ATTEND THIS TALE: IT’S MURDER
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a musical filled with gore, brutality, hate, and vengeance. But the show, as composed by the great Stephen Sondheim, became a major Broadway hit after it opened in 1979 and has since been revived on Broadway, in opera houses and throughout the world. Potential customers shouldn’t be intimidated by the show’s bloody content. It is a superb work and its production by San Diego Musical Theater is an absolute masterpiece.
DeAndre Simmons (Sweeney) and Meghan O'Brien Lowery (Lovett)
Sweeney Todd was born as a character in Penny Dreadfuls ’” the cheap popular serial literature — in the late 1840s, then became a stage play in London in 1847 and appeared in several versions until English author Christopher Bond’s version was staged in 1973. Author Hugh Wheeler used the 1973 book for the Sondheim musical in 1979, in collaboration with Sondheim and director Harold Price.
Benjamin Barker (DeAndre Simmons) had been a barber, happily married with a daughter, Joanna. The villainous Judge Turpin (Joseph Grienenberger, replacing Tanner Vydos at my performance), who was attracted to Todd’s wife Lucy, had Barker jailed for life in a penal colony on a trumped-up charge, after which the Judge rapes Lucy and then adopts Joanna (Salima Gangani) as his ward, essentially imprisoning the young beauty for fear of losing his possession.
Luis Sherlinee (Pirelli)
Barker returns years later to London, having been rescued at sea, befriending the sailor Anthony (Sam Castillo), who saved his life. Barker, using the fake name Sweeney Todd, learns of the sad fates of his loved ones from Mrs. Lovett (Meghan O’Brien Lowery), the bawdy, gregarious owner of a bakery, whereupon she confesses that she sells “the worst meat pies in London.” In her defense, this might be due in part to the fact that beef has gotten expensive (a competitor is using cat meat).
DeAndre Simmons (Sweeney) and Tanner Vydos (Judge Turpin)
Todd reopens his tonsorial parlor above the pie shop, and unites with Mrs. Lovett to indiscriminately murder Londoners by cutting the throats of his customers with a razor and using their corpses to make meat pies. The Todd-Lovett duet “A Little Priest” — which describes how the human meat could taste based on professions — is a benchmark in black humor on the modern stage. Sweeney’s desire to exact revenge against the lecherous judge and his spineless beadle (Ryan Burtanog) who framed him will take its own revenge. Will he ever get Joanna (with whom Anthony has fallen in love) from the judge and free his daughter? It’s anybody’s bloody guess in this thriller musical.
Meghan O'Brien Lowery (Lovett) and cast
All the roles in this mostly sung-through musical are filled with distinction, including Kimberly Moller as an intrusive Beggar Woman, Luis Sherlinee as competing barber Adolfo Pirelli, and Matthew Javier as Tobias, a simpleton who comes to love Mrs. Lovett for her kindness to him, offering what is arguably the show’s best-known number, “Not While I’m Around.” And a salute to the fine filler work by the chorus: Boston Antunez, Xavier J. Bush, Rachel Dovsky, and Victoria Patton.
The offstage quintet produces a rich and varied sound worthy of a full chamber orchestra. Thanks goes to Music Director Richard Dueñez Morrison (conductor and keyboard), Katrina Earl (clarinet and bass clarinet), Kiersten Smith (violin), and Sharon Taylor (cello).
Matthew Javier (Tobias)
Previous versions of Sweeney Todd have been located in the Industrial Revolution of 19th century. SDMT places the story vaguely in the current moment, with characters mostly wearing work clothes, a drab look designed by Chong Mi Land. This vision is reinforced by a single set designed by Mathys Herbert that resembles the interior of an abandoned factory. The set has two levels with performers entering and exiting from the wings and through an aisle that runs through the center of the audience. It all adds up to a dreary world, further enhanced by Michelle Miles‘ lighting and Jordan Gray‘s sound.
Jason Blitman‘s direction weaves all the visual, aural, and verbal element elements into a dehumanized environment where corruption and violence and vengeance thrive. The show may be grim and frequently shocking but the results are exhilarating.
Sam Castillo (Anthony) and Salima Gangani (Johanna)
photos by Karli Cadel
Sweeney Todd
San Diego Musical Theatre
4650 Mercury Street San Diego
Thurs and Fri at 7; Sat at 2 and 7; Sun at 2
ends on October 20, 2024
for tickets ($60-$70), call 858.560.5740 or visit SDMT