Review: SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET at TUTS

I had never thought of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street as a comedy but from the first line of the classic opening number, when the ensemble invites us into this dark operatic, the audience was already laughing. Yes, this is a chiller but it reminds us that the classic chillers were meant to be fun.

Watching Theatre Under the Stars’ infectiously jovial take on Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 classic, I was struck by how much the audience reaction changed my view on the material. Take for instance the duet “Pretty Woman” between Sweeney Todd (Danny Rothman) and the target of his revenge, the despicable Judge Turpin (Brian Mathis). I somehow never noticed that neither man has anything kind or loving to say about women other than their exterior. “Sitting in a window” sounded romantic until I considered that’s all they wanted their women to do. Sweeney himself dedicated his life to avenging the ill-fated Lucy without being able to describe one aspect of her personality. Was that all part of the joke?

I can’t be too hard on myself. With music this emotional it’s difficult not to get swept up in the drama. Sweeney Todd may be the most motivated character in all of theatre. This 19th-century barber gone mad begins the play with an unbreakable will to live and hatred for London. After his false imprisonment, the death of his wife, and the kidnapping of his only child, he seeks revenge on those he finds responsible. All of them.

Judging by the reactions of the woman sitting two seats away from me, this was her first time experiencing Sweeney's journey of blood and cannibalism. She was audibly enraptured by the whole thing. When Sweeney killed, she cheered. When he didn’t kill, she gasped. How I envy anyone who experiences how the story toys with our expectations for the first time.

It feels redundant to say that Sweeney’s former neighbor (and not-so-secret admirer) Mrs. Lovett (Sally Wilfert) stole the show but, for the record, Mrs. Lovett stole the show. How could she not? She’s the greatest cheerleader ever put on stage. When Sweeney succeeds, she’s always there with a congratulatory smile and old English witticism, I’m sure. When he fails, it’s no big deal. There’s never a reason to fret. If only we could all be so lucky to have a Mrs. Lovett in our corner. She’ll appreciate our work and even take our scraps and turn them into delicious treats. 

As a special note, the surprise highlight of the show was Leslie Jackson as Johanna. Here’s a character I never thought too much of delivered spectacularly by a brilliant performer. She made me believe that Antony (Sam Gravitte) would fall in love with her at first sight. Now I wish I could see the Johanna show.

Then of course there’s the ensemble. They’re the ones who remind us that it’s all theater so we should enjoy the ride. Undead, miserable, poor, Londoners have never had so much life in them. I have to acknowledge the effective use of school-age actors who really knew how to mug to the audience.

Of the many things I could compliment about TUTS’ production of Sweeney Todd (the songs, the costumes, the lighting) perhaps the most important is that it’s authentic. This is as close to the original Angela Lansbury/Len Cariou (later played by George Hearn) production as we can reasonably hope. They even kept the spinning pie shop. I can’t tell you how important it is to the soul of this show for that pie shop to spin around. I’m almost ashamed to say that this tale of murder and cannibalism is a delight. If you haven’t experienced this story or if you’re only familiar with the Tim Burton movie, this is a great chance to dig in.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street plays at the Hobby Center until October 29.

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