Added: 3 years ago
From: ChrisJW1003
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  • Mrs. Lovett looks like a cat...sounds like one when she sings too.

  • Personally, I preferred Depps version of "The Epiphany" because of all the emotion he puts into it (not that Hearn doesn't put emotion into his version though). I did however,prefer Hearns version of "My Friends" because of the rich, cracking, aching, distant quality he put into it. In all, I love both as Sweeney, but find that they each excel at different songs.

  • @Pansit198 In my opinion, Johnny Depp was too calm in his performance of Sweeney Todd.

    He didn't give it that sort of "Crazy Demon Barber" feel.

    He gave it more of an emotionally devoid looney.

    I love both versions, buuuuuut...George Hern > Johnny Depp

    (just my opinion)

  • @LuciferSyxxx Really? I personally like both of them aswell.

    But I think Hern gave it more like a violent crazy 'chop them with a hatchet' kind of feel.

    While Depp gave it more of a repressed crazy 'slithing your throath while you're sleeping' kind of feel to it.

    The latter seems more fitting for a serial killer who kills unsuspecting people while they are there for a shave. Or at least imo and I respect your difference in oppinion.

  • @Lexadin Hmm, very insightful analysis.

  • @LuciferSyxxx Thank you.

  • Depp's version of this song was better, as i read in the comments this is just a pissed off guy and when he's cooled off he'll be nice again. with Depp he was indeed cold, calm, collected, you know, you see and you feel that he truely means it. this is also a very good version, absolutely but overall i prefer Depp as sweeney. but that might be because i like the darkness of the movie. For some reason in this version i don't care much for the characters, they just seem that they wanna sing really

  • that they wanna sing really well, opposed to telling the story, in the movie i get swept away by every single character, but in this for some reason i don't, i still like the story but when i saw the movie sweeney's actions really startled me, in this version i'm more like .. i don't really care about that he's angry. i also like the romantic part of the movie, it's clear that sweeney acts out of love for Lucy. In this, i kind of get lost, i don't feel it. but still a good version!

  • how does the audience hear them from the stage?

  • @wheniwasinvietnam I think there's a microphone instalation spread over the stage.

    That or REALLY well hidden clip-on mices.

  • I think this is my favourite version of Epiphany. It's so maniacal and frightening! Wow!!! I love how Hearn captures that, at this point, Sweeney crosses the line into total insanity. I love it!

  • seen this play at least 7 times on Broadway and in London,

  • What a voice!!!! Hearn is Todd!!!!!

  • @DanishNerdess It's almost like a Jekyll and Hyde thing isn't it?

  • i'm more familiar with the movie but i love this version of the song. he acts more insane. I LOVE IT >.<

  • Generally, I prefer Hearn to Depp, but on this one, I like Depp's better. With Hearn, I just see a guy who's pissed off. If you give him an hour to calm down, he'll probably say that didn't mean it. With Depp, he's cold as ice, and you know he means every word of it.

  • @4u57inc0v3110

    Thats probably because Sweeney is not a cold blood murder- he is merely misguided by our lovely mother-like(?) Mrs. Lovetts

  • Comment removed

  • Well, if he's full of joy then I guess that everything is OK, right? Right? *Hides under the bed and shakes like a pair of maracas*.

  • Amazing. What an absolutely amazing, heartfelt performance. It's performances like this that make me realize why I love musical theater so much.

  • I never understand why people compare movies to broadway plays, if the movie was like the play it would be overacting and like wise if the play was like the movie it be underacting.

  • God I love the emotions in his voice, the transition into utter insanity is just flawless O.O

  • I don't think Depp and Hearn can be compared, but I do like the darkness of Depp better. They always say you that Broadway has to more over-acted than movies, but I feel the movie is more over-acted in this scene, and I like it better. Particularly the bit of this song in the movie, when he's singing "the lives of the wicked," and he's shoving Mrs. Lovett in the chair and putting his razor up to her neck. It always scares me a little, because HBC has great facial expressions.

  • This whole solo song is the best part of the play it really reveals his character and how dark he has become.

  • You can't really compare Hern and Depp because they are two different people and Hern was on broadway and Depp was in the movie. Clearly a broadway musical is very different than a movie musical so why can't we all just say "Depp was made for the movie and Hern was perfect for the broadway one" instead of saying "Hern's so much better than Depp" OR "Depp was better than Hern". Just end this debate and lets love BOTH of them <3

  • @CherryOnTop5000 Agree, theatre and film acting are two totally different styles of performance. Films allow for quieter performances because of the ability to focus on expressions and smaller details. While theatre needs more theatrics, you are performing live to a large crowd and they need a clear understanding of expression. They have two completely different goals in mind with their emotional expressions.

  • @CherryOnTop5000 there are great qualities about both.

  • @CherryOnTop5000 I too love both performances :)

  • @CherryOnTop5000 Yet on the second part of the epiphany...Hern is just epic! Never heard a man scream and laught as well as he does :D

  • the one dislike was from Johnny Depp... (he did fine but this is way better)

  • Without a doubt, a one of a kind Grand Guignol melodramatic musical masterpiece from Sondheim, and to my mind George Hearn will always own this role...more gravitas and guts in delivery than any Sweeney I have ever seen. Johnny Depp doesn't even come close...please...come on now...that's just some Hollywood marquee bet hedging. Sadly most film goers are more interested in seeing their favorite celebrity than they are a good story or performance, and Hollywood has known it for a long time.

  • my school did this musical last year and we watched this performance of sweeney in order to prepare the sets and i just remember being completely blown away by it. my favorite musical by far. george hearn was phenomenal

  • @a1d2amb1o2mb Isn't it amazing how far a high school can get into a musical? My school did it in my senior year and I played Johanna. We had a slide off the back of his shop and we had to be careful, we worried about the guys hurting themselves on their way down, but it was a success, if you ignore the fact that we accidentally had an alternate ending on our opening night 'cause our cd sound team people screwed up, skipping a song at the end and our Toby accidentally killed Sweeney

  • @reinedelutin before he could kill Lovett, so she committed suicide by throwing herself into the fire then she screamed for help, as if she had just been thrown in. It was epicly awesome and something that you would never forget.

  • @reinedelutin I'm sorry i wasted all your time to read this, but I felt it was too epic to not mention somewhere online, so it'll never be forgotten

  • @reinedelutin that's alright. that's the magic of live theatre. you just gotta go with the flow and work with the flaws. no play is perfect. it's about how people come back from the mistake and cover it. im sure your school did just fine.

  • 0:40 LOL

  • Is this sped up?

  • @Broadwaypuppet No. Hearn just performed at a fast pace.

  • .......0-0 WOW! Each and every time I'm completely blown away by this show! The choral parts are my favorite, especially the notes the sopranos reach at the ending ballad..they suddenly screech SWEENEY! at the end *chills* this whole show is simply epic!

  • If I did that, I wouldn't be able to talk for 4 days.

  • Lool, 0:06, Mrs. Weasley!!!!

  • @Alwaysanewlovetogrow hahahahahahaha! That was brilliant

  • @WondersNassiri mhm, you know it ;)

  • I am bowing down to George Hearn

  • Everytime i think of a sweeney todd song, i think of him singing it!! its OHmazing! i definitely like this version better than the movie!!!! :D

  • George Hearn *is* Sweeney Todd.

  • This guy was a good Sweeney Todd

  • @PilgrimAndThatch V_V *nods agreeing in silent awe*

  • It's heartbreaking how the greif and pain over the loss of his wife and daughter is driving him mad, litterally.

  • I get chills when I hear this song.

  • i love it when he shouts the lyrics

  • He's so freakin amazingly good! I love him <3

  • Comment removed

  • i love 1:27 she looks genuinely sad, and i love this play soo damn much

  • I'm trying out for Todd in a few weeks from now. this vid made me realize I have a LOT to live up to.

  • This rightfully gets NO dislikes!

  • @chickencombo13 sept maybe for one douche.

  • i thought angela was good but george was horrible, the film is much better

  • @DamePistols GTFO.

  • Michael Cerveris does my favorite version of the song.

  • I like that this version has a slightly faster tempo in the first part than most of the rest. Makes it sound a tad more insane.

  • I just watched Dogs Go to Heaven 2...and immediately recognized Mr. Hearn's voice in it. <333

  • The saddest part is that he did see Johanna but he didn't know it was her :(

  • Not only is George probably the best Sweeney of all time, but to have then won a Tony Award for playing a drag queen in La Cage Aux Folles? Talk about versatility!! What an amazing performer.

  • Best Sweeney ever. I love george hearn.

  • god, you can just 'feel' the situation spiraling out of his control as he loses his grip on sanity.

  • At the part with ''They All Deserve To Die'' the music sound like 'One-Winged Angel'.

  • this guy, his voice is good for the character, but this song...i think its more like you look at him singing it and ur like, "sir, would u like something to drink?" or something like that. while w/ Johnny Depp, its actually scary and puts a chill down your spine...at least, thats my opinion....

  • @NinjutsuNinjaQueen Yes, but would you really go for a shave to someone like that?

  • @NearSupporter11226 ...which one are you asking about, the broadway one or the movie one?

  • @NinjutsuNinjaQueen Movie. Because George Hearn actually looks like a barber.

  • @NearSupporter11226 no i would NOT want to go for a shave to someone like that. that's the whole point of the character. but, with me, i would rather go to that one than the one on Broadway. he kind of looks like a pedophile when he's just talking. the movie one looks kinda sad or upset all the time, but he just has this way that makes me find him, some way,...attractive.... of course that's a Johnny Depp thing. or maybe that's just me :/

  • @NinjutsuNinjaQueen He doesn't look that way to me... But maybe that's because I'm fiercely protective of him.

  • @NearSupporter11226 could be. im like that w/ Johnny Depp alot :D is there any particular reason ur super protective of George or do u just like him alot? im protective of Johnny because i like him alot and i think hes sweet and a good person and diserves to be protected :)

  • @NinjutsuNinjaQueen Don't get me wrong, I love Johnny. He's great in the movie. But I don't know, George Hearn just seems more delightfully hammy. And he freaks out very nicely during this song.

  • @NearSupporter11226 i have to agree, George was very good as Sweeney. All in all, i think what you come down to is; Johnny Depp did it better on screen, and George Hearn did it better on stage. this was a nice little debate we had :)

  • @NinjutsuNinjaQueen Yeah, that's true. It's somewhat hard to compare, they took such different angles at the character.

  • @NearSupporter11226 And George Hearn also has a lovely baritone voice, while the role in the movie had to be transposed up to suite Johnny Depp's tenor. :(

  • @90lysander Hearn actually does have the music transposed here. In the score, the last note is an F, but he's singing an F-sharp.

  • Damn, this is powerful.

    I almost feel uncomfortable when he starts yelling....

  • @Klazmar This is the 1982 tour of the ORIGINAL production. George Hearn took over from Len Cariou on Broadway, then went on the tour.

  • who can i complain to, because i swear this is the third time i had to add this video to my favorites

  • johnny depp was very good......but......god, george hearn's......WOW

  • RIP Vocal Cords

  • @UWB596 What do you mean? Does he not sing anymore?

  • @shanmer391 No, it's not that, I can just imagine that singing like that for a while would kill your vocal cords. I think George Hearn still stings, but I'm not sure.

  • @UWB596 Actually, with proper support (the kind that comes from professional training) singing like that isn't terribly difficult. I've never had professional singing training, just general vocal production (acting school), and I can perform this number without straining myself much at all.

  • @RadicalDreamerWD I can do it about twice, before the growling becomes irritating to my throat. But I'm also a tenor so I might have to work a little harder to get that roar

  • @phantom12321800 I sympathize. I'm a tenor as well. I downplay the growling when I do it. If you're well supported while doing so, shouting or merely speaking loudly can replace the growling quite well. We shouldn't strive to replicate Hearn's performance. He is a rare talent.

  • @RadicalDreamerWD I suppose you're right, although I would say that, while this performance is attainable and repeatable, there is a strong tendency for these performers to over-engage certain muscles to achieve an intended effect. A lot of performers will feel the affects of this down the road. So while George Hearn will continue to sing well, people like Colm Wilkinson have REALLY fallen down in terms of vocal quality over the years.

  • @UWB596 True. Very, very true. In a scene like this, it's dangerously easy to let your emotions take over, rather than your training.

  • @UWB596 He did the same performance in 2000, almost sixty, and it had just as much power. Some people just know how to do it.

  • George Hearn > Jonny Depp

  • the stanza starting at 2:04 made me nearly faint.

  • Every time he goes crazy during the song, my whole body tingles. This is the best stage play in history. Brilliant performance!

  • One of the most epic performances I have seen. First time seeing sweeny todd, but out of all the musical performances I have seen, this is up there in the top few.

  • @latigremusic This was the first Sweeney Todd I ever saw, & no one has EVER surpassed George in my estimation!!

  • @jws1272 He is the best. By far.

  • I will never tire of watching this. What a great scene, simply perfect!

  • IDK..I actually liked this song better in the movie

  • @Bag2218 yeah i think with the song Johnny Depp sung it a bit better :/

  • I think it is nice of Sweeney to be asking the invisible men if they want a shave. He's so nice,people usually just ignore them. :)))

  • omg, chills

  • "...and I'm full of JOOOOYYYYYY!" Could've fooled me.

  • Amazing!!

  • ...he's pretty sexy when he's all mad like that.

  • This was my favorite part in the film adaptation. Very different than the movie. I like both of them, but I felt more sympathetic towards Depp during this song in the movie. Both versions are still really epic =D

  • Love George Hearn, such energy and stage presence, He is amazing! He delivers an amazingly powerful performance that I have yet to be seen matched by any other stage Sweeney. Everytime I go to see a stage production of Sweeney I expect the Sweeney to be like Hearn, I guess I should lower my standards, because none that I have seen in person have even come close to matching this.

  • @FleetStreetNightmare He sings this particular song perfectly-far superior to Johnny Depp. The way his voice pitches during some parts, sounding almost demonic-is downright chilling.

  • @FleetStreetNightmare I can imagine. Ive never seen ST live but if i ever did i wud be so dissapointed that i wud not get to see George Hearn playing Sweeney.

  • @FleetStreetNightmare I truly believed him to be insane.

  • @FleetStreetNightmare Not even johnny depp :)

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