Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street, receives a superb staging at Birmingham Rep, directed by Joe Murphy. The production features tremendous singing from Ramin Karimloo as Sweeney Todd and Meow Meow as Mrs Lovett, and is full of dark gothic humour.
Folklore and Fairytale Roots
Sondheim was drawn to fairytales, and Sweeney Todd, based on Victorian melodrama and a play by Christopher Bond, is steeped in folklore tropes. The story of a serial killer who provides grisly contents for pies echoes Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood. The composer's lyrics even quote the nursery rhyme Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake, Baker's Man.
Operatic Treatment and Staging
Director Joe Murphy gives Sweeney Todd the full operatic treatment. The staging is rich in detail yet austere in execution, with the chorus singing directly to the audience, fixed like ghostly statues under Rory Beaton's icy lighting design. Elin Steele's concrete-grey set is dominated by a figure of Lady Justice, symbolizing a self-serving legal system against which Todd seeks vengeance. Period costumes in pastel shades of mustard, lime, and peach stand out against the grimy monochrome London setting.
Performances and Impact
Ramin Karimloo never cracks a smile as Todd, giving the blade-wielding barber a chilling surface calm that suggests suppressed murderous rage. Meow Meow's Mrs Lovett is a witty study in venality and opportunism, with a cartoonish swagger that complements her tremendous singing. The entire cast delivers strong vocal performances throughout.
The production runs at Birmingham Rep until 15 August.
