REVIEW
Little Theatre Company present
SWEENEY TODD - THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
Palace Theatre, Westcliff
Thurs - Sat 7.30pm: £21.50 / Matinees :Thurs & Sat 2.30pm: £18.50
(You will never eat a meat pie again)
Little Theatre Company present
SWEENEY TODD - THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
Palace Theatre, Westcliff
Thurs - Sat 7.30pm: £21.50 / Matinees :Thurs & Sat 2.30pm: £18.50
(You will never eat a meat pie again)
If you like dark, dramatic musicals, then Sweeney Todd is the one for you. Considered one of Stephen Sondheim’s best, the Little Theatre Company’s production, successfully reproduces Victorian London with the grisly murderer, the demon barber. The show is well known, and there has been an award winning production in the West End not that long ago starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, and more recently a film with Johnny Depp.
The score presents challenges on both technical and musical levels. The composer’s writing is pure genius, highlighting each character’s personality with intriguing musical nuances. Contrary to many musicals where spoken dialogue features prominently, most of Sweeney Todd is sung throughout. The main songs are intensely demanding to sing and, at the same time, not particularly catchy for audiences to remember. In the preview interview (see below), one member of the cast said that it was as though Sondheim had dropped all his music sheets and put them together at random, so it must have been very difficult to perform.
Learning the parts of Sweeney or Mrs Lovett is not just about memorising hundreds of notes and lines, but acting the characters in a believable way. I complement the cast for pulling it off. They were superb at playing very difficult roles with lots of interwoven, counterpoint singing. Although, technically a horror story, the musical explains why Sweeney has turned into a murderer. Julian Cottee as Sweeney, an alias of Benjamin Barker, a barber, who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, is bent on vengeance against the Beadle and Judge who falsely convicted him. They also caused the apparent death of his wife. Julian dominates the stage, as he dramatically prowls around with a brooding intensity and manages to convey the many layered nature of the devilish barber. His companion, a very lively Ami Roberts as Mrs Lovett is a brilliant over the top queen of pie making, and contrasts with the dour Sweeney brightening up the doom and gloom. The duet, A Little Priest, about which people to bake in pies was well done and provides some light relief. Amy also shows a tender side when Mrs Lovett wants Sweeney to love her.
I also liked the sympathetic playing of Tobias (Lewis Carlile) who was so believable I was dreading that he might end up in a pie. He came into his own when he sang tenderly to Mrs Lovett that nothing would harm her, Not While I’m Around.
The love interest of Johanna and Anthony Hope whose characters are overshadowed by the leads held their own. They were well played by Chris Higginson and Georgina Blackwell. Both characters showed great flexibility in their vocal ranges, as well as huge skill in blending their voices together in some of the most demanding duets (Kiss Me!) However, in the rescue from the asylum, where Johanna has been held captive by the evil Judge, there could have been more energy, and the inmates could have looked a little more dishevelled. Judge Turpin (Ian Benson) and the cruel Beadle (Scott McFall) play up their villainous side so that like pantomime villains, they are booed at the end.
Lee Brown had fun as the fake-Italian barber Adolfo Pirelli, who suddenly acquires an Irish accent, and I particularly liked the Beggar Woman (Maddy Lahna) who switched from operatic soprano to raucous East End prostitute at the drop of a hat.
The large, ensemble cast is very well choreographed by Becca Pooley as they sing across each other and move around the stage. The complicated singing is accompanied musically under the direction of Alex Wood.
The show owes much to the operatic world and has intricate scene changes and dramatic effects. It is a complex piece of theatre, and LTC manages to conjure up the dark images of smoky Victorian London. Although there are no songs that you go out humming, it is still an interesting theatrical experience and shouldn’t be missed.
Well done to the Little Theatre Company and directors Tim Cater and Bradley Green for bringing this complicated show to life.
Review Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Tickets available from the Palace Theatre Box Office – 0343 310 0030
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-sweeney-todd-ltc-southend-2022
A £3.65 transaction fee may apply to your order
The score presents challenges on both technical and musical levels. The composer’s writing is pure genius, highlighting each character’s personality with intriguing musical nuances. Contrary to many musicals where spoken dialogue features prominently, most of Sweeney Todd is sung throughout. The main songs are intensely demanding to sing and, at the same time, not particularly catchy for audiences to remember. In the preview interview (see below), one member of the cast said that it was as though Sondheim had dropped all his music sheets and put them together at random, so it must have been very difficult to perform.
Learning the parts of Sweeney or Mrs Lovett is not just about memorising hundreds of notes and lines, but acting the characters in a believable way. I complement the cast for pulling it off. They were superb at playing very difficult roles with lots of interwoven, counterpoint singing. Although, technically a horror story, the musical explains why Sweeney has turned into a murderer. Julian Cottee as Sweeney, an alias of Benjamin Barker, a barber, who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, is bent on vengeance against the Beadle and Judge who falsely convicted him. They also caused the apparent death of his wife. Julian dominates the stage, as he dramatically prowls around with a brooding intensity and manages to convey the many layered nature of the devilish barber. His companion, a very lively Ami Roberts as Mrs Lovett is a brilliant over the top queen of pie making, and contrasts with the dour Sweeney brightening up the doom and gloom. The duet, A Little Priest, about which people to bake in pies was well done and provides some light relief. Amy also shows a tender side when Mrs Lovett wants Sweeney to love her.
I also liked the sympathetic playing of Tobias (Lewis Carlile) who was so believable I was dreading that he might end up in a pie. He came into his own when he sang tenderly to Mrs Lovett that nothing would harm her, Not While I’m Around.
The love interest of Johanna and Anthony Hope whose characters are overshadowed by the leads held their own. They were well played by Chris Higginson and Georgina Blackwell. Both characters showed great flexibility in their vocal ranges, as well as huge skill in blending their voices together in some of the most demanding duets (Kiss Me!) However, in the rescue from the asylum, where Johanna has been held captive by the evil Judge, there could have been more energy, and the inmates could have looked a little more dishevelled. Judge Turpin (Ian Benson) and the cruel Beadle (Scott McFall) play up their villainous side so that like pantomime villains, they are booed at the end.
Lee Brown had fun as the fake-Italian barber Adolfo Pirelli, who suddenly acquires an Irish accent, and I particularly liked the Beggar Woman (Maddy Lahna) who switched from operatic soprano to raucous East End prostitute at the drop of a hat.
The large, ensemble cast is very well choreographed by Becca Pooley as they sing across each other and move around the stage. The complicated singing is accompanied musically under the direction of Alex Wood.
The show owes much to the operatic world and has intricate scene changes and dramatic effects. It is a complex piece of theatre, and LTC manages to conjure up the dark images of smoky Victorian London. Although there are no songs that you go out humming, it is still an interesting theatrical experience and shouldn’t be missed.
Well done to the Little Theatre Company and directors Tim Cater and Bradley Green for bringing this complicated show to life.
Review Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Tickets available from the Palace Theatre Box Office – 0343 310 0030
https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/tickets-sweeney-todd-ltc-southend-2022
A £3.65 transaction fee may apply to your order