Many years ago, In secondary school (UK) I sat in the front row of a touring production in my home town, absolutely spine tingling! The sweeney screamed "You sir, welcome to the grave!" and a huge red spotlight shone on my drama class. One of the ladies screamed. Magic.
The fact that Sweeney can't stay on the same topic (or melody) for more than a minute is a genius way to show that he is fully losing his mind. This isn't some grand plan, this is a crazy person going over the edge.
George Hearn makes Sweeney absolutely terrifying and unhinged, which frankly is my favorite way to watch Sweeney be played but it still leaves me shivering when he’s just screaming inviting people into the chair. He really looks and plays a man scarred and traumatized by life into being this awful creature who knows nothing else but grief, suffering and cruelty. He’s especially apt at switching between the first two My favorite Sweeney portrayal by far
I've seen Sweeney Todd on stage several times, from the original production when Hearn & Dorothy Loudon had replaced Cariou & Lansbury, to Circle in the Square with Bob Gunton, to a production at Lincoln Center, plus other productions , professional & amateur, from all over. George Hearn will always be my favorite Sweeney.
this seems to be the popular opinion, but George Hearn’s Sweeney is the definitive version to me. nobody compares. the level of uneasiness/fear just through the screen tells so much, it must have been incredible in person. he sings the part beautifuly and plays him perfectly unhinged. 10/10
When George does Epiphany, he is PURE RAGE!!! He gives as equal a performance of this in the 2001 "Sweeney Todd In Concert" video.......at about 1:06:14..... th-cam.com/video/85MJ2V4KJK8/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Compa%C3%B1%C3%ADadeTeatroRevoluci%C3%B3n-Arte
George Hearn as Sweeney Todd and Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom...no one else has ever Lost Their Shit on stage as hard as these two dudes in their respective roles. Just full on hysterical screaming at some points. Awesome.
@@DivineVarodChannel I don't think OP was talking about quality of performance, I think they were talking about quantity of shit lost onstage in a role. Both George Hearn and Ramin Karimloo lost ALL THEIR SHIT while playing Todd and the Phantom, respectively.
Hearn is my favorite because he gives a million fucking percent in every scene, I love when stage actors are just like "fuck being even a little bit subtle" and go absolute fucking ape shit every opportunity they get. (No but for real, it makes the emotional bits hit so much harder. He's the only one I've seen so far that literally just _screams_ in horror when he realizes what he's done in the end. (As in the actor is _actually_ screaming and not just implying it)
I MISSED THIS VERSION this is honestly the best version all cause of the "NO! Not one man, no nor TEN men! NOR A HUNDRED!!!" bit like damn that's powerful
For me, it’s the way he says “I WILL HAVE YOU!” He just makes the line feel like it’s personally directed at anyone who hears it, like he’s saying it specifically to me, no matter who he points at for that line. Edit: I tried SEVERAL times to emphasize the word “you” but TH-cam just WOULDN’T LET ME!
Fuck that was good. Not to diss Depp or anything, I still think the movie adaptation is fantastic, but this is completely psychotic! Truly a terrifying version of Sweeney
The movie is good but Johnny Depp just can't match the performances of the musicals. Watching the movie version after this or Michael Bell's version just make it sound so slow and underwhelming.
Well the movie was directed, of course actors in musicals rehearse, but it's way harder to deliver a good performance, after all, you only have one take; i think it would be unfair to compare. I also love the movie, it's amazing.
Depp was the absolute wrong choice for Sweeney in my opinion. He doesn't have the right "oomph" in his voice that some other actors do. I was not impressed with Epiphany honestly when he did it in the film. He is a fabulous singer regardless
i love every single sweeney because they have their own performance of the character for example this version is when he's a lot more angry and really shows his anger and sorrow to the world with for example screaming for people to come and sit so he can kill them and johnny depp shows more of the "i hate my fucking life" type of version of sweeney, showing the sorrow and lifeless heart the character has but still showing enough emotion to show when he's angry and in sorrow and every other sweeney is different in a really good way i don't hate any of the sweeney's, everyone is different and everyone plays the character differently and thats a really good thing!
I agree. You also have Tod Slaughter who is closer to the original penny dreadful and is probably the creepiest and less sympathetic Sweeney, as well as Ray Winstone who is more realistic, depressing and humane.
@@magallanesagustin4952 great shout. Todd Slaughter specialised in those Victorian melodrama penny dreadful performances. I think Sweeney as presented in Sondheim's musical should have a similar vibe, just with a sympathetic backstory. But after all it is rooted in a fiction that is over the top and macabre humour.
I agree as well. Would love to go back in time to the National in London. Denis Quilley was a powerful presence from what I've seen and heard on video. The orchestra was heart pounding, and to look at him for me was -- that's Sweeney. And the audience loved him.. It was written for Len Cariou, and it is said when he did Epiphany and approached the audience he liked to shock a few people :-)
I feel like this is how Sweeney Todd is supposed to be done, I have seen other videos, but George Hearn takes Sweeney Todd to a whole other level. He really lets himself become unhinged, and angry.
@@seanmccormick4137 I would actually say Depp sounded more like he was singing than speaking Dialogue; The problem I have with Depp's version is that Depp feels lackluster like there's no life to him: I don't know if that was a creative choice? as Sweeny is kind of a Ghost from the past, but like i said George Hearn hits that Sweet Spot & is much more enthusiastic!
I know most people say, "Johnny Depp was the perfect Todd" and don't get me wrong, I like Depp, but Hearn is the ultimate Sweeney. Depp's performance is too monotone. The song Epiphany is Sweeney's complete unraveling; he's going fucking nuts and Hearn does such a superb job showcasing that.
Eh, Depp was……. okay. He definitely could have done better, but they told him to play the role more stoically, so he did. Sadly, that extended to the climax of “My Friends”, “A Little Priest”, and yes, even “Epiphany.” That movie was originally planned to have JACK NICHOLSON (Rest In Peace) playing Sweeney, so I’ll always wish we got that instead.
They've made Sweeney pretty - first Johnny Depp and now Josh Groban - just can't see it. This is how I envision Sweeney - and the intensity here is something never found now. But then, Broadway is now about pleasing the most people with the goal primarily about bringing the most cash - which wasn't the case in 1978. (and then there's Angela...never to be replaced...)
His body language alone in Angela’s “Worst Pies” number, made me want to buy the film of this, and I was sooo not disappointed. His rage, his voice and even seeing tears in his eyes at certain points, just made me fall in love with the guy. George is the best Sweeney Todd ❤
I saw this version on PBS in the 1980's and I fell in love with Sondheim from that day forward. George Hearn is the KING. His voice is a mature baritone and at times is like melted chocolate see Johanna reprise. Yes and here - the rage of a man who has been pushed over the edge. It is a performance of a psychotic break with reality and he is magnificent.
I agree. I discovered this several years ago and it blew me away. Changed my whole attitude towards musical theatre. George’s powerful voice is an inspiration to every baritone actor.
I swear to God, 15 years since I saw this recording for the first time and George Hearn still gives me chills. That feral snarling as he strangles the life out every word just above the violins, the instrument that most evokes the sound of human tears..."Not one man...no, not ten men...nor a HUNDRED CAN ASSUAGE ME!"... I can't think of a better audial representation of the fact that anger is a secondary emotion understudying for sorrow.
I always thought Sweeney was so tall and imposing; then I had the chance to see George Hearn who was barely as tall as I was at the time. Just goes to show you how large he was playing this character. Scared me half to death. But he was such a gentle and non-imposing figure in real life.
@@emilywebster1056 I have a very hard time deciding between George and Timothy Nolen as my favorite Sweeney. Both great in different ways. Mr. Nolen is also my favorite Judge Turpin.
Seriously! George Hearn just makes you feel the anguish Todd feels. Imo this is the way this song needs to be performed. It’s most effective when his previous songs are performed more subdued and he really lets everything out here.
@@JoFlo93 It's metal as hell, and it's my favorite part of his take on the character. People think of Sweeney as this sad emo boy archetype, but Hearn has always defined it for me - he's only sad when he remembered what he lost, so when he's thinking about or talking about the past, he sings, and god does he sing, in long, beautiful lines: "And she was beautiful." / "And I'll never see Johanna." But any time Mr. Todd is thinking about the present moment in his life (like, his current experience; not his past), there's no hope. There's no sorrow. There's no feeling of self-defeat - he's already lost. There is no future for him, none of the things that make a musical theater hero ("I want {I wish}"). There is only...the work. Every moment of interaction not remembering his pain or doing the work is theater to make the work more possible, and the work is built on rage, not sorrow. ...it's very batman in a lot of ways, lol.
George Hearn is my favorite Sweeney Todd because I also see Benjamin Barker, the broken man underneath. He doesn't just grinds his teeth in anger, he includes nuance and brings a third dimension to the character. He's the absolute best!
I was eleven when the Tim Burton movie came out. My mother allowed me to watch it once on DVD, just to get me to shut up and make me stop bugging her about it. 😂 When I watched the bonus features, they spoke about the stage version, I was enthralled. I found this version in full on TH-cam a week later- before all this copyright b.s occurred. Johnny's Sweeney didn't scare me as badly as George. Johnny's rage was simmering. George? Ticking time bomb, and he just explodes here. Nobody does Sweeney like him and Angela. Absolute legends. Now, imagine my excitement when I realized he was Red in All Dogs go to Heaven 2!
I love this particular arrangement. They took it so much faster than most of the others I've seen. It comes out sounding like the Rite of Spring. Combined with Hearn's scream singing and it's perfectly unhinged.
🩸🩸🩸 Hearn was blades-down THE BEST Sweeney ever!!! A voice and a performance for the ages! If only lyricist/composers would demand this kind of excellence when filming their epics instead of succumbing to the money men. Some of them indeed deserve to die... lol
It's lovely -- and refreshing -- to see so much love for Hearn here. I saw both Cariou and then Hearn on Broadway, then Lansbury and Hearn together in Los Angeles (the taped version you see here). And I loved both Cariou and Hearn who were equally brilliant in different ways, but no Sweeney ever scared me more than Hearn. Cariou was more vulnerable and human, but Hearn was both tragic and threatening on a grander, more operatic scale, which seemed even more fitting for such an epicly conceived grand guingnol thriller. Hearn was a tragi-comic boogeyman from a dark fairytale, whereas Cariou was more naturalistic with moments of creepy whimsy and madness, but never reaching quite the level of murderous rage which Hearn rises to so memorably. But it now seems to be fashionable in certain musical theatre circles to praise Cariou while knocking Hearn as too over-the-top, not taking into account that most references to Hearn's performance are specific to the video was is, of course, a live stage performance filmed by multiple cameras and, as such, seen much more closely than would be the case for anyone seeing the show from a live audience's perspective. So of course the performances in the pro-shot video seem broader and less subtle than would be the case seeing the show in person.
Okay don't laugh but the first time I ever heard Hearn's voice was in All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 as the villain, Red. But DAMN he is the best Sweeney. He is LITERALLY losing his mind and you are CONVINCED.
It’s a shame George Hearn never did the phantom in POTO. He would’ve made a great phantom, I wonder if he would’ve played the role with a psycho feel like Sweeney
It’s a fascinating “what if” in theater, definitely. Unfortunately, George was already 54 when Phantom came to Broadway and Michael Crawford was obviously indentured in that role. I think George was also still performing in La Cage around that time too so maybe it does make sense. Still, makes you wonder.
I keep thinking about how dangerous this song is to perform. He's fully belting and acting while running down and back up a 2 story stage on wheels with the thinnest handrails on the steps and none on the top. So many things could go wrong, but he's a seasoned actor and makes it look EASY.
I think Hearn's version of Sweeney projects the profound rage at the injustices he's had to live through incredibly well. He's not insane, he's vengeful and he doesn't consider at all who he ends up killing on the way to the judge's throat. Depp's Sweeney relies more on the character's heartbreak. His profound pain and indignation has corrupted his morality and led him to the insanity of actually WANTING to murder without regard for his victims.
This was one of my favorite musicals. I saw it in Los Angeles with Hearn and Lansbury. Who would of have thought a musical about a serial murdering barber could be so much fun.
I played Mrs. Lovett eight years ago with a Sweeney that was utterly terrifying in this number, and there was rather more interaction between us than between Hearn and Lansbury her. I had audience members tell me afterwards that they'd feared for Lovett's safety; I assured them that everything had been carefully choreographed.
I have a cool and chilling idea: If I were the actor playing Sweeney, doing the “You sir!” part, I would get off the stage and walk around the audience pointing at any men before climbing back up the stage
LOL, i was in a production of sweeney and that’s exactly what he did. totally caught people off guard, and i actually didn’t know he was doing it until opening night because i wasnt on stage lmao
years ago when the johnny depp movie was coming out i looked up versions of this song in interest. this is what i always imagined the original to sound like
Yes it is. The original key is considered as Bb major, and this key(till “And I will get him back”) is taken a whole tone up, and is now in C major essentially. This was also used by Dennis Quilley in the Original London production too: m.th-cam.com/video/872UK3mZMw4/w-d-xo.html m.th-cam.com/video/Ozg_OrLmLU4/w-d-xo.html As well as Michael Ball in the 2012 revival: m.th-cam.com/video/quctDawu_bo/w-d-xo.html I see what you mean about Hearn’s voice, but he had sung it(and sung it WELL) in the original key as well. Here’s this clip from when he replaced Len Cariou in the Broadway production(this clip being of the national tour): m.th-cam.com/video/BO3o8wlC2o0/w-d-xo.html And also in the 2001 concert he did with Patti Lupone as Mrs. Lovett(at 1:06:06): m.th-cam.com/video/tJNPEhXBEbQ/w-d-xo.html
Haunts and Amusements! There’s actually two endings to this song. This show version here that allows applause, and then there’s this ending from the cast recording(and movie soundtrack) that ends with fading strings on mixed minor and tritone chord. In the Broadway recording there’s an additional loud blare of the brass and timpani roll that is cut short by another round of fading strings(as opposed to the movie which has one round of fading strings). m.th-cam.com/video/qT9TEAWAHVA/w-d-xo.html m.th-cam.com/video/rI1muWt0vho/w-d-xo.html Both of these endings(as well as the different keys) are available in the official licensed score for this song.
Michael William Ybarra That’s so cool! This is one of my favorite songs to perform and I must have listened to Hearn singing it a thousand times before realizing it was in a different key. All the versions end on a high F though, correct?
Haunts and Amusements! Yes they do! And both keys for this song end the same way(besides the two ending accompaniments on “Joy” I mentioned), starting at 2:19.
John Logan who wrote the script for the movie is a mega Sweeney Todd fan and he saw the original Broadway production. And Len Cariou looked at him when he said “Who sir? You sir?” And he said he thought he was really going to kill him! 😂
to me he portrays sweeney in a childish way in this scene, it's perfect because it shows just how desperate and deranged sweeney has become in his years in australia. i can really tell how frustrated he is when he says "no, i had him" because of how upset and child-like he sounds
most psychos act childish when on the breaking point. for me it's what makes it bone-chilling, you know he feels he has nothing to lose so now he's truly unpredictable
I absolutely love his portrayal of this song and just sweeney todd in general, but I wonder why he sang most of the song in a different key than any other performance I've heard of the song?
Do you know who I think would absolutely ace this song? Bruce Dickinson. There are a lot of singers I would love to hear singing this song, but Bruce would be the first one, for sure
most of the commonfolk can't tolerate anything that sounds like opera, I've even seen people turn their nose up at Phantom of the Opera, just because of the title "oh I don't LIKE opera, ugh" forget about actual opera.
@@hannahlynn8028 My local movie theater would "warn" people at the ticket booth that this is a MUSICAL and yes, some people would turn back. So forget about the stage version, not in a million years.
You haven’t been scared until you’ve seen a good production of this and sat in the front row. I was only a teenager and it was horrifying.
I always did wish it showed the faces of the horrified audience
Many years ago, In secondary school (UK) I sat in the front row of a touring production in my home town, absolutely spine tingling! The sweeney screamed "You sir, welcome to the grave!" and a huge red spotlight shone on my drama class. One of the ladies screamed. Magic.
So lucky!
The very definition of it!
Blood flying all over the stage Lol
The fact that Sweeney can't stay on the same topic (or melody) for more than a minute is a genius way to show that he is fully losing his mind. This isn't some grand plan, this is a crazy person going over the edge.
George Hearn makes Sweeney absolutely terrifying and unhinged, which frankly is my favorite way to watch Sweeney be played but it still leaves me shivering when he’s just screaming inviting people into the chair. He really looks and plays a man scarred and traumatized by life into being this awful creature who knows nothing else but grief, suffering and cruelty. He’s especially apt at switching between the first two
My favorite Sweeney portrayal by far
I think he takes most of his inspiration from Len Cariou’s performance as the original Sweeney
Bruh michael ball is so underrated
I have to say the same.
I've seen Sweeney Todd on stage several times, from the original production when Hearn & Dorothy Loudon had replaced Cariou & Lansbury, to Circle in the Square with Bob Gunton, to a production at Lincoln Center, plus other productions , professional & amateur, from all over. George Hearn will always be my favorite Sweeney.
I love George Hearn and Len Cariou but Michael Ball's still my favorite
God my voice hurts even listening to this I can't imagine singing this 8 nights a week
It does after a while. I know because I do it
Read that again. Slowly. XD
@@sebastianb.39788 shows a week is common !
@@sebastianb.3978😂😂😂
this seems to be the popular opinion, but George Hearn’s Sweeney is the definitive version to me. nobody compares. the level of uneasiness/fear just through the screen tells so much, it must have been incredible in person. he sings the part beautifuly and plays him perfectly unhinged. 10/10
When George does Epiphany, he is PURE RAGE!!! He gives as equal a performance of this in the 2001 "Sweeney Todd In Concert" video.......at about 1:06:14.....
th-cam.com/video/85MJ2V4KJK8/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Compa%C3%B1%C3%ADadeTeatroRevoluci%C3%B3n-Arte
Fear? Really..?
Has to be Depp, sorry
@@franciscoguerreiro7308 Depp can't sing. Sorry
@@SigandGibbs Of course he can sing, come on
George Hearn as Sweeney Todd and Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom...no one else has ever Lost Their Shit on stage as hard as these two dudes in their respective roles. Just full on hysterical screaming at some points. Awesome.
You know, I’ve been waiting to find a comment point this out… and you’re 100% correct
I agree.
Oh my god, Ramin Karimloo has my heart with this.
Agree with Hearne (though Len Cariou is equally amazing,) but there were so many better Phantoms than Ramin ...😕
@@DivineVarodChannel I don't think OP was talking about quality of performance, I think they were talking about quantity of shit lost onstage in a role. Both George Hearn and Ramin Karimloo lost ALL THEIR SHIT while playing Todd and the Phantom, respectively.
Hearn is my favorite because he gives a million fucking percent in every scene, I love when stage actors are just like "fuck being even a little bit subtle" and go absolute fucking ape shit every opportunity they get. (No but for real, it makes the emotional bits hit so much harder. He's the only one I've seen so far that literally just _screams_ in horror when he realizes what he's done in the end. (As in the actor is _actually_ screaming and not just implying it)
Josh Groban doesn't scream the "what have I done?" but his scream on "Oh no! Oh god!" when it first dons on him is gut wrenching.
I MISSED THIS VERSION this is honestly the best version all cause of the "NO! Not one man, no nor TEN men! NOR A HUNDRED!!!" bit like damn that's powerful
I'm so glad someone else felt that. For me it's when he goes from screaming to immediately singing "Not One Man..."
I LOVE the swell of the orchestra at that part, just absolutely chilling. And the roar of Hearn's voice just sells it.
For me, it’s the way he says “I WILL HAVE YOU!” He just makes the line feel like it’s personally directed at anyone who hears it, like he’s saying it specifically to me, no matter who he points at for that line.
Edit: I tried SEVERAL times to emphasize the word “you” but TH-cam just WOULDN’T LET ME!
Fuck that was good. Not to diss Depp or anything, I still think the movie adaptation is fantastic, but this is completely psychotic! Truly a terrifying version of Sweeney
I agree
The movie is good but Johnny Depp just can't match the performances of the musicals. Watching the movie version after this or Michael Bell's version just make it sound so slow and underwhelming.
Well the movie was directed, of course actors in musicals rehearse, but it's way harder to deliver a good performance, after all, you only have one take; i think it would be unfair to compare. I also love the movie, it's amazing.
The 2007 movie was an excellent adaptation in many respects, but it let us down with Epiphany big time.
Depp was the absolute wrong choice for Sweeney in my opinion. He doesn't have the right "oomph" in his voice that some other actors do. I was not impressed with Epiphany honestly when he did it in the film. He is a fabulous singer regardless
i love every single sweeney because they have their own performance of the character
for example this version is when he's a lot more angry and really shows his anger and sorrow to the world with for example screaming for people to come and sit so he can kill them
and johnny depp shows more of the "i hate my fucking life" type of version of sweeney, showing the sorrow and lifeless heart the character has but still showing enough emotion to show when he's angry and in sorrow
and every other sweeney is different in a really good way
i don't hate any of the sweeney's, everyone is different and everyone plays the character differently and thats a really good thing!
I agree. You also have Tod Slaughter who is closer to the original penny dreadful and is probably the creepiest and less sympathetic Sweeney, as well as Ray Winstone who is more realistic, depressing and humane.
@@magallanesagustin4952 great shout. Todd Slaughter specialised in those Victorian melodrama penny dreadful performances. I think Sweeney as presented in Sondheim's musical should have a similar vibe, just with a sympathetic backstory. But after all it is rooted in a fiction that is over the top and macabre humour.
@@magallanesagustin4952 excuse me, his name is Tod Slaughter?
that's
fucking metal
and appropriate
I agree as well. Would love to go back in time to the National in London. Denis Quilley was a powerful presence from what I've seen and heard on video. The orchestra was heart pounding, and to look at him for me was -- that's Sweeney. And the audience loved him.. It was written for Len Cariou, and it is said when he did Epiphany and approached the audience he liked to shock a few people :-)
I feel like this is how Sweeney Todd is supposed to be done, I have seen other videos, but George Hearn takes Sweeney Todd to a whole other level. He really lets himself become unhinged, and angry.
I can't imagine having to perform this routine night after night. Hats off to them for these performances.
I can only dream
I love the rage and intensity in this guys voice, it's almost like he Is not singing.
Yeah exactly, it’s almost like that. When unfortunately for depp it was just that
@@seanmccormick4137 I would actually say Depp sounded more like he was singing than speaking Dialogue; The problem I have with Depp's version is that Depp feels lackluster like there's no life to him: I don't know if that was a creative choice? as Sweeny is kind of a Ghost from the past, but like i said George Hearn hits that Sweet Spot & is much more enthusiastic!
RIP Angela...AKA Mrs. Lovett and our favorite motherly teapot.
I know most people say, "Johnny Depp was the perfect Todd" and don't get me wrong, I like Depp, but Hearn is the ultimate Sweeney. Depp's performance is too monotone. The song Epiphany is Sweeney's complete unraveling; he's going fucking nuts and Hearn does such a superb job showcasing that.
Eh, Depp was……. okay. He definitely could have done better, but they told him to play the role more stoically, so he did. Sadly, that extended to the climax of “My Friends”, “A Little Priest”, and yes, even “Epiphany.” That movie was originally planned to have JACK NICHOLSON (Rest In Peace) playing Sweeney, so I’ll always wish we got that instead.
@@alexandersean4708 Jack Nicholson is still alive, he's just retired, and there's no source ever indicating he was going to play Sweeney
@@BeemoNeemo Thanks for telling me!
I love both performances. They’re different approaches to the characters.
True! And I saw Josh Groban and HE does his own unique interpretation. All well done.@@jalenjohnson1662
They've made Sweeney pretty - first Johnny Depp and now Josh Groban - just can't see it. This is how I envision Sweeney - and the intensity here is something never found now. But then, Broadway is now about pleasing the most people with the goal primarily about bringing the most cash - which wasn't the case in 1978. (and then there's Angela...never to be replaced...)
His body language alone in Angela’s “Worst Pies” number, made me want to buy the film of this, and I was sooo not disappointed. His rage, his voice and even seeing tears in his eyes at certain points, just made me fall in love with the guy. George is the best Sweeney Todd ❤
I saw this version on PBS in the 1980's and I fell in love with Sondheim from that day forward. George Hearn is the KING. His voice is a mature baritone and at times is like melted chocolate see Johanna reprise. Yes and here - the rage of a man who has been pushed over the edge. It is a performance of a psychotic break with reality and he is magnificent.
I agree. I discovered this several years ago and it blew me away. Changed my whole attitude towards musical theatre. George’s powerful voice is an inspiration to every baritone actor.
I've seen a few other Sweeney Todds, but NO ONE plays this role like GEORGE!!! When he does this song, he is pure FURY AND RAGE!!!!
I agree
0:44 when the line at Target is too long.
😂😂😂
0:45
I swear to God, 15 years since I saw this recording for the first time and George Hearn still gives me chills. That feral snarling as he strangles the life out every word just above the violins, the instrument that most evokes the sound of human tears..."Not one man...no, not ten men...nor a HUNDRED CAN ASSUAGE ME!"...
I can't think of a better audial representation of the fact that anger is a secondary emotion understudying for sorrow.
He really gives a good master class performance here bravo
I always thought Sweeney was so tall and imposing; then I had the chance to see George Hearn who was barely as tall as I was at the time. Just goes to show you how large he was playing this character. Scared me half to death. But he was such a gentle and non-imposing figure in real life.
Catching this before TH-cam takes it down again.
Thankfully, only one video has been blocked.
George Hearn's Sweeney Todd, volcanically angry, at war with God and humanity. LOVE HIM!!
Georges performance always sends chills through my body. He's a force of nature on the stage. Well done sir.
I agree he’s a force of nature for this role. Nobody does in my opinion a better Sweeney Todd than he does.
@@emilywebster1056 I have a very hard time deciding between George and Timothy Nolen as my favorite Sweeney. Both great in different ways. Mr. Nolen is also my favorite Judge Turpin.
2:08 gives me chills every damn time!
Yeah that moment, no not one man,no nor ten men, nor a hundred. That's the best
Seriously! George Hearn just makes you feel the anguish Todd feels. Imo this is the way this song needs to be performed. It’s most effective when his previous songs are performed more subdued and he really lets everything out here.
@@JoFlo93 It's metal as hell, and it's my favorite part of his take on the character. People think of Sweeney as this sad emo boy archetype, but Hearn has always defined it for me - he's only sad when he remembered what he lost, so when he's thinking about or talking about the past, he sings, and god does he sing, in long, beautiful lines: "And she was beautiful." / "And I'll never see Johanna."
But any time Mr. Todd is thinking about the present moment in his life (like, his current experience; not his past), there's no hope. There's no sorrow. There's no feeling of self-defeat - he's already lost. There is no future for him, none of the things that make a musical theater hero ("I want {I wish}"). There is only...the work. Every moment of interaction not remembering his pain or doing the work is theater to make the work more possible, and the work is built on rage, not sorrow.
...it's very batman in a lot of ways, lol.
George Hearn is my favorite Sweeney Todd because I also see Benjamin Barker, the broken man underneath. He doesn't just grinds his teeth in anger, he includes nuance and brings a third dimension to the character. He's the absolute best!
I agree
Oh man. If I had a time machine… This is theater with a capital T.
I love this song and scene. This is where Sweeney really becomes unhinged , and it’s beautifully done by George Hearn. Bravo
The most terrifying performance of the most terrifying song in musical theater!
One of the greatest badass villain songs of all time
I'll never forget seeing this on PBS. I remember the name George Hearn because I thought he was great. 40 years later -- great!
I was eleven when the Tim Burton movie came out. My mother allowed me to watch it once on DVD, just to get me to shut up and make me stop bugging her about it. 😂 When I watched the bonus features, they spoke about the stage version, I was enthralled. I found this version in full on TH-cam a week later- before all this copyright b.s occurred. Johnny's Sweeney didn't scare me as badly as George. Johnny's rage was simmering. George? Ticking time bomb, and he just explodes here. Nobody does Sweeney like him and Angela. Absolute legends.
Now, imagine my excitement when I realized he was Red in All Dogs go to Heaven 2!
I love this particular arrangement. They took it so much faster than most of the others I've seen. It comes out sounding like the Rite of Spring. Combined with Hearn's scream singing and it's perfectly unhinged.
I agree
This whole musical is insane. The constant changing time signatures and rapid-fire singing/speaking really brings us into the mind of a man in crisis.
I have this version on DVD and I love it.
Same I have it on DVD and love it
Me too
Just got it myself and it's my favorite version.
Same! I watch it every Halloween.
🩸🩸🩸 Hearn was blades-down THE BEST Sweeney ever!!! A voice and a performance for the ages! If only lyricist/composers would demand this kind of excellence when filming their epics instead of succumbing to the money men. Some of them indeed deserve to die... lol
It's lovely -- and refreshing -- to see so much love for Hearn here. I saw both Cariou and then Hearn on Broadway, then Lansbury and Hearn together in Los Angeles (the taped version you see here). And I loved both Cariou and Hearn who were equally brilliant in different ways, but no Sweeney ever scared me more than Hearn. Cariou was more vulnerable and human, but Hearn was both tragic and threatening on a grander, more operatic scale, which seemed even more fitting for such an epicly conceived grand guingnol thriller. Hearn was a tragi-comic boogeyman from a dark fairytale, whereas Cariou was more naturalistic with moments of creepy whimsy and madness, but never reaching quite the level of murderous rage which Hearn rises to so memorably. But it now seems to be fashionable in certain musical theatre circles to praise Cariou while knocking Hearn as too over-the-top, not taking into account that most references to Hearn's performance are specific to the video was is, of course, a live stage performance filmed by multiple cameras and, as such, seen much more closely than would be the case for anyone seeing the show from a live audience's perspective. So of course the performances in the pro-shot video seem broader and less subtle than would be the case seeing the show in person.
How cool that you got to see them all perform this live!!
finally this version is reuploaded
I was blessed to see this genius do this live in the early 90s, my favorite to ever touch this role.
I saw this on the stage and it was truly beautifully horrifying, its amazing what the magic of rhe stage can do
Okay don't laugh but the first time I ever heard Hearn's voice was in All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 as the villain, Red. But DAMN he is the best Sweeney. He is LITERALLY losing his mind and you are CONVINCED.
It’s a shame George Hearn never did the phantom in POTO. He would’ve made a great phantom, I wonder if he would’ve played the role with a psycho feel like Sweeney
It’s a fascinating “what if” in theater, definitely. Unfortunately, George was already 54 when Phantom came to Broadway and Michael Crawford was obviously indentured in that role. I think George was also still performing in La Cage around that time too so maybe it does make sense. Still, makes you wonder.
This Guy is the Definitive Sweeney Todd 😱
what a fucking performance, absolutely stunning
Lungs of steel
I keep thinking about how dangerous this song is to perform. He's fully belting and acting while running down and back up a 2 story stage on wheels with the thinnest handrails on the steps and none on the top. So many things could go wrong, but he's a seasoned actor and makes it look EASY.
40 years later and still the greatest ever.
I mean, Depp's version was great but George Hearn...just wow! He's a force of nature as Sweeney.
it's so funny, because he's so f---ing scary in this, spine tingling and at the same time he's one of the nicest kindest people you'll ever meet.
a mental break down in song form.
I think Hearn's version of Sweeney projects the profound rage at the injustices he's had to live through incredibly well. He's not insane, he's vengeful and he doesn't consider at all who he ends up killing on the way to the judge's throat. Depp's Sweeney relies more on the character's heartbreak. His profound pain and indignation has corrupted his morality and led him to the insanity of actually WANTING to murder without regard for his victims.
This was one of my favorite musicals. I saw it in Los Angeles with Hearn and Lansbury. Who would of have thought a musical about a serial murdering barber could be so much fun.
Oh my goodness he's incredible!!!
Johnny Depps version was more methodical and George Hearn was just terrifying.
I think Michael Ball is more terrifying, the way he sings and performs is better
Johnny Depp's version is shit compared to George Hearne
Jesus this is brilliantly terrifying.
I. Love. This. Song. Just a song of a tormented soul. Crying in agony. Lost of hope. And what little he had left of himself is being snuff out.
Len George Micheal b Michael c Johnny and Josh all did justice to this badass legendary iconic villain song
I love his psychotic laugh in this scene. It’s how Sweeney Todd should be done
I played Mrs. Lovett eight years ago with a Sweeney that was utterly terrifying in this number, and there was rather more interaction between us than between Hearn and Lansbury her. I had audience members tell me afterwards that they'd feared for Lovett's safety; I assured them that everything had been carefully choreographed.
Now, that’s all very well…
But what are we going to do about HIM?
This would be a short musical if he just smoked a joint and calmed down a little
0:45 I dont even know this play, but comparing him to the other versions i heard in YT, he sounds the best.
666 views. Looks like the day has finally come.
got news for you I do
Wow I wish my dad cared about me this much lol XD
pog
I know
@@weirdmusickid6953 sup
@@Fuzzyemu sup lol
Only one way to find out...
I have a cool and chilling idea: If I were the actor playing Sweeney, doing the “You sir!” part, I would get off the stage and walk around the audience pointing at any men before climbing back up the stage
LOL, i was in a production of sweeney and that’s exactly what he did. totally caught people off guard, and i actually didn’t know he was doing it until opening night because i wasnt on stage lmao
years ago when the johnny depp movie was coming out i looked up versions of this song in interest. this is what i always imagined the original to sound like
Just watched a video that combined his and Johnny Depp’s Epiphany. Had to come back here to cleanse my palate!
0:44 Is this a different key than this song is usually performed? If so it works really well in Hearn’s voice!
Yes it is. The original key is considered as Bb major, and this key(till “And I will get him back”) is taken a whole tone up, and is now in C major essentially.
This was also used by Dennis Quilley in the Original London production too:
m.th-cam.com/video/872UK3mZMw4/w-d-xo.html
m.th-cam.com/video/Ozg_OrLmLU4/w-d-xo.html
As well as Michael Ball in the 2012 revival: m.th-cam.com/video/quctDawu_bo/w-d-xo.html
I see what you mean about Hearn’s voice, but he had sung it(and sung it WELL) in the original key as well.
Here’s this clip from when he replaced Len Cariou in the Broadway production(this clip being of the national tour):
m.th-cam.com/video/BO3o8wlC2o0/w-d-xo.html
And also in the 2001 concert he did with Patti Lupone as Mrs. Lovett(at 1:06:06):
m.th-cam.com/video/tJNPEhXBEbQ/w-d-xo.html
Michael William Ybarra The ending of the song is the same though, correct?
Haunts and Amusements! There’s actually two endings to this song. This show version here that allows applause, and then there’s this ending from the cast recording(and movie soundtrack) that ends with fading strings on mixed minor and tritone chord.
In the Broadway recording there’s an additional loud blare of the brass and timpani roll that is cut short by another round of fading strings(as opposed to the movie which has one round of fading strings).
m.th-cam.com/video/qT9TEAWAHVA/w-d-xo.html
m.th-cam.com/video/rI1muWt0vho/w-d-xo.html
Both of these endings(as well as the different keys) are available in the official licensed score for this song.
Michael William Ybarra That’s so cool! This is one of my favorite songs to perform and I must have listened to Hearn singing it a thousand times before realizing it was in a different key. All the versions end on a high F though, correct?
Haunts and Amusements! Yes they do!
And both keys for this song end the same way(besides the two ending accompaniments on “Joy” I mentioned), starting at 2:19.
2:38 me when I wake up at 1pm on a Saturday
Thank you so much for uploading this!!!
This is the only Sweeney Todd I know ❤️
John Logan who wrote the script for the movie is a mega Sweeney Todd fan and he saw the original Broadway production.
And Len Cariou looked at him when he said “Who sir? You sir?”
And he said he thought he was really going to kill him! 😂
Sweeney Todd Musical (1982) Cast: George Hearn & Angela Lansbury
love the descent into madness.
Such a perfect performance.
My favorite verison of this song!
This was so great I just wish the tempo wasn’t so rapid. It really takes away from the dread in the ‘you sir’ portion
He seems mad. Maybe he should have some of my pancakes and syrup to calm him down.
I- why did you-
lol what is this
Lol whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot
He sounds so beautiful
2:07 if I was in the Audience I would have shat myself
I wish this full version of the musical was on youtube!
You can watch it here:
drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx8CoHour2f2WllXQ0oyVkQwQXM/view
@@jakegriffin6360 THANK YOU
@@jakegriffin6360 sent a request to watch
Incredible
I saw them in this production years ago in Los Angeles. Electrifying
to me he portrays sweeney in a childish way in this scene, it's perfect because it shows just how desperate and deranged sweeney has become in his years in australia. i can really tell how frustrated he is when he says "no, i had him" because of how upset and child-like he sounds
most psychos act childish when on the breaking point. for me it's what makes it bone-chilling, you know he feels he has nothing to lose so now he's truly unpredictable
Pretty woman/epiphany/a little priest (sweeney todd the demon barber of fleet street 1982)
How do you do this every day and stay healthy as a performer?
Talent
So much better than even the album. So much intensity…
its at this point he loses his mind completely.
Singing like that whilst running up and down stairs? Athletes would kill for the fitness.
That’s all very well. But what’re we going to do about him?
0:34
Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd (1982 Broadway Cast Recording)
Damned awesome
George Hearn is my teachers dad lol
I absolutely love his portrayal of this song and just sweeney todd in general, but I wonder why he sang most of the song in a different key than any other performance I've heard of the song?
Maybe they knew he could sing it higher so they changed it for him?
George, and Michael Ball are my favourite renditions of the character, Michael more than George. But they are both amazing!
0:44 Me when I was 13.
I think everyone has been like that in one moment of their life
I was like that when I was 10. It was cheesy but fun to think you know everything and are smatrer than everyone else
poggers
Do you know who I think would absolutely ace this song? Bruce Dickinson.
There are a lot of singers I would love to hear singing this song, but Bruce would be the first one, for sure
Would be interesting. Although he's a tenor not a bass baritone.
It hurts me physically to think about the fact that the most famous version of this song is sung in Johnny Depp's tiny nothing voice
most of the commonfolk can't tolerate anything that sounds like opera, I've even seen people turn their nose up at Phantom of the Opera, just because of the title "oh I don't LIKE opera, ugh" forget about actual opera.
@@hannahlynn8028 My local movie theater would "warn" people at the ticket booth that this is a MUSICAL and yes, some people would turn back. So forget about the stage version, not in a million years.
For some reason I keep wondering why she grabs the chair too at :45 seconds..