On a cold, drizzly day (somewhat
suitable, one might say) at the Claridge's Hotel, there was a feeling of
excitement in the air that you could cut with a knife as the cast and creative team of the highly-anticipated new movie-musical Sweeney Todd crowded a press junket in London.
In a very special BroadwayWorld exclusive, London reporter Nick Hutson provides a very special Q/A series with the likes of Johnny Depp, renown composer Stephen Sondheim; plus stars Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, and director Tim Burton and the stars
of tomorrow Ed Sanders, Jayne Weisner and Jamie Campbell Bower.
Stay Tuned as BroadwayWorld brings you even more exclusive content and features on Sweeney Todd! In theatres for limited national release December 21, 2007 and wide
January 11, 2008.
TIM BURTON (DIRECTOR)
AND JOHNNY DEPP (SWEENEY TODD)
The words of wisdom from the man with the vision and the man with the razor –
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. Johnny was
first asked about his risk taking when it comes to his films and also what it
was about this film that inspired him so much.
Johnny Depp: It's
probably a combination of, or something in between hard-headed and ignorant. In
terms of doing the, taking the road I've taken because there's an easier one
out there. Well Sweeney Todd, first
of all, that's one thing, you know, that's one sort of thing you know, but then
Tim comes into the picture before all that, man. Anything that he'd ask me to
do, I'd just at the opportunity to do.
Tim Burton:
Except for ballet
Johnny Depp: No,
no I actually would!
Tim Burton: You
would? You're not gonna do that!
Johnny Depp: I
would try. I was familiar to some degree with the, earlier versions of the
stuff, I'd seen the video of Angela Lansbury and listened to it quite
extensively and seen the more recent production of it, and just thought it might
be certainly, a great opportunity to try to find a new Sweeney, a different Sweeney.
Kind of a midway, suppose like a slightly more contemporary sense like a punk
rock Sweeney.
He was asked about
the nerve-shredding experience of singing these very famous songs.
Johnny Depp: I
think I was probably more frightened than anyone, except, except maybe Tim. No,
he really trusted me with it and I was very lucky that he allowed me to--
because I didn't have a process, really, you know, in terms of singing. I never
sang before in my life. So I kind of had to find my way to it, and thought it
was important that I keep it very low key and so yeah, initially, I did these
demos in my friend's garage studio and 'cause I didn't know if I would be able
to hit a note to be honest, I really didn't. I just, wanted to make sure I
could do it for Tim. So then, I think the first demo we cut was "My
Friends," and I sent it to Tim, and crossed my fingers, and waited for the
outcome.
We wondered if the
role of Sweeney Todd's revenge was the act of loneliness as a victim, or a
violent reaction that became more violent.
Johnny Depp: It's
probably all of that. You know, layer by layer one thing leads to another.
Initially a victim, dreams of revenge, becomes obsessed with that dream of
revenge, and then from there, it turns into a compulsion-possession, you know,
madness, and it's the only thing you have, the only thing that drives you, the
only thing that keeps you alive, is the idea.
