"There's no place like London!"

6/9/09 12:37 PM Just got out of Eucharist at Westminster Abby and Liturgically, it was one of the best serivces I've been to in a long time. I sat in the headmaster's chair behind the choir, since the boys only just moved back in last night. ATBs sung quite lovely. I'm always surprised how strong a real counter-tenor's voice is. Stunning service, can't wait to hear the boys later in the season. It will be hard going back to America after services like this one. Because of swine flu, which is very apparent here still, we were asked not to shakes hands at the peace and only bread was given at Communion, no wine. A bit odd but with an Abby of this size, and of all the visitors worldwide who worship there, it is the smart thing to do.

5:25 PM About to see a procduction of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Standing in Gough Square in front of Dr. Johnshon's House watching the end of a run through of the show. The set is primarily the square itself. They have added a meter high platform with a chair and escape curtain stage right, along with a furnace DSR. Dr. Johnson's house is used as the Judge's home, where Joanna sings from the second story window. Inside, on microphones, are the orchestral members playing through the window. A few movable set pieces added to the world of Sweeney Todd such as Mrs. Lovitt's Kitchen counter, the meat grinder, a few tables for the pie shop, and a piano. Sweeney has a fantastic bellow bass voice. I'm getting rather excited for the performance now that I have seen a bit of a preview.

6:00PM Half Hour until curtain. Most of the cast is in costume. The half hour call was just called and the cast is checking their props. The costumes are rather extravagant. Aside from the feux brick on the platform, with the costumes, it is like I have stepped back in time with Dr. Johnson's house in the background of all these well dressed individuals in London town.

8:00PM At Intermission. No one seems to notice that a chap is just sitting on a bench while the rest of the house (paying customers)  were shuffled off to a nearby cafe for 10 minutes I assume. I actually think that the tech staff and cast think I am part of the production, because both have noticed me and acknowledged my presence, but have done nothing about it, even though they have let no one else in. I was even just asked to help put up a sign that says there will be a gun shot in the second act. The show, visually, is quite good. There is not much stage combat rehearsed. Pirelli seemed to die with the razor no where near his neck and Sweeney gently letting him into a trunk. There are better voices than others...much better. Right now on stage, they are rehearsing the movement of the chair flipping backwards with someone on into the curtain and then rolling out of the trap door under the stage.

8:25PM 10 minutes called, this is a long intermission...

8:33PM 5 minutes called. Someone needs to check the SM's watch...

10:15PM On the bus back from Fleet St. I found out it was a amateur production with some professionals sprinkled in. Overall, it was really well done, especially since a community Theater actually pulled off the hard and dangerous songs of Sondheim as well as the set pieces needed for Mr. Todd's story. Sweeney was really fantastic. I talked to the director after the show who invited me to see the show again on November 22nd in Normansfield. This was a fantastic evening. No, there's no place like London...