"Sweeney Wishes The World Away, Sweeney's Weeping For Yesterday......................."

                           Girls, only in the world of the Raving Queen could the following be possible.

                           After burnch at Anapoli's, where we were joined by our elegant friend, Chris, we sauntered over to the Alpine Theatre, and, as the previous post will show, saw the latest "Godzilla" film.

                             Several weeks before we knew we were going to be doing that, our glamorous friend, Ellen, called about seeing a concert version of "Sweeney Todd," done, in, of all places, the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church.  I saw this show seven times during its original Broadway run, and I have seen several reincarnations, so a concert version in a church I was not exactly up for.   A coworker of Ellen's was in it, playing Judge Turpin, and she wanted to go and see him.  He proved to be brilliant in what is usually the show's most thankless role!

                               Now, I have a very emotional reaction to "Sweeney Todd." and it is for several reasons. Of course, I sympathize with his tragedy and torment. But, when this show first began on Broadway, I was going through my own tragedy and torment.

                                 I saw "Sweeney Todd" for the first time, on March 1, 1979.  All it meant to me was it was the latest Prince-Sondheim work, but by the time of the first chorus, I was blown away.

                                   But, there was more. For the past 11 days, my mother had been hospitalized, diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, that was spreading.  There was no hope.  I did not want to go that day, but she insisted.  I had bought the ticket.

                                     She died, barely a month later.  Over the course of this period I found myself
returning and returning to this show as a kind of healing.  I related to Sweeney's tragedy and torment, and there was one lyric Sondheim wrote that formed my whole raison d'etre at the time, and gets to me, every time I see this show.  It is in the Act Two couplet of "Johanna," when Sweeney sings, "If only angels could prevail, we'd be the way we were."  Because, back then, I desperately wanted things to go back to the way they were.

                                        Yesterday's presentation was so compelling .  What a treat.  The Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney were superb; and that line got to me, once again. Only this time, I learned something being older--cherish the present, because eventually it will become the yesterday you wish could be the way things were.  A familiar Sondheim theme--just apply this idea to "Follies" and 'Merrily.' It fits.

                                            I can't thank Ellen enough for urging us to go to this. And for the production company for doing such a lovely job.

                                              And things are fine, just the way they are, now. May they continue to remain such!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!