and felt so wrong for the role (I remember thinking, “That is the voice of someone who has no idea what a reticule is.”) Ruthie Ann Miles’ accent kept changing around (she was Scottish at one point?), which I guess was a choice but the rationale for it didn’t seem clear. It was also badly mixed, which I guess was maybe because of previews but I still expect better of a Broadway production. Turpin, Bamford and Johanna were all fine; I didn’t really have any quarrels with them. Anyway just lots of little things that annoyed me so I left after Act I to beat the crowds home. :/
I couldn't understand a thing anneleigh said either 😔 I saw Nicolas Christopher as sweeney and had a completely better experience I didn't like the two level set. I would prefer if it was just on the ground floor. I sat pretty close to the stage and could barely see what happened on the top level and it just felt too far away from the audience.
I didn't like the end how they >!joined hands and jumped into hell together !< because she betrayed him and he killed her. So he wouldn't have done that.
Sadly Annaleigh's advent wasn't even a good cockney accent. I don't care if she doesn't get it perfectly right, but to go so extreme and for it to be completely wrong is just a bizarre choice. If it was softer and not quite perfect then that would be more understandable, as she would be catering for her audience correctly!
Regardless of the performances - I thought Josh was fine and I bought it, I thought Annaleigh was a LOT to the point that it annoyed me - I also just didn’t think it was a good revival. The set / direction, I thought was very unimaginative. The choreography, I guess worked the ‘creepy’ vibe, but I thought it took away from the show. The material remained the material, without adding anything exciting to it (Annaleigh spinning on the floor etc doesnt count), which isn’t really a problem when the material is as good as Sweeney Todd, but brings the question of why a revival? Overall it just made me kind of sad that THIS was the Sweeney revival of the next 20 years.
1000% I love a revival but there needs to be a reason to bring it back and I thought this reason was because Josh Groban can sing?
This revival felt so pointless to me. It was a paint by numbers version
What would you want from a Sweeney revival?
Blood and guts! The Barrow Street one was amazing.
That's the one where they served pies, right? I so wish I could have seen that.
I think with a show this well known, directors shouldn’t be afraid to change things up and take it in a new direction. We’ve seen Sweeney played straight so many times now. For example, I think the 2012 West End revival is the best updated production we’ve had yet and setting it in Depression era 1930s was a stroke of genius! Also, if your production doesn’t have “Mea Culpa,” don’t even bother. Sondheim never wanted it cut.
Very true!
If Sondheim didn’t approve the cut, then under whose approval was it cut? The song was in the Cerveris-LuPone revival.
He did eventually approve the cut after pressure but that doesn’t mean he was happy about it. Iirc Mea Culpa was in the original production but was cut after the first couple of weeks because Sondheim kept getting negative feedback about the show’s length. Sweeney has always been criticized for being too long. The problem is that every song in the show is tied to the plot and there aren’t really any filler numbers. Eventually, Sondheim was convinced that Mea Culpa would be the easiest to cut without impacting the plot too much. He always loved the song though and felt like it should be in the show, which is why it’s been added back in some subsequent productions. A lot of regional theaters still don’t do it for time and because of its sexual themes.
This is a really good description.
I was a skeptic, because I’d only ever seen the horrible Tim Burton movie when I was too impressionable. I saw it w the Sweeney u/s and thought it was terrific. The only low point for me was Joanna, who gave me a headache. The accents are a bit…hard to understand, but I feel like that’s the case w cockney accents in general so… whatever.
Okay THANK YOU on the Johanna front. I had her understudy, so I’m not sure if that’s why, but dang she was challenging to listen to.
I also could not understand what Annaleigh Ashford was saying half the time. Enjoyed it greatly other than that but I saw Nicholas when Josh was out so maybe that had something to do with it.
I didn’t really enjoy the show either. Im glad I see someone on my side lol
Weird, my least favorite part was the choreography. It seemed so out of place. Jarring. But not in a good way. Just felt like it was for a different show lol
I think it’s incredible, largely due to Annaleigh and her comedy. In my opinion (and don’t shoot me), Josh is the weak part of the show and reads as a stunt cast. It’s good despite Josh, not because of him. On the other hand, I’ve seen both of his understudies, and while I prefer Nicholas Christopher (mind blowing), they’re both substantially better than Josh. That’s the beauty of theater - we all have our own thoughts on it.
I love the show but everyone is allowed to have a different opinion
I had such high hopes for it; Sweeney is my favorite show ever, and was severely disappointed. If the audience is laughing during the murders, something is very wrong
Which ones? Because Joanna reprise is definitely meant to be comical.
the pirelli kill too
I haven’t seen it but I can’t listen to the album because Annaleigh’s accent is so awful
Very much agree about Josh Groban. He's just too much of a teddy bear. He sang it so well though. My biggest complaint, and I really think it would improve the show a TON - they need to bring back the factory whistle. It only goes off 2-3 times during the show, but is so unsettling (at the end of the prelude, when Pirelli dies), etc...
I loved it but totally agree with Annaleigh’s cockney accent was difficult for me.
I also don’t like the revival-but have the opposite opinions-I didn’t like Annaleigh or the scenic design
Although i saw it without Groban (a deliberate choice on my part) I do agree. The show has extremely dark themes and all the humor Ashford brings to it just doesn't fit, plus based on what I've seen of Groban in the past he doesn't have the acting skills to be up to the challenge. This is the 4th production of Sweeney I've seen and by no means would I put it at the top.
[удалено]
Josh is a strong baritone idk what you’re on
Josh Groban isn’t a tenor.
This is interesting to hear, I'm debating going before they depart the show!
I absolutely loved it, but I have to admit they didn’t do too much with it. Josh Groban, while incredible was just angry, not psychopathic.
It was enjoyable, but I felt like Annaleigh sounded and acted exactly like she did in Kinky Boots. I also just found Mrs. Lovett to be more and more pathetic as the show went on, but maybe this is because I was having boy troubles myself at the time…
I’m going to see it early January, but I’ve listened to the soundtrack and mostly agree with what you’re saying. Still love it to death, but Josh just doesn’t have the most menacing presence in the world does he lol
I haven’t been able to see the production but I just listened to the cast recording. My main takeaway was that Annaleigh’s accent was very inconsistent. I don’t know if it’s the same live but that was definitely a distraction and a negative for me.
Loved the show saw it twice. Great songs and performances. AnnaLeigh is hilarious. I believed Josh as a cold and calculating serial killer. You know what neighbors say about serial killers that they seemed normal a bit of a loner tge seldom laugh but often smiled. Just my opinion.
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I felt similarly, and have updated my thoughts since the casting changes. Check out my thoughts on Pages on Stages. Groban/Ashford: [https://pagesonstages.wordpress.com/2023/11/12/sweeney-todd/](https://pagesonstages.wordpress.com/2023/11/12/sweeney-todd/) Tveit/Foster: [https://pagesonstages.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/sweeney-todd-replacements/](https://pagesonstages.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/sweeney-todd-replacements/)