Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd has become a worldwide success since being awarded eight Tonys, (including Best Musical), for its Broadway premiere. Stephen Sondheim's and Hugh Wheeler's tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences across the world. The score is classic Sondheim, which makes it an exceptionally complex show to pull off. Sweeney Todd is a musical which demands a great deal from its ensemble...

Port Sunlight Players had a full house for the opening night of Sweeney Todd; the atmosphere in the auditorium was electric. We all felt that something special was about to begin, full ensemble ‘Ballad of Sweeney Todd.’ We were not disappointed.  Set In nineteenth century, London Benjamin Barker, using the alias Sweeney Todd (Stuart Raphel), an unjustly exiled barber, returns home after fifteen years imprisoned in an Australian penal colony, accompanied by a virtuous but naive sailor Anthony Hope (Lee Ainsworth) who saved him from drowning on the treacherous journey. Anthony and Todd take their leave of one another, Todd saying he can be found at his former premises above a shop on Fleet Street.  Mrs. Lovett (Sarah-Kay Maylor) is hard at work at her pie shop, admitting that her shop sells the ‘worst meat pies in London’. Todd tries her pie, discovering her claims to be true, and then inquiries about renting her upstairs apartment to set up his barber shop. She informs him that it has remained vacant until now, believed to be haunted. by the apartment’s former tenant, a Benjamin Barker who was transported to Australia on false charges, leaving his wife and daughter prey to the lascivious plans of corrupt Judge Turpin (Jason Collinson) and his assistant, Beadle Bamford (Davis Coleman). Todd’s reaction to the story leaves no doubt in Mrs. Lovett’s mind that he is Benjamin Barker, and she reveals that the judge raped his wife Lucy, who consequently took her own life, he then took Johanna in as his ward. Todd vows vengeance on the men who caused this tragedy and Mrs. Lovett returns his razors she has been lovingly looking after to him as instruments of this plan.

Johanna, Benjamin Barker’s daughter, is now the ward of the Judge and is confined to his home with only the songs of birds to keep her company. Her disconsolate song ‘Green Finch & Linnet Bird’ attracts Anthony, who is immediately enchanted by her beauty. He purchases a bird for her, but the Judge and Beadle dispose of the creature and threaten Anthony with his life should he pursue her. He ignores this of course planning to meet her again ‘Johanna’, Judge Turpin has Johanne moved to an asylum run by Jonas Fogg (Jay Duncon)

Todds plans go quickly awry when after winning a shaving contest his rival barber named Adolfo Pirelli (Shane Bear) ‘Contest’ figures out Todd’s true identity. Pirelli appears at the shop and reveals himself to be an Irishman, Daniel O’Higgins saying he knows he is Barker and tries to blackmail him. Todd kills Pirelli with his razor Mrs Lovett so lovingly kept for him, leaving his simple-minded young assistant Tobias Ragg (Milo Lesnichiy) homeless. On the advice of the Beadle the Judge proceeds to Todd’s shop to spruce up his appearance. ‘Ladies in their Sensitivities’ Todd is poised to slit the Judge’s throat when Anthony bursts into the shop to solicit Sweeney’s aid in his and Johanna’s elopement plan. The Judge abruptly leaves vowing never to return. Sweeney’s frustration at this delay leads to a soliloquy ‘Epiphany’ of anger at the injustice of the world. Mrs. Lovett hatches a clever plan to manage Pirelli’s body by recycling it into her pies and the act concludes with a comic celebration of their new partnership.

Director/choreographer Barry Dunne had himself a stellar cast for this extraordinary complex musical. The staging of this production was exceptional, as was lighting, Lewis Bradley; sound Dave Molley & Mike Haxby. We experienced a few opening night mic issues, plus a barber chair with a mind of its own, however the actors handled it well.  Musical Director Greg Williams delivered the unique Stephen Sondheim score splendidly.  Mrs. Lovett's pie shop has become a successful business, and Tobias works there as a waiter. The pies are very popular "God, That's Good!". Todd has acquired a special mechanical barber's chair that allows him to kill clients and then send their bodies directly through a chute into the pie shop's basement bakehouse. Unsuspecting clients come to Todd for a shave and are dispatched to the cellar with macabre efficiency.  Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd are now comfortably cohabiting, and Mrs. Lovett’s prosperity is indicated by her upgraded parlour with its new harmonium. She dreams of saving money for a seaside honeymoon ’By the Sea’ with Todd, while his desire for blood grows.  Tobias confesses he has suspicions about a certain gentleman in Mrs. Lovett’s life and declares to protect her from any evildoers’ While I’m Around’. Suspecting he means Todd takes him to the cellar to show him how the meat delivery system works and locks him in with the meat grinder.

Mrs. Lovett returns upstairs to find Beadle Bamford accompanying himself on the harmonium as he sings a selection of country airs. He has received complaints about the smell coming from Mrs. Lovett’s oven. Having delivered his letter to the Judge, Todd returns to the apartment and escorts the Beadle to his barber chair for a beauty treatment. Tobias is eating a pie in the cellar when the Beadle’s bloodied corpse hurtles into the basement from above.

Having located Johanna, Mr. Fogg, the asylum keeper, escorts Anthony to her cell. Anthony threatens Fogg with a gun but cannot shoot him, but Johanna grabs the weapon and despatches him, allowing a mass escape of inmates. In the chaos that ensues Johanna and Anthony make their way to Todds shop. The Beggar Woman (Kate Yates) approaches calling for the Beadle, and Johanna hides in a chest. Todd leaps into the room, brandishing his razor. He attempts to remove the Beggar Woman, but she appears to recognize him despite her madness. Hearing the Judge at the door, Todd slits the throat of the Beggar Woman and sends her down the chute just in time.  Having finally succeeded in bringing the Judge to his barber chair, ‘The Judges Return’ Sweeney Todd finally reveals himself as Benjamin Barker, and sends Turpin to his doom. Todd heads off to dispatch Tobias as the last “loose end,” but returns to collect his razor to see Johanna emerging from the chest. She escapes just in time, as Todd is distracted by Mrs. Lovett’s cries of “Die, die” from the basement.

Todd rushes to the basement to see the Judge’s last struggles at Mrs. Lovett’s feet. He starts to help Mrs. Lovett drag the body of the Beggar Woman to the oven when he recognizes, to his horror, the face of his beloved wife. He realizes that Mrs. Lovett lied about Lucy’s death, and flings her into the oven. Tobias emerges from the darkness, appearing to have lost his mind, and sees Todd cradling the corpse of his dead wife. Toby picks up Todd’s discarded razor and plays with it before cutting Todd’s throat. Anthony, Johanna, and the Guard arrive to witness this horrifying tableau, and the shocking tale of Sweeney Todd comes to a close. Full cast ‘Ballad of Sweeney Todd’.

A truly memorable production of Sweeney Todd, this staging gripped its audience from the opening note to the final, chilling moment. What made it so watchable was not only the strength of the direction and atmosphere, but the unwavering commitment and talent the cast. The actor Stuart Rahel portraying Sweeney himself, delivered a performance that was both vocally powerful and emotionally layered, while Mrs Lovett was brought vividly to life with energy, sharp comic timing, and an undercurrent of desperation. Together, their chemistry drove the production forward with compelling force. Supported by equally dedicated performances across the company, this was a production where talent and commitment were evident in every moment, resulting in a richly satisfying and memorable piece of theatre.

Thankyou Port Sunlight Players for a splendid evening of live theatre, the reception of the audience said it all. I am looking forward to your next production.

 

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