THEATER: Sweeney Todd (2007) - Beware the Demon Barber

Did I mention that I'm not a huge fan of musicals? OK, it's not that I'm not a huge fan, I just don't like them...I think it's all the singing. Yeah, that's it...the part I hate the most about musicals is the singing. So last night, because I'm the greatest husband on the planet, I took Katharine to see the Off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd. I know what you're thinking...if I was the greatest husband, I would have taken her to the On-Broadway production, but this was much cheaper as we didn't have to stay in a hotel and we had cereal for dinner.

Anyway...that's not what's important here. The show. The production itself was fantastic. The actors and actresses doubled as the orchestra when they weren't performing their speaking parts. They passed instruments around like they could play any which one of them. Their emotions matched the scene...even if they weren't the focus. I was impressed...even for a musical hater.

The story...well...that was a little slower than I would have liked. I don't believe it takes two and half hours to tell the story of a demon barber who wants revenge when his family is taken from him while he is away in prison. I could tell that story in an hour, but when you sing all of your dialogue...it takes longer. It doesn't take a whole song to tell the world that you're sad...or angry...but it does in a musical.

Let's talk about the most important issue though...the seats. The seats at the Colonial Theater in Boston have so little leg room...I'm not a tall person and I could BARELY fit. The guy next to me was 6' tall and he had to pull his legs in. We didn't have crappy seats, but at the same time...we did.

Would I go again to see a musical. Maybe. I think I'm planning to attend the March showing of Avenue Q, which is about inapropriate muppets...basically. And that suits me better than a demon barber.