Of all of the actors I've seen play Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett, these are the two that honest-to-god feel like serial killers. There's a gleeful intensity that you seldom see in other performances.
Adam Efimoff yeah, no. Absolutely not. I’ve leaned forward in more theatre productions than I can count. This is them lip syncing to very closely mic’ed pre recorded recording. I know that for a fact.
Adam Efimoff yeah that’s all well and good. I was just saying I’ve been to theatre productions where I’ve had to lean in because a person was mumbling. I’m also an actor. And I’ll tell you what’s pretentious and silly: listing that amount of plays. Come on.
@@MattWeisherComposer they still did it in the recording better than most of the others. The others are epic still though. soooo I still say its epic although I'd like to see it without the lip sync.
@@MattWeisherComposer They are not lipsynching. The original poster cut together shoots from different nights to get coverage, but used a single sound recording from the performances (which is better for audio quality); since each performance is slightly different, the video at times gives the impression of lipsynching because movement will not match audio exactly.
Right? Adorable little Michael Ball, known for characters like Marius and Raul looks more physically capable and mentally willing to murder than any other Sweeney... he's just great
I love the look on her face when she says "Locksmith?!" Her expression is just screaming "all right, you've had your fun, now rhyme this, you jackass!"
In the original production, she was known as Ms. Amelia Lovett. But, I'm talking around 1978/79 or so. Somewhere in my storage, I still have a copy of the original script.
I like how Michael's eyes widen when he realises what Imelda is going on about :) They were brilliant together and whoever chose them to play the main characters was a genius :D
Damn, their chemistry is amazing. And it actually makes sense, not like sizzling sexual tension or real love like so many actors play it. They're not in love and they're not in lust, lol that's just not how it's written. Their dynamic is perfect.
@@ordinaryshiba bold to think that marriage = love and not security, propriety, ownership and all of the things Mrs. Lovette sings about in the song....
@@princezzpuffypants6287 Last song of the musical: Because I love you I'd be twice the wife she was I love you Could that thing have cared for you like me?
Whoa, that hit like a train. With other pairings I've seen they tend to keep this song whimsical and tongue-in-cheek. Playing it straight and downright psychopathic (letting the wordplays do its own magic) makes this performance sound more on the unnerving side.
This clip doesn't do justice to the chemistry they had on stage, those complaining about Ball's performance it's fair enough to say from this but on stage it translates very differently and when I saw this version live they both sent shivers down my spine they were really amazing and I think this version makes them look unprofessional compared to how amazing they were live. It might be the fact that when acting in front of cameras you have to underplay everything and they are acting as if they are on stage in this so it comes across differently. Trust me, when you're in the audience it's much more subtle and atmospheric than you might be feeling from this.
To anyone who doesn't understand it's a staged performance, then I pity them. The essence of the whole thing isn't lost on me. Having been a huge fan of Michael Ball's since Les Miz back in the 80s, this video cements my reasons for falling for him to begin with. Couple that with the exquisiteness of Sondheim add in there Imelda Staunton and you've got pure brilliance. If someone watches this and can't see that it's their loss. It takes nothing away from the theatricality.
Honestly, that's one line that differs between all the famous actors who play as Mrs. Lovett. How they deliver that line defines their character's personality and how they make it their own. Here, Imelda plays off far more impatient but cunning all the same.
0:26 that expression from michael ball was perfect, as if he was actually realising something, and not just that, you can see the glee and insanity in his eyes at the same moment, and the happiness and pride he feels for mrs lovetts' idea, as if he was actually in love with her and they were an evil couple working together, it's so good. He manages to look so much like an actual insane monster of a man throughout the production
Yes, exactly! It is a reaction with such perfect energy, that for me, it leads against George Hearn's surprised exclamation in his run, which before I saw this was my vote for best
You're right, this was filmed without an audience otherwise all our crew would have bene getting in the way of their view! Had the luck of also seeing this production twice and it is one of the best productions I've seen in the West End!
Sam Palmer where can I get a full version of this? Sweeney Todd is one of my favorite musicals, since I first saw it at eight. I am acquiring a literary drama class, and I might teach the penny dreadful with this play.
7 years late but thanks so much for filming this, I saw it live and have been dying to relive it ever since! Did you film the whole show or only certain songs?
Michael Ball has such a remarkable ability to transform himself. Some actors you change the hair and they're the same, he changes his demeanor and everything to become unrecognizable. Amazing.
such a creative take on the character, I think Imelda Staunton, Angela Lansbury, Judy Kate, Patti LuPone, and Helena B.C., has such different and cool ways of portraying the character
I totally agree, this is such a sinister, practical version of Mrs. Lovett. Not necessarily better than Angela Lansbury's version, but it reveals different aspects and choices for this character. And it fits with the directing choice of this version of Sweeney Todd.
Mari Nuckols Sondheim has a dark sense of humor he wanted people to laugh at this song so don't feel bad :) he also wanted to scare people in theater too! So Sweeney is very fun but frightening as well! One of my favorites from him!
The finale basically says that we're all like Sweeney, although most of us wouldn't go as far as mass-murder and cannibalism. Just that we're all vengeful. One of the reasons this song is here - besides providing a showstopping first-act finale - is to get the audience laughing along with Todd & Mrs Lovett, so that when that point is made, at the end of the show, it really hits home.
I didn't know Imelda Staunton could sing. I've always known that she's a great actress, but this is the first time I heard her sing. She's also able to hold her own against Michael Ball, who has one of the most beautiful and powerful voices I've heard.
She is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and has an impressive resume in musical theater. She won an Olivier Award (Britain's version of the Tonys) in 1990 for her role as the Baker's Wife in the London production of Into The Woods.
That's like the most basiv requirements for a lot of actors in Britain, especially in London. They almost always start in the West End and even if they get more famous, they always go back to the theater to polish their acting or singing skills.
@@scorpioninpink That's what I like about British actors. Most of them are great. They're in the business not just for fame and money, but also for their passion in performing.
At first, I didn't like this duo. Not as stylized as the Depp version and not as entertaining as LuPone, but these guys are terrifying, like an actual couple that would actually bury people in their basement. They aren't exactly fun, or even insane, but pure evil, which makes them a grisly and unnerving pair of protagonist villains.
I actually like them the most. I think LuPone was too sleek and jokey, and I like both Angela Lansbury's borderline crazy version, and the understated and sad Bonham Carter interpretation, but Imelda's bawdy fishwife cuts it for me, as well. I do contend Ball is more psychopathic than any other Todd I've seen, although it seems kind of congruent with the original, Len Cariou.
I saw this production at the Adelphi Theatre. The most unnerving thing was that Michael Ball had played sweet, innocent Marius in "Les Miserables", and here he was, playing this vicious murderer. Who had dimples when he smiled.
I was lucky enough to be in London while this was running and enjoyed it immensely. Ball and Staunton are AMAZING live and simply perfect in these roles. Loved it!
Oh...Umbridge is definitely lawful evil and baking people into pies is definitely against the law, so no, I don't think she would...but if it was legal, then she'd definitely do it.
I watched and listened to every version of this song being preformed that I could find. And I must say, these performers are by far the best I have seen. Their costume, the setting design, the enunciation, the harmonizing , and their voices. All incredible. And beyond their singing, their facial expressions were spot on !
I'm new to the musical and have been listening to different versions in a flurry, this is almost certainly my favourite! I love that they're both played as human beings having real fun with the song, while the singing is wonderful vocally and clear on every word.
Except they're not having fun with the song. They're playing it as if they are literally talking about what kind of meat pie a priest would make. The whole point is that they're making jokes, not being literal. This was the same problem that the film version had. Lansbury and Cariou/Hearn got it right.
I agree they are both way to serious through the whole song. Love how lansbury had so much fun in this number. It's just an artist choice tho i can see how people would like this as well.
ngl they’re my favourite lovett and todd actors. they seem terrifying and also trustworthy at the same time, which is exactly what lovett and todd are supposed to be
What a treat to see this.Thanks. I saw this production twice. People who are making unfavourable comparisons to the film can't have seen the whole thing. Michael Ball was brilliant. No one else can be Sweeney Todd for me not even Johnny Depp ( one of my fave actors). He was full of menace and was unrecognisable in the role and hes a proper singer. This was obviously filmed without an audience present they laughed plenty when it was playing & Imelda provided most of the humour.
The problem with the movie is it's tonally too bleak, where as this plays up the derangedness of nearly everyone. The play is Chucky and Tiffany to the movie's Joker and Harley
Patti is one of my favorites, but this one is warming me up because of how... natural they sound. They’re just casual chit chatting away about mass murder, and the delivery of jokes sounds like something you’d sound with your friends while drinking a beer.
Sebastian Lockwood there is one. It’s extremely rare though. It was shot from a stationary camera. I bought a copy before they stopped making them. It’s awesome.
Honestly, their enunciation, timing as well as whoever is in charge of the mics and sound did an EXCELLENT job. This is the first time I've understood and heard every word, even without lyrics on screen
To this day, still my favorite rendition of this song. A genuinely incredible and terrifying pair-up, totally sells the lunacy of the characters. Bravo!
I adore Sweeney Todd in just about all its forms, and this duo is really different and unique. I love how SCARY they are. They feel less ridiculous and more just unhinged than a lot of the takes on these roles usually feel.
2 astonishingly brilliant performances in a fantastic production. We all knew Michael Ball can sing and play the charming hero but here he is superbly cast against type and his pairing with Imelda Staunton is perfect. Their singing is the most tuneful of any pair, their diction impeccable with not an ounce of meaning lost, it's almost as if, despite the rhyme and music, it's a natural conversation - albeit between 2 very disturbed people descending into psychopathy.
Saw the original West End show back in 1980 with Dennis Quilley and Sheila Hancock. I was absolutely blown away by it. But I think it only ran for a few months. British audiences weren’t ready for the very dark undertones which was revolutionary for musical theatre at the time. I’ve never seen this performance before and I’m super impressed with both Ball and Staunton. Bravo!!!
This was the most amazing experience at the West End! I feel so proud that I got to see this production and both Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball were superb! I was spellbound from start to finish! I really wish the whole cast would consider putting this on blu-ray. They were all excellent. The set was fascinating with its style and how the space was used. I wanted to see the show over and over again. Everyone involved should be so pleased with the end result. Theatre at it's best
I love this so much I would die and be baked into a pie for a full recording Michael Ball has the fucking CRAZIEST of crazy eyes good lord Imelda Staunton my beloved, god she pulls this off so well
I didnt even recognise Micheal when he came on stage lol. His performance was absolutely chilling. Absolutely crazy and unhinged. Imelda has a wicked evil streak in her portrayal of Mrs Lovett and I love it.
In her acceptance speech for winning the Oliver for Gypsy in 2016, she said Sondheim had been her "champion for the last few years" and that "Sondheim is the Shakespeare of Musical Theatre and I got to sing his speeches every night. That sorta makes you better." She performed in Gypsy 8 shows a week for 8 months and never missed a performance.
Kat Hall or came TO Sweeney Todd. Imelda came from HP to do Mrs Lovett and I'm rather impressed!! Who knew she could sing! Rickman and the guy who played Pettigrew were in HP first and headed to Sweeney when they made the movie!
I have to say, I have heard a lot of versions of this song, and this might be my favorite. Their voices blend extremely well on the harmonies. Love Michael Ball as Sweeny...
So brilliantly underdone that it really allows the comedy in the lyrics to come out. This version seems to combine the darkness of the Lupone version with the eccentricity of the Lansbury version. It is rapidly becoming my favourite.
I would love to see more of Michael Ball & Imelda Staunton in Sweeney Todd. I've seen the show live but never saw Ball & Staunton in these roles before. The 2 vids posted have me wanting more. God that's good!
Of all of the actors I've seen play Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett, these are the two that honest-to-god feel like serial killers. There's a gleeful intensity that you seldom see in other performances.
This was the best production of "Sweeney Todd" I've ever seen, including the original.
💯🎯💯
Imelda Staunton can pull off the most disturbing, psychotic characters while being a genuinely sweet and lovely woman. Brilliant actress.
was thinking the same- the others are so charismatic they make you almost side with them. But these two are terrifying!
Agreed
I can 100% believe these two would bake people into pies.
They portray the psychopathic side exceptionally well.
Imelda plays her parts well.
Oh, my god. What fantastic diction - I caught every single word.
Adam Efimoff yeah, no. Absolutely not. I’ve leaned forward in more theatre productions than I can count. This is them lip syncing to very closely mic’ed pre recorded recording. I know that for a fact.
That being said, their recording of the final scene is my absolute favorite.
Adam Efimoff yeah that’s all well and good. I was just saying I’ve been to theatre productions where I’ve had to lean in because a person was mumbling. I’m also an actor. And I’ll tell you what’s pretentious and silly: listing that amount of plays. Come on.
@@MattWeisherComposer they still did it in the recording better than most of the others. The others are epic still though. soooo I still say its epic although I'd like to see it without the lip sync.
@@MattWeisherComposer They are not lipsynching. The original poster cut together shoots from different nights to get coverage, but used a single sound recording from the performances (which is better for audio quality); since each performance is slightly different, the video at times gives the impression of lipsynching because movement will not match audio exactly.
I love the delivery of "Locksmith?“ it's like" ok, you had your fun, now stop being a smartass"
It absolutely kills me every time
'Ugh,'
Michael Ball as Sweeney Todd proves that a haircut literally changes your whole appearance.
It's a wig. But yes.
Holy shit I didn't realise it was him
Marius ?
@@cumfreyjones5487 yes
Cumfrey Jones what ? 😂😭
Michael Ball is the only version of Sweeney that I'm viscerally afraid of when he's doing absolutely no murdering
There brilliant 😂
Right? Adorable little Michael Ball, known for characters like Marius and Raul looks more physically capable and mentally willing to murder than any other Sweeney... he's just great
I know scared the shit out of me
I mean, he's built like a brick house! He looks like he could easily kill you with his bare hands but prefers the razor because it's cleaner
I love the look on her face when she says "Locksmith?!" Her expression is just screaming "all right, you've had your fun, now rhyme this, you jackass!"
😩💀🤣
It is funny
Locksmith?
I’ll take it
The way she sing it is easier to understand. It's very clear
I love how Imelda and Micheal made the characters their own. It's amazing how all the Sweeneys and Nellies are different!
Omg I didnt realise her name was Nellie. I've always wondered what her first name was.
In the original production, she was known as Ms. Amelia Lovett. But, I'm talking around 1978/79 or so. Somewhere in my storage, I still have a copy of the original script.
I like how Michael's eyes widen when he realises what Imelda is going on about :) They were brilliant together and whoever chose them to play the main characters was a genius :D
Agreed we need another westend revival
I believe Michael personally chose Imelda.
Damn, their chemistry is amazing. And it actually makes sense, not like sizzling sexual tension or real love like so many actors play it. They're not in love and they're not in lust, lol that's just not how it's written. Their dynamic is perfect.
S yeah you can see it differs from the film version for instance
Bro, she literally dreams about marrying him in By the sea
@@ordinaryshiba bold to think that marriage = love and not security, propriety, ownership and all of the things Mrs. Lovette sings about in the song....
@@princezzpuffypants6287 Last song of the musical:
Because I love you
I'd be twice the wife she was
I love you
Could that thing have cared for you like me?
💣💣💣
Whoa, that hit like a train.
With other pairings I've seen they tend to keep this song whimsical and tongue-in-cheek.
Playing it straight and downright psychopathic (letting the wordplays do its own magic) makes this performance sound more on the unnerving side.
This clip doesn't do justice to the chemistry they had on stage, those complaining about Ball's performance it's fair enough to say from this but on stage it translates very differently and when I saw this version live they both sent shivers down my spine they were really amazing and I think this version makes them look unprofessional compared to how amazing they were live. It might be the fact that when acting in front of cameras you have to underplay everything and they are acting as if they are on stage in this so it comes across differently. Trust me, when you're in the audience it's much more subtle and atmospheric than you might be feeling from this.
They are also lip-syncing which certainly is not Ball's normal style. As well, there are so many continuity errors.
dohaperson1 They didn't lipsync. They filmed it twice and edited, instead of filming with two cameras.
There is no way they are singing live.
To anyone who doesn't understand it's a staged performance, then I pity them. The essence of the whole thing isn't lost on me. Having been a huge fan of Michael Ball's since Les Miz back in the 80s, this video cements my reasons for falling for him to begin with. Couple that with the exquisiteness of Sondheim add in there Imelda Staunton and you've got pure brilliance. If someone watches this and can't see that it's their loss. It takes nothing away from the theatricality.
something about the way they laugh together is so believable
"As a gift. If you get my drift..." She has the expression of "Would you figure it out already?!"
"...No?" :p
Honestly, that's one line that differs between all the famous actors who play as Mrs. Lovett. How they deliver that line defines their character's personality and how they make it their own. Here, Imelda plays off far more impatient but cunning all the same.
@@Polomance862 yeah Bonham carter version,was lusting for todd
0:26 that expression from michael ball was perfect, as if he was actually realising something, and not just that, you can see the glee and insanity in his eyes at the same moment, and the happiness and pride he feels for mrs lovetts' idea, as if he was actually in love with her and they were an evil couple working together, it's so good. He manages to look so much like an actual insane monster of a man throughout the production
Yes, exactly! It is a reaction with such perfect energy, that for me, it leads against George Hearn's surprised exclamation in his run, which before I saw this was my vote for best
You're right, this was filmed without an audience otherwise all our crew would have bene getting in the way of their view! Had the luck of also seeing this production twice and it is one of the best productions I've seen in the West End!
Sam Palmer where can I get a full version of this? Sweeney Todd is one of my favorite musicals, since I first saw it at eight. I am acquiring a literary drama class, and I might teach the penny dreadful with this play.
Michael Ball xxx
7 years late but thanks so much for filming this, I saw it live and have been dying to relive it ever since! Did you film the whole show or only certain songs?
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Where do I get a copy!
Michael Ball has such a remarkable ability to transform himself. Some actors you change the hair and they're the same, he changes his demeanor and everything to become unrecognizable. Amazing.
Imelda is so damn talented....
Imelda crushed it- really sold the light-hearted jokes that this song was supposed to be about.
Well, of course you're light-hearted. It's necessary to, sir, remove your giblets before we, um, cook you.
@@thedabara2477 it is with a heavy heart that i must inform you that we only have offal left
such a creative take on the character, I think Imelda Staunton, Angela Lansbury, Judy Kate, Patti LuPone, and Helena B.C., has such different and cool ways of portraying the character
I totally agree, this is such a sinister, practical version of Mrs. Lovett. Not necessarily better than Angela Lansbury's version, but it reveals different aspects and choices for this character. And it fits with the directing choice of this version of Sweeney Todd.
LuPone is cold and calculating, Lansbury is insane, and Bonham-Carter is focused on profit. Staunton, though, is just flat out evil.
I just watched the full production, here, with Emma Thompson as Mrs Lovett.
🎬✨🎯
im laughing my self to death and then i realized i must be a bad person. they are talking about eating people and i love every lyric
Mari Nuckols Sondheim has a dark sense of humor he wanted people to laugh at this song so don't feel bad :) he also wanted to scare people in theater too! So Sweeney is very fun but frightening as well! One of my favorites from him!
It’s man devouring man my dear, and who are we to deny it in here.
@@robyn5434 these are desperate times Mrs Lovett and desperate measures must be taken
The finale basically says that we're all like Sweeney, although most of us wouldn't go as far as mass-murder and cannibalism. Just that we're all vengeful. One of the reasons this song is here - besides providing a showstopping first-act finale - is to get the audience laughing along with Todd & Mrs Lovett, so that when that point is made, at the end of the show, it really hits home.
Not eating but murdering and then baking into pies amd feeding them. To others
Who let Umbridge have a pie shop
Who wouldn't? It's better than letting her teach or hold office.
SHE SHOULD BE IN AZKABAN
“Potter?”
😐
this is where all the “half-breeds” went missing to
that where the child got sent if she really hated them
I didn't know Imelda Staunton could sing. I've always known that she's a great actress, but this is the first time I heard her sing. She's also able to hold her own against Michael Ball, who has one of the most beautiful and powerful voices I've heard.
You really need to see the video of her performing in Gypsy then, it's available on dvd!
She is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and has an impressive resume in musical theater. She won an Olivier Award (Britain's version of the Tonys) in 1990 for her role as the Baker's Wife in the London production of Into The Woods.
@@TechBearSeattle love the fact that ITW produced two Best Actress winners across both sides of the pond tbh
That's like the most basiv requirements for a lot of actors in Britain, especially in London. They almost always start in the West End and even if they get more famous, they always go back to the theater to polish their acting or singing skills.
@@scorpioninpink That's what I like about British actors. Most of them are great. They're in the business not just for fame and money, but also for their passion in performing.
I absolutely love this version. What a clear voice Mrs. Lovett has!
At first, I didn't like this duo. Not as stylized as the Depp version and not as entertaining as LuPone, but these guys are terrifying, like an actual couple that would actually bury people in their basement. They aren't exactly fun, or even insane, but pure evil, which makes them a grisly and unnerving pair of protagonist villains.
I actually like them the most. I think LuPone was too sleek and jokey, and I like both Angela Lansbury's borderline crazy version, and the understated and sad Bonham Carter interpretation, but Imelda's bawdy fishwife cuts it for me, as well. I do contend Ball is more psychopathic than any other Todd I've seen, although it seems kind of congruent with the original, Len Cariou.
Agreed, extra gritty.
Wow This is the perfect description😲 Now I get it.
Konner Dent and just Ball has the greatest voice
Konner Dent totally agree
Imelda Staunton was mesmerizing, ferocious, an absolute lioness. There aren't enough words to describe how brilliant she was in this role.
True testament to her talent.
I saw this production at the Adelphi Theatre. The most unnerving thing was that Michael Ball had played sweet, innocent Marius in "Les Miserables", and here he was, playing this vicious murderer. Who had dimples when he smiled.
“try the friar, fried, it’s drier” is sung so well! definitely my favorite part of this performance
This really gets the menace and depravity of the moment. They're just so dang scary. Love it. Imelda is a wonder.
It is a crime that no DVD of this was made, the best production ever and no DVD, what a lose!
I was lucky enough to be in London while this was running and enjoyed it immensely. Ball and Staunton are AMAZING live and simply perfect in these roles. Loved it!
You really were! One of the best performances of this song I've seen.
that 'oh' from michael was perfection
3:40 Gasp! She said "Potter"!
Umbridge killed Harry and baked him into a pie!
I could totally imagine Umbridge baking students in pies, seems exactly like something she'd do.
+Michaela Albury Honestly, that wouldn't surprise me.^^
Michaela Albury The Potter reference is awesome!!! :)
Michaela Albury I'm guessing he told her too many lies Lol
Oh...Umbridge is definitely lawful evil and baking people into pies is definitely against the law, so no, I don't think she would...but if it was legal, then she'd definitely do it.
I watched and listened to every version of this song being preformed that I could find. And I must say, these performers are by far the best I have seen. Their costume, the setting design, the enunciation, the harmonizing , and their voices. All incredible. And beyond their singing, their facial expressions were spot on !
Their voices are absolutely fantastic!!!!
Michael Ball’s Sweeney doesn’t even need the razor. He looks like he could just crush you with his bare hands lol
"How gratifying for once to know / that those above will serve those down below..."
Two unlikely castings. Absolutely perfect. Neither in character they've done before. Stunning.
Darn it. Two years too late. I would have loved to see the entire performance. This is incredible.
I'm new to the musical and have been listening to different versions in a flurry, this is almost certainly my favourite!
I love that they're both played as human beings having real fun with the song, while the singing is wonderful vocally and clear on every word.
Except they're not having fun with the song. They're playing it as if they are literally talking about what kind of meat pie a priest would make. The whole point is that they're making jokes, not being literal. This was the same problem that the film version had. Lansbury and Cariou/Hearn got it right.
I agree they are both way to serious through the whole song. Love how lansbury had so much fun in this number. It's just an artist choice tho i can see how people would like this as well.
And the way Staunton says "with or without his privates? With is extra," so deadpan makes that joke funnier.
After watching this several times I have to say this is the Best sung version of this song. Outstanding enunciation and characterization.
You should get the cast album - the cast's articulation and vocal coaching is so concise that it's like hearing those songs for the first time.
I find these two so adorable
Their enunciation is astonishing, so much more understandable
ngl they’re my favourite lovett and todd actors. they seem terrifying and also trustworthy at the same time, which is exactly what lovett and todd are supposed to be
LOCKSMITH!! One of the most underrated jokes in history.
What a treat to see this.Thanks. I saw this production twice. People who are making unfavourable comparisons to the film can't have seen the whole thing. Michael Ball was brilliant. No one else can be Sweeney Todd for me not even Johnny Depp ( one of my fave actors). He was full of menace and was unrecognisable in the role and hes a proper singer. This was obviously filmed without an audience present they laughed plenty when it was playing & Imelda provided most of the humour.
The problem with the movie is it's tonally too bleak, where as this plays up the derangedness of nearly everyone. The play is Chucky and Tiffany to the movie's Joker and Harley
90% of comments: jokes about umbridge
10%: compliments
no wonder they won the oliviers! Michael Ball's almost unrecogniseable!!
Patti is one of my favorites, but this one is warming me up because of how... natural they sound.
They’re just casual chit chatting away about mass murder, and the delivery of jokes sounds like something you’d sound with your friends while drinking a beer.
Shepherds Pie with actual shepherd.
This is honestly the funniest thing I’ve seen today
oh please please we need a dvd
Sebastian Lockwood there is one. It’s extremely rare though. It was shot from a stationary camera. I bought a copy before they stopped making them. It’s awesome.
Jack Hubbard Any chance you could rip it and upload to Google drive or something? Having no luck finding this dvd.
@@LazyHubbStudios plssss
@@Tony.H03 someone ripped the dvd before i did, and now it's on youtube now
@@LazyHubbStudios WHERE
This is by FAR the best performance by Michael Ball I've ever seen. He and Ms. Staunton are fantastic here.
Honestly, their enunciation, timing as well as whoever is in charge of the mics and sound did an EXCELLENT job. This is the first time I've understood and heard every word, even without lyrics on screen
It was prerecorded, that's why it sounds so clear. Their mouths are out of sync with their voices numerous times throughout the whole video.
I understood every word! How refreshing. I know it’s slower, but their diction skills are amazing. They really rely on their consonants.
To this day, still my favorite rendition of this song. A genuinely incredible and terrifying pair-up, totally sells the lunacy of the characters. Bravo!
I adore Sweeney Todd in just about all its forms, and this duo is really different and unique. I love how SCARY they are. They feel less ridiculous and more just unhinged than a lot of the takes on these roles usually feel.
This is the most coherent version I’ve heard. ALSO so nice to see Michael ball. He’s so handsome and gah I just love him!
Man i wish there was a full DVD with Michael and Imelda. They're amazing
"Potter?"
GOD UMBRIDGE, YOU KILLED HIM??
This casting is literally _perfection._
It's actually chilling how *lighthearted* this song is...until you realize what they're really singing about...
I think it’s pretty obvious
I was lucky enough to see these two in London. Fantastic is an understatement.
I envy you seeing this. But am happy for anyone to be that lucky.
Wow wow wow!!! I am utterly speechless!!! Had to keep telling myself that this is Michael Ball. Totally loved this!!!
Oliviers awards well deserved!!!!!
2 astonishingly brilliant performances in a fantastic production. We all knew Michael Ball can sing and play the charming hero but here he is superbly cast against type and his pairing with Imelda Staunton is perfect. Their singing is the most tuneful of any pair, their diction impeccable with not an ounce of meaning lost, it's almost as if, despite the rhyme and music, it's a natural conversation - albeit between 2 very disturbed people descending into psychopathy.
Saw the original West End show back in 1980 with Dennis Quilley and Sheila Hancock. I was absolutely blown away by it. But I think it only ran for a few months. British audiences weren’t ready for the very dark undertones which was revolutionary for musical theatre at the time. I’ve never seen this performance before and I’m super impressed with both Ball and Staunton. Bravo!!!
This was the most amazing experience at the West End! I feel so proud that I got to see this production and both Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball were superb! I was spellbound from start to finish! I really wish the whole cast would consider putting this on blu-ray. They were all excellent. The set was fascinating with its style and how the space was used. I wanted to see the show over and over again. Everyone involved should be so pleased with the end result. Theatre at it's best
I love this so much I would die and be baked into a pie for a full recording
Michael Ball has the fucking CRAZIEST of crazy eyes good lord
Imelda Staunton my beloved, god she pulls this off so well
I didnt even recognise Micheal when he came on stage lol. His performance was absolutely chilling. Absolutely crazy and unhinged. Imelda has a wicked evil streak in her portrayal of Mrs Lovett and I love it.
I love, love, love Micheal Ball!!
Imelda has a way with Sondheim. She is simply superb singing his lyrics no matter what the role.
In her acceptance speech for winning the Oliver for Gypsy in 2016, she said Sondheim had been her "champion for the last few years" and that "Sondheim is the Shakespeare of Musical Theatre and I got to sing his speeches every night. That sorta makes you better." She performed in Gypsy 8 shows a week for 8 months and never missed a performance.
Such a phenomenal production. Deserved a much longer life than it received.
the BEST duo for these roles
I love how I’m jamming out to this while they talk about literally eating people
The way she says Potter is iconic
Imelda is an icon! Such a killer actress 👏 🥰
Michael Ball looks so different here unbelievable
Saw this in London back in 2012. It was fantastic! I'd only seen the movie version before, and this was honestly much better.
Basically half the cast of Harry Potter came from Sweeney Todd
Kat Hall or came TO Sweeney Todd. Imelda came from HP to do Mrs Lovett and I'm rather impressed!! Who knew she could sing! Rickman and the guy who played Pettigrew were in HP first and headed to Sweeney when they made the movie!
Bellatrix, Snape and Pettigrew were all I could remember from the movie
Also professor Trelawney
There isn't a very big pool of British actors of renown, so they're all kinda recycled on stage, Harry Potter, and Doctor Who.
Also the one who plays Anthony in the movie plays the portrait of Grindelwald in Deathly Hallows part 1
She makes this so original, so much her own that you can't take your eyes off of her waiting to see where she goes with it. Impressive.
Nothing has ever made me want to see Sweeny Todd until this clip. That's Michael Power!
I have to say, I have heard a lot of versions of this song, and this might be my favorite. Their voices blend extremely well on the harmonies. Love Michael Ball as Sweeny...
i just love imelda staunton. and michael ball.
So brilliantly underdone that it really allows the comedy in the lyrics to come out. This version seems to combine the darkness of the Lupone version with the eccentricity of the Lansbury version. It is rapidly becoming my favourite.
These are seriously the best duo I've ever seen do this and in been absorbed in this play since I got the album over 25 years ago. Just wonderful!
This has just made my year! I constantly play this soundtrack I’m gutted I never got to see it.
I honestly perfect this prefer performance, because they nailed down the crazed casualty of what I think this would be. Best I've seen 👌
Thank you so much. I've been dying to see some sort of footage of Imelda and Michael. This is fantastic!!
Love it! Imelda nailed it!
I just... I can't see that as Michael Ball. Such a change!
This song is so long, yet it entertains all the way through, I love it!
Ooh....ooooooh I think this is my favorite Sweeney & Lovett duo!!! His face when he "gets it" is * chef's kiss*
I would love to see more of Michael Ball & Imelda Staunton in Sweeney Todd.
I've seen the show live but never saw Ball & Staunton in these roles before.
The 2 vids posted have me wanting more. God that's good!
-Potter?
-Something... hotter
Malfoy, perhaps?
SCREAM
I think my girlfriend liked this so hi
Thank you
You're welcome, dudes
are you russian?
Imelda is so multi-talented!
The diction is amazing. And these people seem...real.
You can really feel them sharing in the insanity in the version, I like the atmosphere they create very much
I love these two together.
that bassoon sounds NICE
Miss Staunton may be my favorite Mrs. Lovett.
A veritable master class here.