Extremely controversial opinion alert: I think Ed and Stede have the most exceedingly vanilla sex where they switch who tops and bottoms and where the only kink is an aggressively adorable praise kink that frequently makes them both cry.
However.
This only applies when they are having sex as Ed and Stede.
But these are two exceedingly cringefail theatre nerds we’re talking about, and the second they start roleplaying as different characters in bed, there are no holds barred when it comes to kink.
Its not even a matter of “who is the dom today and who is the sub?”
The question, as they pull out their journals full of elaborate character notes, is
“Are we playing Thomas Quinton and Chester Swatch today? Or are we playing Geoffrey Cashe and Robin Wood? I’m in the mood to bust out the ropes, which currently only works in those two stories, though I’d happily return to The Dread Pirate Davies and Jeffery Stapleton soon if you’re in the mood for some character work later.”
(Id: #reblogged for truth #their biggest kink is the cringefail roleplay itself #they’re periodically safewording out of the scene to critique each other’s acting choices /end ID)
YOU GET IT!! Except they have different sorts of “safe words”. There is, of course, the classic safeword. The “i need to stop and we need to check in on me” safeword. This is a distinct word from the others because its important to have a word that just means “stop, I need to get straight into aftercare.”
However, they have other words they use too to stop a scene.
Then theres the “he wouldnt fucking say that” word. The acting choice critique, the character work critique. Notably its often self critique. Stede will use this word and go “do you mind if I try that again? I feel like I wasnt channeling Robin Wood with that line”
And Ed nods and goes
“Yeah i noticed it feel a little off, lets try it again. Should we start from your last line, or go all the way back to my entrance?”
The third kind of safe word in the PLOT safeword. This means “there is a plot hole” or “i have a new idea and we need to pause so i can add it to the notes” or “this uncovered my characters tragic backstory and we need to pause to unpack it.”
No, that is the exact logical conclusion to this post. And you are so right. Like they’re sitting around the table in the dining hall for breakfast, Ed has a thousand yard stare and is mindlessly poking at his eggs.
Stede puts a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“All right, dearest?”
Ed blinks, turns to Stede and nods, then asks thoughtfully
“Do you think Thomas Quinton’s brother would have taught him how to tie a knot?”
Stede pauses to think.
“It depends which brother. Is this the brother who was tragically murdered by Swatch’s crew, or the one who joined Swatch’s enemy, betraying both Swatch and the Quinton family?”
“The one who was tragically murdered.”
“Mmm, makes sense. In that case, yes, I do think he would have done that.”
“Me too. We should add that in to our next scene, get a little character work in when Quinton is tying up Swatch.”
Pete leans in, because everyone is at the table listening.
“Who are-?”
Lucius puts up a hand.
“I’m begging you not to ask them that, babe. I know too much as it is.”
annaleigh ashford was on her hands and knees desperately begging for josh groban’s sweeney to listen to her, you can hear the sound of her slamming her hands on the stage as she says “could that thing have cared for you like me?” it was such an intense thing to watch
josh groban is practically spitting as he says “eminently practical and yet appropriate as always,” again the energy and his emotions are incredibly intense
i’m not super familiar with other sweeney todd productions, but in this one it seems that mrs lovett knows what’s coming. ashford keeps glancing toward the oven as groban spins her around, but it seems she wants to keep deluding herself into believing him, she wants to see the version of sweeney she creates in “by the sea.” she sounds frantic in her signing, like she’s trying to convince herself what she’s saying is true as well. or, she knows what’s coming and just doesn’t care, she’s resigned to death. either way, it’s an amazing performance by ashford
the movie really undersells the fact that frodo spent half a year planning to make his departure from the shire as inconspicuous as possible and merry and pippin and sam saw him doing that, figured out he was leaving the shire and that it had something to do with bilbo’s ring, and then spent nearly as long preparing to go with him. icons
obsessed with how ed’s nose brushes against stede’s when he pulls back from the kiss. you see it shift for a split second and it makes my heart leap <3
nah bc i swear it looks like ed is doing it on purpose
excuse me for literally only being able to make a gif on my phone rn bc i’m not opening ps just for this but. i am ok i am normal
I feel like this moment deserves to be viewed in a bigger close-up :).
ok but, like. this moment. the moonlight. the sea. the romantic music. look at them, silhouetted, looking at one another. you can see Ed give a little nod, take a breath, thinking ‘ok, gonna go for it, gonna make my move.’ he steps forward, moves closer, and Stede’s mouth falls open, the smallest gasp. this is new, this is unexpected, this is something he never would have dared dream possible. but Ed…oh Ed. he sees this reaction, he thinks, 'he’s shocked, he’s disgusted, fine things aren’t meant for people like me’ and he stops, abortive and awkward. aching.
