ooohh... that was lovely...

In a tip of the hat to our lovely beach weather... even though it is not yet August bank holiday, I think a trip to the sea (well, lake) would be smashing...

Sweeney Todd at the Caddy...

I'm too connected to be truly objective here, so I'm sorry. I had a wonderful time at the show yesterday. It was great. Highlights:

The seats!! Row R in the Orchestra, thanks to the ticket fairy - in the form of one of my colleagues whose aunt, a Bway in Chicago subscriber could not use her tickets.... And on the aisle too!

Judy Kaye's Mrs. Lovett - I was worried. Really. I think we all know how I feel about this. But she was great. "Always had a fondness for you, I did," she sings, and this unrequited love of this man is what drives this Mrs. Lovett to do just about anything. She was less predatory and sexy and more Hyacinth Bucket, a down on her luck lady in a really short skirt... I found it a little hard to believe that her bedding would ever be rumpled. I think her sheets would be ironed with the same precision she polished the "equipment" in By the Sea.

Lauren Molina, Ben Magnuson and Diana DiMarzo - the original Broadway casters, transplanted to the tour. Loved them.

Did not really like the Beadle or the Judge (channeling Darrell Hammond playing President Clinton???) and David Hess was somewhat underwhelming. The moment I fell in love with the show when I first saw it in 2006 was Sweeney's first entrance, when he looms out of the coffin and says "Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd..." I was hooked. Each time thereafter, that line gave me chills. Mr. Hess didn't give it the same delivery, the same fire. There also didn't seem to be any chemistry between him and Judy, but that is okay, since that dream of love and marriage is hers alone.

Anyway, point is, I liked it. I'd go back, if I could...

My good friend, Sweeney...

Does it surprise anyone that Hedy Weiss was a little befuddled by this production??

When I saw it on Broadway for the first time, I didn't remember much about the story at all. I had seen it 3 years before at Lyric Opera with Bryn Terfel as Sweeney and Nathan Gunn as Antony. With a cast of such distinction, you'd think I'd remember every last detail. Yeah, not so much. I remember a little bit about what it looked like, and the barber chair. I recall "A Little Priest" which Bryn and his Mrs. Lovett (nope, don't remember her, either) sang with gusto. But music? Plot? Alas, no.

So I went into it that April of 2006 with no recollection of the story and also no concept of the concept (the actor-musicians). It was all new to me, and I completely fell in love with it. I am sure it helped that I saw the original cast and that I saw it with people who knew it and loved it and could answer all my questions. But I didn't even have that many questions! So I am not sure what "muddled storytelling" our girl Hedy is talking about.

I'm looking forward to seeing it on Sunday. Will I miss Patti & Michael? Do you want me to be honest? Yes, probably. I came to the show through them, and loved it with them in it. There was this kind of feeling in the theater each time I saw the show, an energy and a connection between the actors on stage and us in the audience. It was the first time I'd experienced that, so I am attached to the whole show in kind of an emotional way. Yes, I know that it's not objective or rational or whatever, but I'm not a critic, I'm a fan and theater goer, and this is just how I feel about it.

HOWEVER - that being said - I'm really really excited about going to see it this weekend! I feel like I'm visiting an old familiar friend. I smile like a fool each time I pass the Cadillac Palace Theater.

So honestly? Don't listen to Hedy. Go and see the show.

come and visit your good friend sweeney...

It's easy, look, they even tell you where to go to get tickets. If however, the Broadway in Chicago website makes you want to beat your head against the wall (kind of like hunky Jason the football player on DWTS last night) just go to the box office instead.

Note: If you are really, really nice to me I might even go to the box office for you. But I'd have to really like you, or some kind of chocolate or other kind of bribery would have to take place.

It will be almost exactly completely like this (but without The Patti):