Sweeney Todd comes to Kentucky

Sandy and I went to Louisville on Saturday afternoon to the Kentucky Center to see Sweeney Todd. This version has been playing on Broadway, and is not to be confused with the movie version currently playing with Johnny Depp playing the title role. We had gotten the tickets as an anniversary present from the old brother-in-law and met him up there for the blood fest, and blood fest it is. Sweeney Todd is an English barber who uses a straight razor to dispatch his victims. I think he slit the throats of about 6 or 7 in the movie, including his female accomplice. Previously his lady love had helped dispose of the bodies by cooking them and making meat pies which they sold in the neighborhood. The butchery was accomplished on stage by the use of flashing red lights and fiendish noises as he slashed their throats with his shiny razor. There seems to be an element of truth to Sweeney as this story goes back to England about the early 1800s. There is a similar story from France about the same time. The play has 10 characters on the stage , and all play several instruments. The killed characters don white coats with bright red blood stains to separate them from the living. A central piece of stage furniture is an old fashioned black,wooden coffin that becomes a bar, a judge's bench , a podium , and an actual coffin. The music is very catchy and well performed,especially By the Sea and Johanna. The British to whom we owe this story are certainly morbid people. It was easily not the most up-lifting dramatic play that I have seen, but it was entertaining. We went across the street immediately following the play to the Bristol and dined; certainly not meat pies you can bet on that. As we were leaving I noticed a new night club/restaurant just down the street, close to the big ball bat. I can't remember the name but it reminded me of Greenwich Village or Soho because it had the whole roof ledge and door archetraves festooned with life-sized emperor penguins painted bright red. Quite an impressive sight. By the doorway they had this theatrical chandalier hanging over the sidewalk , very large in scale and dramatic.I've got to research the red penguins and patronize the place. It certainly won't take the place of McDonalds, but Downtown Louisville is leaps and bounds over downtown Lexington.All Lexington seems to be able to muster is worn out shows at the Opera House or infrequent concerts at Rupp Arena. We also like going to the Palace Theater and eating at Cunninghams across the street. We took the nieces and nephews in early DEcember to see Michael MacDonald . I think they were more impressed with the restaurant than Michael. Maybe the Doobie Brothers are a little dated to their generation.Daytona came today and Ryan Newman won.I'm glad, because lately he has been more visible selling Gillette razors than appearing in the winner's circle. Maybe Sweeney Todd should use a Trac Three in the play and get royalties from the company, much like the "Young Guns".Compared to "Spam-A-Lot" Sweeny Todd is pretty drab, but they say Clay Aikens is going to play Sir Lancelot on the New York stage version of Spam-a Lot. .A good weekend including Sweeney and the Red Penguins. Tomorrow is Monday and the weather turns colder. Hurry up spring.I hope I don't hear "Convoy" going to work.