Sweeney Todd

Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd' is a quite remarkable musical creation. A show which is closer to the world of opera than that of the musical, the piece is a dark and disturbing drama which delves deep into the human psyche, taking a coruscating look at Victorian hypocrisy along the way but which also manages to leaven the potentially grim and forbidding subject matter with some sparkling flashes of wit and sly humour. Here is a show which is reminiscent of a Jacobean revenge drama, with Sondheim’s ear obviously having been influenced by the music of Britten and Berg, treating the listener to some delicious sonorities and dramatic moments. Something of a demanding undertaking for any amateur society to attempt, Sweeney Todd' represents a high point in the development of the stage musical and it was cheering to see PHTC take the bold decision to stage this terrific show: more than that, it was especially cheering to see them make such a successful job of the enterprise.

The two central characters in the show are of course those of Sweeney Todd himself and his nefarious helpmate, Mrs Lovett, played by James Cockerill and Sarah Thewlis with a very definite nod in the direction of the fairly recent Tim Burton film version of the show. As director Howard G Raw mentioned in his programme notes, the film version may well have given a wider audience a particular set of expectations as to characterizations of the two central figures in the drama and although clearly influenced by the film, James and Sarah brought enough of themselves to their respective roles to make them their own. Sweeney is a complex character - a man eaten up with thoughts of revenge and whose single minded obsession is eventually his undoing - but one with whom the audience cannot help but feel some degree of sympathy. James did well with this demanding role - Sweeney is barely off the stage and has a large amount of tricky music to negotiate - and really managed to make Sweeney Todd a fully rounded and believable character: a great achievement. Sarah's lively, humorous and controlled performance as Mrs Lovett was also finely balanced, getting the most from the lighter side of the fiendish pie maker but making her very much a flesh and blood character - in every sense! Two very strong characterizations here, with both performers really excelling dramatically and musically. Josh Hindle as Anthony was particularly strong - this was an interpretation of some confidence and showed a real understanding of the character, excelling in every vocal number. Jade Brett as Johanna was exactly right in the role and performed her musical numbers with power and grace – another impressive performance here too. David Norris really made the most of the seedy, lecherous, amoral character of Judge Turpin: this fiend with no redeeming features is a pivotal role and David played him to perfection in a 'no holds barred' descent into depravity.

Perhaps the standout performances of the evening for me were Steve Grist as the Beadle and Jackie Edington as the Beggar Woman, two very important smaller roles in the show which need careful handling as both characters are vital to the plot and add substance to the piece. Steve gave a faultless performance, finely balancing the humour inherent in the character with the underlying threat that the Beadle represents as Judge Turpin's right hand man and partner in crime. Having seen Steve many times on the stage at the Hippodrome, I wouldn't hesitate in naming this as his finest performance to date. Jackie's Beggar Woman was similarly impressive: this is a role which needs expert handling as it is vital that the clues are laid for the audience as to her real identity, without giving the game away too early in the show. The role is demanding vocally too and Jackie - along with the rest of the cast, was strong here also. Rival barber and con man Adolfo Pirelli was essayed quite magnificently by Simon Jackson who brought a dangerous edge to this cameo role: again, having seen Simon several times on stage, this was perhaps the strongest performance I have seen him give. Pirelli's hapless sidekick Tobias, played by Lewis Bolton, is a very important role and it couldn't have been in safer hands. Lewis gave an affecting and deeply thoughtful performance which belied his young age, showing that here is a very experienced head on young shoulders. Completing the principal line-up was Gary Edington as Fogg, the keeper of the lunatic asylum, giving great value as always with a deliciously creepy performance.

A great set - with the traditional multi-purpose spinning central pie shop/ barbers section - was populated by members of the chorus who were ever present in varying numbers throughout the show: an excellent idea which served to suggest the complicity of the different sections of society in the ultimately tragic events - and also to suggest the idea of the chorus having an integral role in the drama as a 'traditional', classical chorus: reflecting and commenting upon the events as they unfold. On stage, different levels were used imaginatively and scene changes were integrated seamlessly, becoming a part of the drama rather than holding it up.

As always, Lisa Manley worked her magic with the orchestra and negotiated the tricky musical score with ease, a not inconsiderable achievement given the difficulties that this long, sung-through musical score can throw up and the entire company had obviously worked hard to produce a great sound on stage. If I had any criticism to make, I did seem to notice a rather inconsistent level of amplified sound with regard to the personal mics, with some unfortunate variations from time to time and with different performers seeming to be affected more than others: there were occasions when certain passages became indistinct, not helped in some cases with the addition of half-hearted enunciation and mumbling (an increasingly common curse of the amateur stage in the age of personal mics and ubiquitous 'American' accents!) but this was not a fatal flaw. Perhaps also some of the ensemble routines were a little too busy for my personal taste: there were occasions when it did seem that whenever the stage had enough people on it for a spot of moving about, move about they did - with gusto. And if that seems like a finicky and facile criticism, it isn't intended to be: I think the show is good enough - having a depth and a gravitas to be able to rest on the strength of the themes brought out by the characters, the plot and the music alone - to not really need too much in the way of traditional 'company numbers'. But then of course as I said, it is all just a matter of personal taste!

Several points in the show really stood out for me: the competition between Todd and Pirelli was handled masterfully by all on the stage, as was the Act Two opening section at Mrs Lovett's pie shop; the musically difficult section in Act One with several characters singing in counterpoint ('Kiss Me'/'Ladies in their Sensitivities') was very impressive; the humour of 'A little Priest', 'By the Sea' and the parlour songs contrasted poignantly with some of the darker moments on stage very well, showing an intelligent understanding of the light and shade inherent in the drama; the final scene - where there is always a danger of tipping the show over into awkward or embarrassing melodrama- was also very well judged and well handled by the cast.

Overall, the show was a great success and made me consider that it seems clear that when a society brimming with talent such as PHTC - guided by an experienced and talented director and an equally capable MD - tackle a really worthwhile artistic and musical project such as 'Sweeney Todd', the results speak for themselves. Howard G Raw must take the credit for summoning up some super performances from his talented cast and also for being at the helm of a considered production of a show which can be difficult to pull off at all: to have made such a resounding success of this important piece of musical theatre is a great achievement. It was also cheering to see such a large audience appreciating this thoughtful and powerful production at the Hippodrome on the evening I attended: more than that, it was refreshing to see something worth doing, done well - a sadly rare event on the amateur stage in today's cultural climate. My sincere thanks go to all at the Hippodrome for a typically warm welcome and a great evening.

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