Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (often referred to simply as Sweeney Todd) is a 1979 musical based on the 1970 play Sweeney Todd. The character of Sweeney Todd is the victim of a ruthless judge, who exiled him to Australia and raped his young wife, driving her mad. It first appeared in a Victorian penny dreadful titled The String of Pearls and recounts the story of Todd’s quest for revenge.

There was a very large set that didn’t leave a lot of space for the cast, but the houseand barber’s shop were beautifully crafted, with a space in front for Mrs Lovett’s pie shop. There were also a good array of props and plenty of detail to see, including a
quite remarkable ‘working’ barber’s chair complete with a chute to dispatch Todd’s victims. The backstage team should be credited for swift and efficient scene changes. There were a variety of entrances and exits used, and the cast made the
most of the set. Sound and lighting were good and I especially liked the quick switch to red during ‘The Ballad of Sweeney Todd’. Costumes, hair and makeup were all excellent.

Sweeney Todd (Chris) had a fine baritone voice which was well up to the operatic challenges of Sondheim’s score, most notably in the dramatically intense ‘Epiphany’. Personally, I would have liked to have seen a little more menace and brooding anger in his demeanour but his acting was strong and he formed an impressive pairing with Mrs Lovett. This is a hugely demanding role and he did a very good job, with excellent diction. Well done.

Mrs Lovett (Michelle) was excellent. She had a great voice and manic characterisation which suited the role brilliantly. I especially enjoyed ‘By the Sea’ and ‘Worst Pies in London’, both delivered with wit and conviction and showing off Mrs Lovett’s wicked personality.

Anthony Hope (Noah) had a lovely voice and a wonderful youthful energy and stage presence. ‘Johanna’ was beautifully sung, as was ‘Kiss Me’. Very well done.

Johanna (Amy) was a beautiful soprano, whose voice soared during her rendition of ‘Green Finch and Linnet Bird’. She had a lovely relationship with Anthony and together they made a very believable couple. Musically, too, they very successfully mastered Sondheim’s syncopated rhythms and complex phrasing.

Tobias Ragg (Katy) was the stand out performance of the show for me. It’s hard to believe that the last time I saw Katy, she was performing as the Little Mermaid. She had great physicality and a strong singing voice – ‘Not while I’m around’ was particularly poignant. A really excellent performance.

Judge Turpin (Andrew) was another fine portrayal, with strong vocals and the charisma and menace needed for the role. Very well done.

The Beadle (Matt) was a delight, especially in his scene singing parlour songs with Mrs Lovett. A lovely moment of humour during this dark tale of murder and menace.

Beggar Woman (Caroline) was superbly frenetic and hysterical whenever she appeared and maintained this intensity through her singing and movement.

Pirelli (Paul) switched effortlessly from an Italian to Irish accent and again provided some light in this dark tale.

The ensemble sang well but Sondheim has notoriously complicated rhythms and there were times when I felt they could have been given a bit more help being brought in. However, they moved well and were in fine voice during the big ensemble pieces. The opening number, ‘The Ballad of Sweeney Todd’ was especially strong and they were nicely rowdy during ‘Worst Pies in London’.

Choreography by Daisy Woodruffe was well thought out and interesting. I especially liked the arm movements by the ensemble in the opening number which, together with the red lighting, was particularly effective.

The 13-piece band under the Musical Direction of Samuel Warner did justice to Sondheim’s rich and complicated score. The musicians were all excellent and produced a wonderful sound which was well-balanced with the singers. However, at times I felt there was a disconnect with the cast, which resulted in one or two problems with timing but, overall, this was a strong musical performance.

Direction by Lyn Taylor was very effective on the whole although some scenes were a little static and slow which resulted in a very long show. I also rather missed having any ‘blood’ during the murders and it was a shame not to have any pies during ‘A
Little Priest’. That aside, it was a very well-crafted production with a fine set of principals. Everyone had worked extremely hard to bring this sinister melodrama to life and provide an evening of entertainment which was very much appreciated by the large audience. Congratulations to you all

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