Great article. I admit, I was really surprised that the last Broadway revival didn't include this song.
Hal Prince himself claimed that he just never found a way to stage the Judge's Johanna that made him happy, although I suspect Sondheim is right that he also felt it made the audience too uncomfortable. I've yet to find any images or footage of how Prince did stage it in previews, but interestingly when he restaged Sweeney for Houston Grand Opera and New York City Opera in the 1980s, in productions based closely on the designs and staging of the original Broadway, he DID put the number back in. And yet again, I've never come across footage of how he staged it, but apparently he found a way that made him happy (the Houston production was broadcast live--but on radio only.)
And I really need to do my research better, but wasn't the song placed in a slightly different place on the original Broadway cast album than it would be on stage?
I taped the Houston Grand Opera debut performance off the air in 1984, and just recently digitized it and posted it on YouTube; the Judge's "Johanna" is not in there.
Thanks for this! I'm so glad to be able to hear it in full.
You're right! The first NYCO production was the same year 1984 (and revived in 1987) and I have a scan of that program which does list the Judge's Johanna, although now I want to try to find out if it was in fact performed or not.
OK, this is the info I got from a friend who seems to remember everything. He didn't see the original Broadway Sweeney until after it was cut, and did say while Houston didn't do it, NYCO absolutely did. I'll quote from his message:
"i've been told that Prince put it way over on stage right (or maybe stage left) during those few previews in 1979, as if he was trying to hide it, but i'm not sure that's true and you can't tell from the photos. But when I saw it at NYCO it was center, although the brief scene with him and Johanna afterward was cut.:
He also sent three photos from the previews of the staging in 1979 but I don't think I can figure out how to link to them on here... If anyone would like me to try to send them (or maybe it's only me who gets obsessed with things like this) feel free to message me.
The number has certainly "come and gone" over the years, probably depending on whether the production is keener on honoring Sondheim's wishes vs. Prince's wishes, vs. the wishes of whomever is playing Judge Turpin...
And, perhaps the best performance of the number on record belongs to Timothy Nolen, the wonderful Sweeney in that 1984 HGO production:
The timing of this is amazing: I saw "Sweeney Todd" yesterday in La Mirada, California. An absolutely first-rate production, with Will Swenson and Lesli Margherita as the leads (her comic chops are surprisingly strong). Alas, no "Johanna" from Judge Turpin. Still, the production was riveting and beautifully performed, and it didn't feel long at about 2 hours and 40 minutes.
I saw the original Broadway production about 2 weeks after it opened and it wasn’t there. It was a surprise when I heard it on the cast album. I can imagine it would be hard to stage without the actor hurting himself. Is it even in the rental version? I’ve never seen a production that used it.
Great article. I admit, I was really surprised that the last Broadway revival didn't include this song.
Hal Prince himself claimed that he just never found a way to stage the Judge's Johanna that made him happy, although I suspect Sondheim is right that he also felt it made the audience too uncomfortable. I've yet to find any images or footage of how Prince did stage it in previews, but interestingly when he restaged Sweeney for Houston Grand Opera and New York City Opera in the 1980s, in productions based closely on the designs and staging of the original Broadway, he DID put the number back in. And yet again, I've never come across footage of how he staged it, but apparently he found a way that made him happy (the Houston production was broadcast live--but on radio only.)
And I really need to do my research better, but wasn't the song placed in a slightly different place on the original Broadway cast album than it would be on stage?
I taped the Houston Grand Opera debut performance off the air in 1984, and just recently digitized it and posted it on YouTube; the Judge's "Johanna" is not in there.
https://youtu.be/6kiADs4WZSY?si=sTgVPaEs7JqUi870
Thanks for this! I'm so glad to be able to hear it in full.
You're right! The first NYCO production was the same year 1984 (and revived in 1987) and I have a scan of that program which does list the Judge's Johanna, although now I want to try to find out if it was in fact performed or not.
OK, this is the info I got from a friend who seems to remember everything. He didn't see the original Broadway Sweeney until after it was cut, and did say while Houston didn't do it, NYCO absolutely did. I'll quote from his message:
"i've been told that Prince put it way over on stage right (or maybe stage left) during those few previews in 1979, as if he was trying to hide it, but i'm not sure that's true and you can't tell from the photos. But when I saw it at NYCO it was center, although the brief scene with him and Johanna afterward was cut.:
He also sent three photos from the previews of the staging in 1979 but I don't think I can figure out how to link to them on here... If anyone would like me to try to send them (or maybe it's only me who gets obsessed with things like this) feel free to message me.
I'd love to see the photos!
The number has certainly "come and gone" over the years, probably depending on whether the production is keener on honoring Sondheim's wishes vs. Prince's wishes, vs. the wishes of whomever is playing Judge Turpin...
And, perhaps the best performance of the number on record belongs to Timothy Nolen, the wonderful Sweeney in that 1984 HGO production:
https://youtu.be/fl_j4fmXvqU?si=aa0asaXAEEr8dD7F
Spot on. The private ritual lens is so integral. Really a great breakdown. Thanks!
The timing of this is amazing: I saw "Sweeney Todd" yesterday in La Mirada, California. An absolutely first-rate production, with Will Swenson and Lesli Margherita as the leads (her comic chops are surprisingly strong). Alas, no "Johanna" from Judge Turpin. Still, the production was riveting and beautifully performed, and it didn't feel long at about 2 hours and 40 minutes.
I saw the original Broadway production about 2 weeks after it opened and it wasn’t there. It was a surprise when I heard it on the cast album. I can imagine it would be hard to stage without the actor hurting himself. Is it even in the rental version? I’ve never seen a production that used it.
Yes, despicable Judge Turpin is the only truly religious character in the show! Cutting this number is a huge mistake.