On Stage: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

It seems Melbourne audiences can’t get enough of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Even before the season had begun, Soundworks Productions’ staging of Stephen Sondheim’s Tony award-winning musical at Chapel off Chapel had all but sold out.

Audience and critic reaction suggest enthusiasm for the much-lauded, macabre operatic thriller, first performed on Broadway in 1979, was well founded.

Set in 19th century London, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street tells of barber Benjamin Barker who was falsely found guilty of trumped up charges by the very corrupt Judge Turpin.

Sentenced to 15 years in an Australian penal colony, Barker manages to escape and is rescued by young sailor Anthony.  Both return to London with Barker adopting the name Sweeney Todd.  His aim in returning is to seek revenge on Judge Turpin, who destroyed his life, and to be reunited with his wife, Lucy and daughter Johanna.

Todd returns to his former home above the pie shop of Mrs Lovett who eventually realises who he is.  Promising to keep his secret, Mrs Lovett explains that Lucy poisoned herself with arsenic and their then-infant daughter, Johanna, became the Judge’s ward.

Offering him his old home back, Mrs Lovett also gives Todd his old collection of sterling silver straight razors which she has kept over the years.

Todd then reopens his barber shop above Mrs Lovett’s struggling meat pie business with the aim of killing Turpin. But when his prey escapes, he swears vengeance on humanity in general and begins to slash his customers’ throats.

Forming an advantageous partnership with the opportunistic Mrs Lovett ensures the patrons of her once struggling meat pie business are served pies if they knew the ingredients they would never contemplate consuming!  Yet the pies are a huge hit.

While the two are on their murderous and cannibalistic spree, Anthony is trying to save the beautiful Johanna from the evil Turpin who wants to marry her.  Anthony has no idea Johanna is Todd’s daughter.

Having built their reputation on musically rigorous, theatrically bold interpretations of classic works, Soundworks Productions has again gathered a talented cast of musicians and actors to bring its production to life.

Leading the way is Aidan Niarros as the tortured and revengeful Sweeney.   Kate Yaxley is equally as impressive as Mrs Lovett thanks to both singing and comic timing.

Annabelle Rosewarne as Johanna and Ashley Garner as the young sailor Anthony take full advantage of the opportunity to showcase their talents. Christian Gillet is very believable as the overbearing, corrupt and very unpleasant Judge Turpin.

Given how quickly this production, which is on at Chapel off Chapel until September 23, sold out and crowd reaction it would seem an encore season could well be a possibility at some stage in the future.

Jenny Burns attended a performance of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street as a guest of the production company.

*Photo credit: Matthew Chen

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