Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s epic musical comedy (and there is comedy is this darkly macabre musical). A new production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opens this week at South Coast Rep in Costa Mesa. The production runs through February 16th.
Sweeney Todd tells the story of Benjamin Barker, a barber in London, who is sent away on trumped up charges by Judge Turpin. Turpin’s goal is to seduce Barker’s wife and take custody of their daughter, Johanna. Barker escapes from prison and returns to London to find out what’s happened to his wife and daughter. He also wants to exact revenge on those who have done him wrong. He returns to his former barber shop, above a meat pie shop run by Mrs. Lovett. It doesn’t take her too long to both figure out that the man now going by Sweeney Todd is Benjamin Barker, nor for her to help him in his pursuit of vengeance.
David St. Louis plays “Sweeney” and Jamey Hood plays “Mrs. Lovett.” Devin Archer plays “Anthony,” the sailor who helps Todd get to London. Juliana Hansen is “Johanna” and Robert Mamanna is “Judge Turpin.”
Sondheim’s score for this show includes such songs as “Not While I’m Around,” “Pretty Women” and my personal favorite, “Epiphany.”
Next week we will have an interview with David St. Louis about playing the title character. He did indicate that this production, directed by Kent Nicholson, will not shy away from the show’s humor.