Sweeney Todd

Knutsford Musical Theatre Company were back on stage with their production of ‘Sweeney Todd’. Directed by Ben Ireson, this production had some original ideas, including have immersive seating where the cast were able to interact with the audience. The immersive area was utilised well, especially by the ensemble with many of the big numbers incorporating this space. There were some pieces of direction that felt slightly overdone. It is a difficult ship to navigate when these moments are cued and underscored by the music, but feel like it should be mentioned. The assault of Lucy was uncomfortable to watch, as it should be, but seemed to last just that little bit long. Anthony and Johanna’s kiss also lasted longer than necessary. Understandably, it shows two young people in love, grabbing every opportunity they get to be together, but it distracted from what was happening with Turpin and the Beadle. The set was great and utilised well. The way it came out into the auditorium was effective, with blood-spattered newspapers plastered on the walls. The numerous razor blades hanging from the ceiling was effective as well, especially in ‘My Friends’ when they were lit. The main set piece of Mrs Lovett’s shop/Sweeney’s barber shop was impressive, with it becoming a vital component in the second act. The chair contraption worked really well. It is a lengthy show and Ben must be applauded for ensuring the pace was kept up at all times.

Michael J Scott was musical director for Sweeney Todd, and led an impressive orchestra. The orchestra worked well to bring to life Sondheim’s music and it was great to see them in view at the back of the stage. Vocally, this is a challenging piece, with intricate harmonies and lyrics. Michael had obviously worked the cast hard, and they delivered to a high standard.

The lighting design was good. Lights were cued well, especially when picking out soloists in the opening number. Unfortunately, sound was an issue during the performance. Mics were cued late, meaning we missed chunks of dialogue and songs, which was a shame.

Choreography was by Sophie Meggitt. The routines were well executed by the cast, with the highlight being ‘God, That’s Good!’ which was full of energy and life.

Joel Merry took on the title role of Sweeney Todd. This was a good performance, with some great vocals. Joel was able to play the dark and brooding Sweeney very well. It would have been interesting to see some lighter moments of Sweeney’s character, especially in some of the scenes with Mrs Lovett.

Kelly Walton as Mrs Lovett gave a standout performance. She provided many of the lighter moments of the production and worked well with Joel. Kelly looked like she was having a ball on stage and seemed to relish the comedic moments. She played the more sensitive parts very well indeed, especially the realisation that Sweeney had killed his wife.

As Beggar Woman/Lucy, Dani Fray provided some great vocals. Dani gave a very physical performance, constantly moving around the space in a frantic state, which really suited the character. It was a great interpretation.

Judge Turpin was played by Oliver Ball. Oliver was suitably creepy in this role. He had a great command of the stage and showed the sinister side of Turpin well. Oliver was able to show the conflicting sides of the character well in ‘Johanna’.

Thomas Frith played The Beadle and worked well with Oliver. He had a great air of authority about him, which the rest of the cast reacted well to. Thomas also has a great sense of comedy, which he was able to display in this role, particularly in ‘Parlor Songs’.

Connor Ryan as Anthony impressed. He had a great vocal and stage presence. His relationship with Maria as Johanna was believable. Connor’s articulation and diction were very good – every word could be heard.

Johanna was played by Maria Ames. Maria did well with this role and played the Victorian damsel in distress well. She has a nice voice, which complimented Connor’s well in their duets together.

Andy Dolan played Adolfo Pirelli. This is a difficult role to play as it requires an actor who can do both an Italian and Irish accent convincingly. Andy made a good attempt at this, and added some much needed comedic moments.

Toby Abbott gave a great performance as Tobias Ragg. He brought a youthful energy to the stage, providing some great vocal moments, especially in ‘Not While I’m Around’. It would have been nice to have a slower build up to the realisation that Mrs Lovett had Pirelli’s purse – it seemed to happen very quickly. Again, this was a case of fitting the moment with the music.

The ensemble was a highlight during this production. The vocals and harmonies produced were very good. They interacted well with the audience in the immersive seating, providing different characters including customers at the pie shop and patients at the asylum. Both of these numbers were highlights of the production.

Overall, this was a good production, with an excellent orchestra, inventive staging and some good performances.

Thank you to Knutsford Musical Theatre Company for their warm welcome and kind hospitality. All the best for your next production, ‘Funny Girl’, later this year.

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