Sweeney Todd

Reminiscent of a period book or newspaper illustration, the black and white London backdrop is the striking first impression for Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s musical thriller, based on the bloodthirsty revenge melodrama of the same name, telling the tale of a barber, wrongfully transported to NSW, who returns to 19^th century London after 15 years, bent on vengeance.

In the space of six months I’ve seen two very different productions of Sweeney Todd in Sydney, one an inventive staging with simple three-piece musical accompaniment, and now another where the nuances of the arrangements are impressively served by a twenty-one-piece orchestra, located onstage behind a scrim, enabling an excellent sound balance.

Holroyd’s very basic Community Centre venue demands creative thinking to stage this epic piece. I applaud director Jordan Vassallo for several of his solutions. Amongst his strong choices is a non-literal approach to getting rid of Sweeney’s victims – it’s a hint at stylization which might have been even further explored to advantage.

Choices like playing several major scenes on the auditorium floor and lower levels, while the main stage is left empty, with associated issues like sightlines or ensemble having their backs to the audience, puzzle me. Props, too, seemed inconsistent.

Ultimately, the strong performances drew me in. Sweeney Todd is a brooding, obsessive character. Craig Davidson’s well-sung portrayal is unrelentingly dark and mysterious, so it’s his off-sider Mrs Lovett who provides the light and shade, in the show’s equally dark comedy. Natalie Davis Pratt’s comic flair shines, in a portrayal full of gusto, while she also gives a satisfying vocal performance in this demanding singing role. Stephen Wheatley’s insidious Judge Turpin is an impressively sung, suitably disturbing villain. He’s well paired with Mark Power, who makes Beadle Bamford a thoroughly brutish, corrupt crony. In the play’s romantic pairing, Richard Mills is an ardent, assured Anthony Hope, while Natalie Rose Cassaniti effectively covers the acting range, from sweetness and innocence to utter distraction, which the role of Johanna demands. Individually and in combination, their vocals are satisfying. Maryanne Coughlan’s voluptuous Beggar Woman pushes her charms aggressively and effectively.

A common factor across both productions of Sweeney Todd I’ve seen recently has been the female casting of the male role of Tobias. All praise to Emma Whiteley, who is extremely capable and affecting, though something of the essence of the simple-minded boy seems lost in the translation with female casting.

Whether this was a deliberate casting choice, or arose out of necessity I’m not sure. If the balance of the ensemble is anything to go by, the latter may have been the case.

Holroyd has an excellent, thoroughly committed, if somewhat un-balanced ensemble, with 20 plus women to just three men. Still, whether bustling in busy street scenes or manic as grotesque asylum inmates, the strikingly costumed and made-ups ensemble capably evoke the period, mood and tone of the piece. It does impact, of course, in the balance, but not the strength, of ensemble and featured vocals.

Enjoyable on so many levels, this Sweeney Todd left me wishing, yet again, that Sydney had better venues in which to showcase our Community Theatre talent to its greatest advantage.

Neil Litchfield

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