Thanks for pointing out that Sweeney Todd review! It was a fascinating read.
I would personally argue the one problem with that interpretation of the production, though, is that, besides Toby being in a straitjacket in the first moments of the play, there is nothing within the direction that indicates that the entire production is supposed to be inside the madhouse nor that all of the actors are actually inmates playing their roles. Had all the actors been in "madman" gear for the whole production I would more easily accept this interpretation. I do like it as an explanation for why the actors don't address each other but rather address the audience, and why they don't seem to be "acting" so much as saying their lines, fragmentedly. None of this, however, makes it an more of an enjoyable theatrical experience, at least for me. Also, from a symbolic standpoint, the actors are playing their own instruments, so, under that interpretation, wouldn't it indicate they do in fact have some sort of control over their lives (which they don't)?
Also, the news that the director is planning on helming a revival of Company next season, with all of the actors playing the instruments as in this production, further indicates to me that this was not an intrinsically thematic or symbolic statement about this particular play, unless Company is set in an asylum also!
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2006-01-22 01:36 am (UTC)I would personally argue the one problem with that interpretation of the production, though, is that, besides Toby being in a straitjacket in the first moments of the play, there is nothing within the direction that indicates that the entire production is supposed to be inside the madhouse nor that all of the actors are actually inmates playing their roles. Had all the actors been in "madman" gear for the whole production I would more easily accept this interpretation. I do like it as an explanation for why the actors don't address each other but rather address the audience, and why they don't seem to be "acting" so much as saying their lines, fragmentedly. None of this, however, makes it an more of an enjoyable theatrical experience, at least for me. Also, from a symbolic standpoint, the actors are playing their own instruments, so, under that interpretation, wouldn't it indicate they do in fact have some sort of control over their lives (which they don't)?
Also, the news that the director is planning on helming a revival of Company next season, with all of the actors playing the instruments as in this production, further indicates to me that this was not an intrinsically thematic or symbolic statement about this particular play, unless Company is set in an asylum also!