Sweeney Todd
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Critiqued by Holly Bartges

June 19, 2008

With a close shave around the edges, it definitely is a cut above the rest.

National Tour cast of Sweeney Todd Photo: DavidAllenStudio.com

From every aspect imaginable, flirting with the unimaginable, Denver Center Attractions’ production of Sweeney Todd playing the Buell Theatre Blows the Mind with thrilling awesomeness. The powerful gorgeous voices reverberate with resonance not often heard. Character development by every actor captures attention with chilling affects. The staging sharp, playful, determined, precise, and graceful from standing on chairs, climbing ladders, and hoping onto the top of a center stage casket.

Those things by themselves could suffice sending this show flying to the top. That’s not all. The characters play their own instruments. Frequently not just one instrument, but several. Piano players switch places without missing even a 16th of a beat. While the staged characters cavort, no sign of sheet music appears anywhere. This is Steven Sondheim music, which is yards away from “Oh, What A Beautiful Morning”. It’s complicated classical with highly creative demanding lyrics.

As one mentioned after the Opening Night performance, the actors are undoubtedly in need of a massage after every performance. Definitely a massage, but certainly the guys aren’t craving a shave.

Judy Kaye as Mrs. Lovett and David Hess as Sweeney Todd head the magnificent cast of the ten exquisite actor/singer/musicians.

Ah, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street rocked Broadway when it opened in 1979 with detailed set, 30-member cast, and 27–piece symphonic orchestra. In 2005 British director, John Doyle paired down the spectacular production out of financial necessity, making a brilliant artistic statement. A statement all small theatres under a constant budget crunch should pay close attention to. Necessity, the mother of all inventions frees the creative spirit to soar beyond expectations.

With a casket occupying center stage, large shelving hugging the rafters nestles several objects with a few highlighted by dim spots. Chairs and a ladder are spaced around the stage. The clue the scene is set in a bleak, run down psychiatric ward comes with one sitting in a straight jacket with large vacant eyes reflecting he has indeed witnessed something beyond comprehension. As the straight jacket is removed, Tobias amazingly and awesomely portrayed by Edmund Bagnell, captures attention while his finely tuned voice hauntingly commands, “Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd”. With that forceful thrust, anyone within hearing distance would not dare pay attention to the tale of Sweeney Todd. Edmund’s dexterity, magnificent voice, captivating character would steal the show along with his breath taking violin playing if he wasn’t up against nine other powerful actors standing their ground.

Sondheim, wanting to do a horror story, grabbed onto a 1973 play written by Christopher Bond based on an 1830’s English legend about a barber cruelly convicted of a trumped up crime by a corrupt judge claiming the barber’s daughter as his ward. Sweeny Todd’s rage and desire for revenge pushes the story. What’s totally amazing about Doyle’s production is even though the story revolves around hate, blood, gore, and revenge, the very thing musicals tend to shy away from, becomes an eye popping, gasping, breath-taking artistic endeavor.

Hess’ performance as Todd draws everyone into the agony of a three dimensional human being who has been gravely wronged having been sent to prison, losing his beloved wife and daughter to a corrupt system. Of course, he wants justice; of course he wants revenge no matter what the cost. With his strong, powerful voice, and emotions hanging from his shoulders, Hess gives us a deeply angry, hurting man surrounding himself with pointed humor fielding rich empathy. You can’t help but appreciate him, adore him, pull for him, and laugh with him. For Hess to accomplish this and also play the Trumpet, Orchestra Bells, and Percussion maintaining the highly emotional journey stuns the senses. Some will remember Hess from his many productions at Country Dinner Playhouse in the early 90’s. He provides, he delivers a Sweeney Todd not to be forgotten anytime soon.

Mrs. Lovett becomes his landlord. She knows the story; She who runs a pie shop with ”the worst pies in London” managed to keep his tools safely hidden. Kaye does a masterful job with her rich, deep voice, her capacity to wed humor and pathos, her emotions clinging to her shoulders, unable to hide her love for this man who turns “the worst pies in London” into the best tasting meat pies anywhere around. Her dreamy wishful wanting of a romantic interlude comes with the fun filled chattered song By The Sea as she naively loses herself in a romance-filled holiday all the while cleaning the blood stained instruments applied to their victims. Humor plays with revenge, sympathy toys with horror while she comforts Tobias and he comforts her “no one will harm you as long as I’m around” in the song Not While I’m Around. He, suspicious of Pirelli’s disappearance. She coddling Tobias all the while carefully scheming he has to be next.

Katrina Yaukey captures Pirelli, traditionally a male role, because she could handle the Accordion, Keyboard, and Flute. Yaukey makes Pirelli proud, and proves it with the song The Contest.

Hess melts the heart with his song The Barber And His Wife. The bad guy isn’t so much Sweeney Todd as it is crafty, corrupt, self-centered Judge Turpin domineeringly played by Keith Butterbaugh who also handles the Trumpet, Orchestra Bells, and Percussion. He’s slick, sly, and a slimy sleezeball, holding his own with a topnotch performance.

Lauren Molina takes on the role of Johanna, with grace, beauty, and pathos. It is Anthony she loves. Played by Benjamin Magnuson with lovesick agony, Anthony depends upon the wise advice of Sweeney. Molina’s desperate situation translates into the soulful notes of the Cello. Her playing on top of the casket carries additional weight to her character, with the Judge threatening to marry her. It takes skill, craftiness, and a slice of humor to get Judge on the menu.

The Beggar Woman, hunched struggling to put one foot in front of the other, crawling on her knees holds a secret that sends Sweeney into a final rage. Played by Diana Dimarzio, her talent shatters the shudders while she also plays the Clarinet and Keyboard.

Benjamin Eakeley oozes his way around as The Beadle all the while playing the Clarinet, Keyboard, and Saxophone. The Beadle’s song Ladies In Their Sensitivities demonstrates why Eakeley knows The Beadle, playing him so well. Steve McIntyre steps up to the plate as Jonas Fogg and on Bass.

Nothing is laid out in front of the audience. Use of the imagination is called upon, and yet at the same time, nothing is said, nothing sung, nothing done that leaves one wondering what is going on. Humor butts up against horrible thoughts and deeds, Romance wiggles around desperation. Naiveté snuggles close to menacing schemes while they comfortably walk together through this amazingly, brilliant, ingenious production.

This wondrous Broadway inspired company has been on tour for a year. The Buell production marks the end and a much-appreciated break. It is a masterful production presented by masterful artists.

The Lighting Design by Richard G. Jones becomes a member of the cast with its bright spots, shaded lighting, striking choreography of its own that dances, laughs, squirms, and schemes right along with the characters. It’s brilliant in more ways than one. When the stage becomes bathed in deep red from the sharp slice of Sweeney’s deliberate razor pitched jerks, the spine shudders while the heart jumps spellbound from the artistic integrity.

A Standing Ovation following the Opening Night’s performance wasn’t enough while the audience emphatically added vocal approval. Sweeney Todd is a miraculous artistic adventure directed and designed by John Doyle and presented by a miraculous artistic cast of the highest order. Not to be missed by anyone who loves the theatre, or flirts with the theatre, or appreciates a well-told story, or loves to be dazzled by out of the box staging, glorious voices, and actors who tell their story through their eyes. Call early. Reservations may be difficult to come by. You may need to apply some magical creativity, but the time and effort will be worth it. Don’t let anyone scam you into thinking the Broadway production was better. It may have been just as good, but no way could it have been better.