sweeneytoddtheforum

[Toru771]

Now that the film version has been out for a while and the US and UK tours are going strong, I thought it was time we started this poll anew! So I included all the options from the old poll, and added a few more choices.

For me, it's a really tough choice -- I loved Len Cariou and George Hearn in the role, and think Michael Cerveris, Denis Quilley, and David Hess had some good qualities as well. But if I had to pick, I'd say either Johnny Depp or the actor I saw in Hawaii's production in 2006, Larry Paxton. Johnny captured a lot of the emotional complexity of the character, and his "Epiphany" was vocally the closest to how I had always imagined the song should be performed.

And Larry Paxton... well, since he's the only one I've gotten to see live, I'm probably a bit biased. But I thought his acting was extremely good and inventive. When I saw him, there was this great bit in the "Johanna" quartet where in the final verse, he's about to slit the final customer's throat, and then the guy's daughter comes up the stairs and Sweeney reluctantly stops himself, making it seem like he's just getting the last trace of beard instead. Larry made even that bit of camp/humour absolutely believable, even making his voice kind of quaver as he sang "Another bright red day!" So yeah, I've got 2 main favourites to choose between.

[benjaminbarker]

Oh wow! This is almost an impossible choice isn't it? Can I have four? They would be Denis (the first Sweeney I saw on stage), Len (because he's so brilliant on the CD), George (because he is terrifying on the original DVD) and Johnny (because he's probably the best actor of them all and really brings out the character).
I think if I really have to choose one to vote for in the poll, it would be George.
Thanks for re-launching this poll - and please would everyone take the trouble to vote? Let's see how many votes we can get right here!

[VLF]

I voted for Len Cariou. Probably because he was the first Sweeney I heard, to be honest.
If I were to Frankenstein the perfect Sweeney, he would have:
- Cariou's interpretation for most of the songs
- Hearn's interpretation (with Cariou's timing) for 'Epiphany'
- Hearn's interpretation for the line "At last my arm is complete again!" (Or else the perfect Sweeney wouldn't say that line at all.)
- Depp's accent (and looks, or at least his hair)
I know nothing about the other performances listed.

[tonip]

[quote="benjaminbarker"]Oh wow! This is almost an impossible choice isn't it? Can I have four? They would be Denis (the first Sweeney I saw on stage), Len (because he's so brilliant on the CD), George (because he is terrifying on the original DVD) and Johnny (because he's probably the best actor of them all and really brings out the character).
I think if I really [i]have[/i] to choose one to vote for in the poll, it would be George.
Thanks for re-launching this poll - and please would everyone take the trouble to vote? Let's see how many votes we can get right here!
[/quote]

wot he said (though i never saw denis on stage, only have the bbc recording which is my favourite recording overall though i think george is unsurpassed as sweeney in terms of vocal delivery)

but nobody's acted it like depp has

[Toru771]

Thanks for the responses! Hopefully we'll get even more soon.

I thought it was important to have an "Other" option as well... There have been so many different portrayals of Sweeney that I don't think it would be possible to name them all in one poll. Plus, there are new productions cropping up everywhere due to the success of the film and John Doyle's new interpretation. I hear Mark Jacoby (the Judge in the Broadway revival) will soon be playing Sweeney in San Francisco . . . wonder how he'll play the part?

I cast my vote for Johnny, btw... I'm interested to see if anyone picks "Other," though!

[Jeff]

I voted for Johnny Depp, though his and George Hearn's Sweeney are the only ones I've ever seen, really. Or heard. It's close, though. There's things I like about both performances.

[Troxi]

I've only seen clips from the stage version with George Hearn, and I watched the movie, and I have to say that I just loved Johnny Depp's performance. He had that loathesome look about him, and he seemed to fit the character perfectly.

[elizabethjaneforrest]

I think Johnny was awful. Sweeney should have a full, rich, powerful voice, not Johnny's little whiney schtick.

After listening to a number of different soundtracks in order to prepare for our local production, I've found that I really enjoy Michael's voice. It's clearer than Len and George, but still maintains that ominous sense of doom.