'Sweeney Todd' Toronto Tour: Bloody Brilliant

Since it premiered on Broadway in March of 1979, Stephen Sondheim's musical thriller Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has been continuously revived. I've seen a dozen productions of Sweeney Todd over the years and I am always amazed at how well the piece works, whether done on a grand scale by an opera company or in small intimate productions.  The reasons for the show's ongoing success are simple: it's got a crackling good story told through devilishly lyrics set to appropriately creepy music.

The story tells of a barber who goes mad and begins slashing the throats of his customers then sending the bodies to his neighbor Mrs. Lovett who happily grinds them up for her tasty meat pies. Sondheim version is based on Christopher Bond's adaptation, which gives the tale an element of revenge.

Still, nothing quite prepares you for John Doyle's re-imagined production where the 10-member cast doubles as the orchestra.They enunciate each lyric with flawless diction – crossing every T and dotting every I.

Judy Kaye is phenomenal as Mrs. Lovett. She has played the role in other productions but it would be hard to imagine a better performance – she weaves in so many subtle nuances that even to someone like me who has memorized the score through repeated listens, it sounded all fresh and new.

The Sweeney we saw opening night was David Garry. He is actually the understudy – David Hess has had to leave the show for several weeks due to vocal exhaustion but Garry did a credible job although I longed to sense more of that seething anger in the early scenes. From the Broadway production Lauren Molina and Benjamin Magnuson recreate their performances as the young lovers Anthony and Johanna, both singing with beautiful expressive voices.

Edmund Bagnell as Mrs Lovett's assistant Tobias nearly steals with show offering a tender performance of "Not While I'm around" but personifying madness throughout.

Sweeney Todd is a dark musical, but it's also bloody brilliant. I envy those of you who are seeing it for the first time in this breathtaking production.

 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street plays at the Princess of Wales Theater until Sunday December 9. For tickets visit Mirvish.com or call Ticketking at 416-872-1212.

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