Music and
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Hugh Wheeler
Directed by
Richard Block. Musical Direction by Leonard Weiss
Choreographed
by Caitlin Schilg. Costumes designed by Miriam Miley-Read.
Set Designed
by Thompson Quan Wing.
Presented by
Dramatic Productions.
Gungahlin
College Theatre until 21st October, 2017
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
Perhaps it
was the unsettling delay caused by an intransigent booking system which delayed
the beginning of the opening night performance until 8.30pm, but Dramatic
Productions’ ambitious production of this Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler masterpiece,
“Sweeney Todd”, did not display the confidence in direction achieved with its
first Sondheim musical, “Into the Wood” in 2015.
“Sweeney
Todd” demands a production of operatic proportions, and in many ways this
production achieves that. Particularly admirable is the excellent orchestra,
under the direction of Leonard Weiss, which did full justice to the complex
Sondheim score, only occasionally threatening to overwhelm the singing from the
large ensemble.
 |
| David Pearson as Sweeney Todd |
Photo: Janelle McMenamin
There is
also excellent singing from the well-cast principals, especially from David
Pearson, impressively heading the strong cast, as the murderous barber, Sweeney
Todd, determined to take revenge on those who wrongly imprisoned him. Pearson’s fine portrayal achieves exactly the
right mood with his unnervingly lifeless speaking voice, measured delivery,
fine presence and excellent singing.
Although she
looked much too young and healthy to convince as a work-worn pie-shop owner in
plague-ridden, 18th century London, (wigs and make-up should have
corrected this) Meaghan Stewart turns in a show-stealing performance as Mrs
Lovett. Her vocal delivery, strong singing voice, excellent diction and
intuitive comic acting are pure joy, especially her solo, “Worst Pies in
London” and her duet with Todd, “Epiphany”, and mark her as a young performer
to watch in the future.
Demi Smith
as Todd’s lost daughter, Johanna, impressed with her pure high soprano, easily
negotiating the difficult “Green Finch and Linnet Bird”, but her frenetic
acting style resulted in a surprisingly charmless characterisation. Similarly, Liam Jackson, who impressed earlier
in the show with his singing and acting as Tobias Ragg, only to destroy the
gentle “Not While I’m Around” with his overt histrionics.
Max Gambale
brought a fine singing voice and excellent acting to his role as the venal
Judge Turpin. A pity therefore, that we didn’t get to see his interpretation of
“The Flagellation Song” which in line with some versions, was omitted from this
production.
Joseph
McGrail-Bateup as Beadle Bamford, Bradley McDowell as Adolfo Pirelli and Sian
Harrington as the beggar woman all offered good characterisations, as did
Lachlan Agett as Joanna’s love interest, Anthony Hope, although he seemed much
less comfortable with the singing.
Caitlin
Schilg has devised some excellent group movement for the ensemble scenes,
however her misguided staging of “By The Sea”, would surely have been more
appropriate for a production of “The Boyfriend”. And while Thompson Quan Wing’s set design
generally worked quite well, the all-important barber’s chair was
disappointing, resulting in laughter at the clumsily staged murder scenes
rather than horror.
But, although
the opening night of “Sweeney Todd” did not have achieve the polish we have
come to expect from Dramatic Productions, there is still much to admire in this
ambitious production, which provides an unmissable opportunity to experience
the brilliance of one of twenty first century’s most celebrated music theatre
composers.
This review first published in the digital edition CITY NEWS on 8th October 2017