Sweeney Todd - 1982 Touring Production - Part 17

[Caliomene]

I'd just like to point out that when Mrs. Lovett dies, Toby is not, in fact, around.

[dagrin666]

I just realized two things: 1. Her name is Mrs. Lovett, therefore she is/was married, and 2. She wears a wedding ring (can be seen at 5:00). Where in the world is her husband, or what happened to him?

[DramaMajor713]

@dagrin666 He died a few years before Sweeney showed up, I think.

[UchihaAlira]

@dagrin666 In the film version, she mentions that he died from gout in the leg. That killed people very easy back then.

[littlesongbird1]

@dagrin666 She's a widow.

Also if she was not wearing a ring, it used to be that term Mrs. meant a grown a woman not necessarily a married woman.

[Narutard3610]

I love Tobias he is so awsome

[kailanikcmz]

this made me love the guy who plays Tobias!!!

[Writergurl24]

"Oh, what a sweet child IT is" haha.. what? Toby's an it now?

[Jordygurrl22]

Is dat neil patrick harris??? lol

[Mintywolf]

All the money they're making and she couldn't have bought Toby some new clothes? He still looks like he ran away from the circus.

[CaliCaliente00]

Toby is actually supposed to be a retarted young man, not a child. They changed it in the movie :)

[thunderbellyemm]

this part of the musical is heartbreaking D:

[DSdude3]

The original intention was for Toby to be a simple, slow young MAN. Just because the movie took it a different way, it doesn't mean the ORIGINAL version did it wrong

[michaelgwii]

@DSdude3 THANK YOU!!! I really hate how people assume that Tim Burton's interpretation is the only correct one. Toby was not intended to be a child.

[taurusgirl65]

Back then, this show might've been too intense for young boys to perform as Toby. Mr. Jennings was the perfect choice to perform Toby because (1) He has a high youthful voice, almost like an 8-16 year old (2) He is energetic and has a classic stature. Now that it's a new era, they have young boys playing Toby. Mr. Jennings was an inspiration to create new Toby's.

PS. Mr. Jennings voice Dinty Doyle from The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold!

[xoTheQueenOfHeartsox]

3:30 he starts acting like a dog rubbing it's head agaisnt you :P :P :P A M A Z I N G S H O W :DD

[92bwaybound]

i hate how toby is like 45 lol idc about chid labor laws, not while i'm around loses it's cute factor when a grown man is singing it lol

[rafkny]

@92bwaybound Everything is easy on film.....you have to have certain concessions on the big stage. Audiences don't judge this kind of casting.

[AliaSparrow]

@92bwaybound Do you honestly think the CUTE FACTOR has bearings on the theme of insanity and furtility of murder. It's not that I didn't like the boy in the movie, he did a great job, but an adult is casted here to be convincing for Toby's slip into insanity.

[92bwaybound]

@AliaSparrow personally i think the "cute factor" adds to the stability of toby's character. the fact that he witnesses ms. lovetts death and the fact that his world is crumbling is what adds to the insanity of the character. i think i child pulls it off better, because it's delievered with more sincerity. just my opinion.

[AliaSparrow]

@92bwaybound That's actually fine interpretation!  A child falling into insanity adds to the contagious tragedy on an innocent child. But of course, it is difficult for the 1982 production to cast a child for the roles. Wait, childREN for the role to switch around for a few days. Toby requires more songs to sing, therefore too powerful requirements that could be found in a young child. Here, this Toby is mentally slow and prone to the fatal insanitiy of the unfolding events.

[SamSkii14]

I think he is a GREAT Toby!

[KanaraMac]

i think ill sing the first part of this song to my kids when im older

[residentevilmann]

"I'd do ANYTHING for you mam" Bow chicka wow wow

[KanaraMac]

freak

[lonelyone3090]

i love this song but the toby is a little to old and creeperish 4 my taste... but like yes they r touring but wat about productions like annie? i saw one and they had a girl regular age, and toby doesnt sing much beyond 3 songs or so so it wouldnt matter if they picked a younger actor

[camero4655]

i'm sorry but the kid that can not sing that good and the kid in the movie can sing better

[siriuslyconfused1]

I really liked the movie Toby, however it's understandable that with this being a touring production, I understand why they can't have a little kid. Though, maybe a younger looking person might have been a bit better.

[TheRune5capeShow]

Actualy, I saw a play that was a touring production called "White Christmas" and it had a little girl. (About 10 or 11)

[broadwayfanatic11192]

i do have to say that its weird that he is so old. but i do understand why they couldn't have a child do it. i mean he's not bad, but i prefer the toby in the movie.

[bbbb666888888845]

There are several reasons that a child couldn't do this. It's on a tour right now and most kids wouldn't be able to run all over the country. Boys of that age couldn't possibly sing good enough or project loud enough for this type of play.

[TheRune5capeShow]

Actualy, I saw a play that was a touring production called "White Christmas" and it had a little girl. (About 10 or 11) And she sung pretty good.

[bbbb666888888845]

That's a good point. I heard somwhere the other day that Toby is actually subbosed to be a man with the mentality of a child. I'm not sure if it's true but it could make sense.

[kittykatsadeyes]

My gosh.

I really hate the fact its a 30 year old man impersonating a child.

Couldn't they simply get a child to do this role?

I mean honestly.

[khesed]

You're stupid. First off, LABOR LAWS. Secondly, no one really heard of a child actor on Broadway at this time.

[metallicargirl]

I don't know it's a recent development, but Toby has either been played as a child or a mentally handicapped adult -- not really a little kid, yeah, but someone with the mentality of one. Either way, he's someone young and naïve who needs to be cared for.

[chubbylilloser]

@khesed bit harsh calling him stupid. Its only an opinion. I agree with him. At leats they could have got an 18yo some one who looked young.

[autoad]

@khesed Really? How do you explain the show "Annie" that appeared in 1977; two years before Sweeney Todd. That show had children playing roles. Especially the role of Annie (played by Andrea McArdle)

[morwenmur]

@autoad Annie doesn't involve people's throats being slit and a generally gory plot. Neither does Oliver! (just in case anyone was thinking about bringing that up). Toby was always played by men aged between 24-37 until the movie.

I hate it when I see comments like "This Toby sucks! They should have kept him as a boy!" It;s like when you talk to someone about Harry Potter and they say "Great movie, shame about the books."

[autoad]

@morwenmur But your comment said nothing about the content of the show. You spoke of labor laws and the absence of any child actor appearing live on stage. That simply is not the case and clearly isn't factual

[morwenmur]

@autoad I never said anything about labour laws! You're confusing me with khesed, I think. I'm not against children appearing live onstage, but I don't think this part is right to be played by a young boy night after night. What with the plot and the whole "insane" thing, I just don't think a 12-15 aged boy would be mature enough (acting-wise) to cope with it all, even if they alternated.

[autoad]

@morwenmur I'm sorry about that. My error. I obviously clicked on the wrong name. My apologies.

[morwenmur]

@autoad That's okay. Thank you for being so polite. It seems to be very rare on youtube.

[autoad]

@morwenmur Thank you for accepting my apology. That too seems to be very rare on YouTube!

By the way...I think your observation about the age of the person playing the role of Toby is valid and I'm in agreement with you.

[morwenmur]

@autoad Your welcome, and thank you. Life is so much happier when people are civil to one another, isn't it.

[autoad]

@morwenmur Indeed it is!

[witwikkie]

@khesed Not only that but i doubt that any children are going to be vocally trained enough for this

[missvitameatavegamin]

@khesed actually, Toby is suppose to be in his teens, he's not a kid, in fact, Tim Burton's films the only production where it's been a child, and even then, the actor was 14 when he filmed it!

[amythepure]

I would think she might feel a little strang cuddling the dudes head to her breast. But I don't really have issues with them not using a child.

[tylerjwsmith]

@kittykatsadeyes Toby is not supposed to be a child.

[justme38ds]

@kittykatsadeyes i agree i also think he looks like a british jason earles

[mightymasher19]

@kittykatsadeyes actually, the part was originally written to be a mentally challenged adult.

[mightymasher19]

@kittykatsadeyes actually, the part was originally written to be a mentally challenged adult. it wasn't until the movie where tobias was played by a child.

[gaspo35]

@kittykatsadeyes most times in the stage version Toby is played by a young man that is autistic so its not too far a stretch to see a 30 year old playing the role, unlike in the movie version where they got a child. they took a different aproach to the role...

[LastRider2006]

@kittykatsadeyes Actually in the original story it wasn't a kid, it was a mentally challenged, physically shorter guy. He wasn't that much of a child in terms of age, just mentally and physically stunted.

[redfender93]

@kittykatsadeyes Tobey is typically played as a 20ish year old man with a mental disorder

[Darkdreamer3331]

@kittykatsadeyes

also, the role of Toby was originally written to be played by a mentaly disabled man, not by a child. my unlce played the roll as a 31 year old

[JagWar1752]

@kittykatsadeyes

My gosh.

I really hate the fact that you have no imagination.

Couldn't you simply understand that he's a child in the context of the play?

I mean honestly.

[BellatrixNellieLovet]

Touring group...never good enough, but this song, always incredible

[khesed]

Okay ... Could someone view this?

[BitchControl911]

I viewed it! ^^ lol Sorry..