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Post by Someone in a tree on Apr 9, 2020 9:18:55 GMT
Lovingly ripped off from Top Shakespeare production in the Play section
1.Merrily @ Donmar. I started crying in the opening scene and didn't really stop.
2.Sunday @ MCF & Wendy's End. Blubbed all the way through it.
3.Comapny John Doyle, Broadway. Really stylish and fun and then Raul Esparza started to play the piano.
4.Into the woods @ MCF. Genius production that was so moving.
5.Passion @ Chatalet. It made perfect sense to me and sounded amazing.
6.A little Night Music @ NT. Breathtaking.
7.Into the woods @ Open Air. The child narator was genius idea and it was so well cast.
8.Sweeney. The Bridewell's promenade production in 2000 was terrifyingly brilliant
9.Sweeney @ Opera North 2002 was everything a large Sweeney should be and it sounded amazing
10.Sweeney @ Trafalgar Studios. A, brilliant and clever take and I have loved Doyle's work ever since.
Noticeable nods
Sunday @ Chatalet. Worth it for Sophie Louise Dann, a big orchestra and the wonderfully revised orchestrations.
Forum, Theatre Royal York 2000
Plus Assassins at MCF and Watermill.
I'm still waiting for a really good Pacific Overtures, Frogs and Follies.
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8,103 posts
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Post by alece10 on Apr 9, 2020 10:11:40 GMT
Good topic. I'll have a proper think over the weekend and try to pick my favourites. So many though over the 40 odd years I've been interested in Sondheim.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Apr 9, 2020 10:58:51 GMT
Hmm, I wonder what mine could be...
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324 posts
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Post by barrowside on Apr 9, 2020 11:07:43 GMT
For me:
1. Sunday in the Park with George, Menier at Wyndhams
2. Follies, NT
3. Sweeney Todd, Gate Theatre Dublin
4. Passion, Donmar
5. A Little Night Music, NT
6. Company, Sheffield Crucible
7. Company, Gielgud
8. Merrily We Roll Along, Menier
9. Assassins, Gate Theatre Dublin
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324 posts
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Post by barrowside on Apr 9, 2020 11:09:02 GMT
For me:
1. Sunday in the Park with George, Menier at Wyndhams
2. Follies, NT
3. Sweeney Todd, Gate Theatre Dublin
4. Passion, Donmar
5. A Little Night Music, NT
6. Company, Sheffield Crucible
7. Company, Gielgud
8. Merrily We Roll Along, Menier
9. Assassins, Gate Theatre Dublin
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Post by crabtree on Apr 9, 2020 12:00:17 GMT
the best Pacific Overtures was the uK premiere at the Wythenshawe forum all those decades ago. we sat there, in a theatre in the middle of what was then a grim housing estate, and our jaws hit the floor. Astonishing.
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4,961 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Apr 9, 2020 12:09:57 GMT
For me: 1. Sunday in the Park with George, Menier at Wyndhams 2. Follies, NT 3. Sweeney Todd, Gate Theatre Dublin 4. Passion, Donmar 5. A Little Night Music, NT 6. Company, Sheffield Crucible 7. Company, Gielgud 8. Merrily We Roll Along, Menier 9. Assassins, Gate Theatre Dublin Looks like I need to get to the Gate Theatre! |
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Post by Mr Crummles on Apr 9, 2020 12:37:46 GMT
Merrily We Roll Along, Menier Chocolate Factory
Sweeney Todd, Gate Theatre Dublin
Sunday in the Park with George, MCF at Wyndhams
Passion, Donmar
Company, Gielgud
Into the Woods, Open Air Theatre
Gypsy, Chichester
A Little Night Music, Menier Chocolate Factory
Sweeny Todd, Trafalgar
Assassins, Menier Chocolate Factory
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362 posts
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Post by JJShaw on Apr 9, 2020 13:22:46 GMT
Wish I'd been able to see more Sondheim, who doesn't?!
Most have already been mentioned and I agree with but I wanted to give a shout out to Road Show and Anyone Can Whistle at the Union; the latter being so enjoyable for me that it creeped into my top 5/10 shows!
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4,961 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Apr 9, 2020 13:53:44 GMT
Wish I'd been able to see more Sondheim, who doesn't?! Most have already been mentioned and I agree with but I wanted to give a shout out to Road Show and Anyone Can Whistle at the Union; the latter being so enjoyable for me that it creeped into my top 5/10 shows! I LOVED the Unions Road Show. Seemed more clear compared the MCF version. The best whistle I think I've seen was at Jermyn St |
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Post by David J on Apr 9, 2020 14:22:29 GMT
- Company (West End, 2018)
- Into the Woods (Regents Park Open Air Theatre, 2010)
- Sweeney Todd (Twickenham Theatre, 2014)
- Gypsy (Chichester/West End, 2014-5)
- Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory, 2014)
- Sweeney Todd (ENO, 2015)
- Merrily We Roll Along (Menier Chocolate Factory, 2013)
- Follies (NT Live, 2017)
- Sunday in the Park with George (Théâtre du Châtelet, 2013)
- Sweeney Todd (Chichester/West End, 2011-2)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2020 15:34:31 GMT
8.Sweeney. The Bridewell's promenade production in 2000 was terrifyingly brilliant This was the first promenade production i ever went to and I didn't really know what i was letting myself in for. At one point i didn't notice the Beggar Woman appear just beside me and scared the life out of me by screaming 'Alms, Alms' I havent been to anything remotely similar since. I prefer to keep the actors on stage where i can see them. |
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Post by alece10 on Apr 9, 2020 15:55:39 GMT
So here are my top 10. Very difficult choice for me as I love Sondheim and have seen many productions of several of the shows, but I have picked the ones that had something special about them.
1. Sweeney Todd NT - this was my very first Sondheim when I moved to London and the first time I saw Julia McKenzie.
2. Into The Woods Donmar - I think this was my first visit to The Donmar and had a young Sheridan Smith in it.
3. Follies Shaftsbury - purely for the cast. Went a few times and there were a couple of cast changes. It comes in at No 3 because I got to see the legend that was Eartha Kitt.
4. Merrily we Roll Along Menier - worked so well in a small space.
5. Gypsy Chichester - Tour de force from Ms Staunton.
6. Road Show Menier - lesser known Sondheim but some great songs and Jon Robyns in a white suit.
7. Assassins Menier - Odd production but a chance to see Aaron Tveit and Simon Lipkin up close and chat to Jamie Parker before the audience were let in. I also had to stand on a piece of wood over a puddle of mud to check peoples tickets as they entered without falling into it!
8. Sunday in the Park with George Palace Theatre - this was actually a concert performance conducted by Alex Parker but it was absolutely fantastic with an amazing cast and orchestra.
9. Side by Side Greenwich Theatre - Each week they had a guest narrator and I went to see it with Dawn French who, I swear, just made it up as she went along.
10. Company (now the Sondheim theatre) - This was a 10th Anniversary concert version of the Donmar production with the original Donmar cast.
And I have to give a special award to Company west end with Ms LuPone, Jonathan Bailey and Mr Fleeshman. Those blue Y Fronts will forever be embedded in my memory.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Apr 9, 2020 16:05:23 GMT
10. Company (now the Sondheim theatre) - This was a 10th Anniversary concert version of the Donmar production with the original Donmar cast. And Haydn Gwynne stepping in gloriously for Sheila Gish! |
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Post by sf on Apr 10, 2020 22:49:46 GMT
OK then. In no particular order...
Follies - NT, 2019
Merrily We Roll Along - Leicester Haymarket
Merrily We Roll Along - Menier
Assassins - Donmar
Follies - Shaftesbury (when Julia McKenzie sang Losing My Mind I think I stopped breathing.)
Sweeney Todd - Adelphi
Sunday In The Park With George - NT
Into The Woods - Phoenix
Gypsy - Savoy
Company - Sheffield Crucible
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Post by bordeaux on Apr 15, 2020 16:22:26 GMT
In more or less chronological order:
Into the Woods, dir Jones West End
Assassins, dir Mendes, Donmar
Sweeney Todd, dir Donnellan, Cottesloe NT
Company dir Mendes, Donmar
A Little Night Music dir Matthias, Olivier NT
A Sunday in the Park with George, dir Buntrock Menier
Merrily We Roll Along, dir Friedman Menier
Gypsy, dir Kent, Savoy
Follies, dir Cooke, NT Olivier
Company, dir Elliott West End
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Post by Mr Snow on Apr 20, 2020 21:35:47 GMT
Will try and add a few but...
As my year long attempt to emulate Marie Kondo get rid of anything, continues, I've discovered I have two identical CD copies of Sondheim Sings Volume 1 1962 -72
Happy to brighten someones life in these times. Frist to "out thier hand up" secures.
Please state if you'd like it on here and then send me a PM with your address.
My pleasure.
(PS Hope he's isolated well away form NYC. Good luck Steve)
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Post by ruggerlad on Apr 20, 2020 22:45:42 GMT
Will try and add a few but... As my year long attempt to emulate Marie Kondo get rid of anything, continues, I've discovered I have two identical CD copies of Sondheim Sings Volume 1 1962 -72 Happy to brighten someones life in these times. Frist to "out thier hand up" secures. Please state if you'd like it on here and then send me a PM with your address. My pleasure. (PS Hope he's isolated well away form NYC. Good luck Steve) Yes Please ! |
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