Surfing Through "Sweeney Todd"

Just saw the new Broadway production of Sweeney Todd starring Michael Cerveris and Patti Lupone. Terrific show -- one of Sondheim's best of course. And this take on it -- set ostensibly in a madhouse and with the smallish cast doubling up on instruments -- was beautifully focused and well-directed. Every movement had a purpose, every performance was on the same page...and what delicious pies. Hard to imagine people complaining that Sondheim doesn't write "tunes," what with songs like "Not While I'm Around," "Pretty Women," "Johanna" and the show-specific numbers like "The Worst Pies in London," "By The Sea" (Lupone's highlight) and "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd." Cerveris and Lupone were great of course -- terrific chemistry, very droll and always in service to the show. The find for me was Manoel Felciano as Tobias. He was wonderfully good as the narrator/Toby, giving a dangerous gleam to "Not While I'm Around" and generally being in tune with everything going on stage around him without being distracting or busy or calling attention to himself. But every time you did look at him -- even if he was just playing an instrument -- you knew exactly what he was thinking and feeling. I saw him after the show lugging some suitcases and calling a cab but he had a distracted, unapproachable air so I didn't say, 'Great show.' But he's performing solo tomorrow and next Monday and I don't want to miss that. A real talent.