Search - Stephen Sondheim, Angela Lansbury, Len Cariou :: Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Highlights from the 1979 Original Broadway Cast)

Sondheim's incredible grand guignol masterpiece...

James Head | NC, USA | 04/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's difficult to know where to begin when talking about a musical such as this one. Considered by many (admittedly, myself included) to be Stephen Sondheim's greatest masterpiece, the complexity and incredible depth, both musical and lyrical, of SWEENEY TODD is remarkable.



This 1979 Original Broadway Cast recording stars the incredible Angela Lansbury (cf. MAME) as Ms. Nellie Lovett, an off-kilter, darkly humorous, and downright goofy (at times) peddler of meat pies in her own shop in London. For those unfamiliar with Lansbury's singing voice, do yourself a favor and get acquainted with it here. Ms. Lovett's character calls for a certain quirkiness (she bakes people into meat pies, for goodness sake!), and Lansbury's vocals seem a perfect match for the role.



Len Cariou stars as Sweeney Todd (aka Benjamin Barker), a man pushed and pulled in every way by a life that has been anything but fair to him. A puppet to the whimsy of those around him, Todd's mental instability rears its ugly head in the form of murder when he elects to dispose of those who take a seat in his chair for a shave and haircut. Mr. Todd and Ms. Lovett soon team up, both having a somewhat obvious yet sad need for affection. A strong supporting cast rounds off this marvelous milestone recording.



In the end, SWEENEY TODD is nothing short of a musical theater gem. The vocals, particularly from Cariou and Lansbury, are top-notch and the lyrics and music from Sondheim are, in my opinion, some of the best ever written and composed. After all, creating a musical thriller that is creepy, quirkily humorous, suspenseful, and moving -- all at the same time -- is no easy task.



The only problem I find myself having is that I wish that George Hearn, who replaced Cariou in the role of Sweeney, had also recorded a copy of the cast album. Cariou's vocals, while strong, are still comparably weaker than Hearn's. Cariou's voice thins in his upper register, while it seems to me that Hearn's only becomes stronger at the extremes of his pitch range. This is not to criticize Cariou's performance at all, but just to point out that there are differences. Thankfully, though, Hearn's performance as Sweeney has also been released by Warner Bros. on DVD, recorded in 1982, co-starring Angela Lansbury as Ms. Lovett.



If you like what you hear from available samples, then I would suggest getting acquainted with SWEENEY, then move on to some of Sondheim's other outstanding musicals, such as ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (also featuring Angela Lansbury), INTO THE WOODS, PASSION, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, and many others. Very highly recommended."

This should be your first Sondheim

D. Landrum | Charlotte, NC United States | 10/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you really want to know with one musical how Sondheim really works, get this CD. The music is so wonderfully and minutely constructed that you know it must have been Sondheim's baby. The music and the performances of the actors are stretched beyond conventional musical theatre limits, so the talents of all shine through and you get the effect of being in the audience. Try listening to the somber opening number without getting goosebumps. Best of all, each musical number furthers the storyline and the plot, something modern musical theatre often forgets to do. Favorite numbers: "A Little Priest" (twistedly funny), "Pretty Women", "Worst Pies in London", "God, That's Good" and Toby's touching "Not While I'm Around." This will be a good starter if you are new to Sondheim's work. If you like what you hear, the entire score will give you the full intended effect. After 'Sweeney', I would recommend 'Sunday in the Park with George' for the other spectrum of Sondheim's abilities.This isn't music you listen to, it's music you experience!"