Photos by Alan Viau
Bloody murders, self-mutilation, cannibalism and haircuts are not your typical fare for a musical but, since 1979, Sweeney Todd has put the barber in many a barbaric night of theatre. It's nearly 40 years later and the blood is still quite fresh on the straight razor.
Anyone fancy a shave or, perhaps, a meat pie?
Though Stephen Sondheim’s gruesome musical may be the most popular incarnation of the Sweeny Todd character, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has been lurking in the shadows for a lot longer since first appearing in the Victorian penny dreadful The String of Pearls: A Romance. Serialized between 1846-47, the story hasn’t changed much in the modern telling except, unlike then, modern historians are not proclaiming the killer coiffure to be real.
Real or instant urban legend, the character never strayed far from popular culture appearing in multiple film and stage adaptations until, inspired by Christopher Bond’s play, Stephen Sondheim decided to sink his teeth into the meat of musical theatre history. The time was right for the anti-hero, no matter how vile, to take the stage. Sweeney Todd would send crimson waves all the way from New York to London’s West End.
“At a time when Broadway was being dominated by show like Annie, Song & Dance, and Bob Fosse's dancing, I think audiences were intrigued with a show that attacked greed, rapacity and exploitation of the current times,” says Kraig-Paul Proulx, Artistic Director and Choreographer of Suzart Productions take on the tale beginning February 23 at Centrepointe Theatre.
“(Sweeney Todd) wasn't the typical sweep you off your feet leading man but instead a vengeful barber turned serial killer and yet with all the blood he spills you still have compassion for him and want to see him succeed in the task he has set out to accomplish,” Proulx adds on why he feels audiences promptly devoured the musical despite the subject matter.
Without giving too many of the more grisly details away, the story follows the title character, a London barber, returning home with eyes firmly set on revenge. Todd’s target is the corrupt judge who exiled him. Discovering his former residence has been converted into a shop that sells the “Worst Pies in London”, Todd conspires with the shop’s owner, the dubious Mrs. Lovett, on a new type of filling for her wares. Together, the duo set out to make a killing.
Sondheim, who frequently said that his version of the story focused predominately on obsession, penned one of his more complex compositions for Todd preferring to call it a black operatta then a musical or opera. With melodies and leitmotifs evocative of Ravel and Prokofiev with a dash of Hermann’s Hitchcock scores for spice, the music and adjoining lyrics make up 80% of the show.
“Sondheim is an artist of lyrics and rhythmic compositions. He uses crafty alliteration and mesmerizing tempos to transfix the audience,” says Joseph Stone, the productions Demon Barber himself, on attempting to master the playwrights complex, often overlapping lyrics.
“For me to tackle some of the more difficult parts in this show I cannot just memorize words to a beat. Our entire cast, directors and production team put in hundreds of hours to tell this story of lost love, ultimate desperation and bitter revenge.”
Barbara Seabright-Moore*, stepping into the spattered baking apron of Mrs. Lovett, says of all her 50 years in musical theatre this is without a doubt the most difficult show musically that she’s ever been involved with.
“Sondheim generally composes difficult melodies with key changes, time changes and counterpoint but I think he threw everything, including the kitchen sink at this one,” she tells Ottawa Life. “It’s just a matter of going over and over the music really. There is no magic way of learning it, you just have to isolate your part and keep going over it until it sticks.”
Both have worked together before on stage and know each other well. Stone says their chemistry comes out naturally and he was thrilled when he learned he’d be working with the actress again on Todd. Equally elated in the casting of her co-star, Seabright-Moore says that trust is important with the other talent, especially when having to portray such an intense relationship as that shared by Todd and Lovett. Of course, she adds, you have to be able to have fun with the roles also even if they are dark and demanding.
Stone dug deep underneath the skin of the character to flesh out the rationale behind some of the more darker shades he possesses. He says it’s integral for the audience to remember that Todd likely lived a normal life before his unjust exile. Though nobody of course would endorse the character’s actions, there is more to him than your B-movie, bloodthirsty maniac.
“When I portray a vengeance-starving character, I study the real lives of people who have not had justice. Generally speaking, there is a lot of imbalance caused by organizations and politics in the world. I keep these thoughts present as I evoke Sweeney's emotions on stage.”
Seabright-Moore says it's fun to play the “baddy”. She calls her meat pie cooking coquette deliciously dastardly and one she had to draw upon an inner darkness to portray. The character, much like Todd, is a complex one leaving the audience questioning their battling want to revere her or weep in her moments of pathos.
“She is a very lonely woman and I think she blindly follows Todd’s lead because she desperately seeks male approval. I don’t think she is in love with him as much as she is in love with the idea of being in love and having someone to care for her and she will do anything to make sure she isn’t left alone again,” says Seabright-Morre. “She’s really quite a sad character and despite her dastardly deeds I think the audience will feel sorry for her by the end of the show.”
With multiple red coats of paint already on this story –from the Len Cariou/Angela Lansbury Broadway production in 1979 to the most recent Tim Burton film adaptation– Proulx thought hard about how he’d put his own stamp on what he calls one of the biggest names in musical theatre while still keeping the integrity of the original. He came up with the idea of adding a type of modernized Greek chorus weaving in and out of the story like the London fog through dingy city back alleyways.
“Sweeney has always intrigued me: The complex story, the soaring operatic score, the opportunity to take a cast through the journey of creating these characters and watching as they find new insight on characters that are so different than most people have ever had the chance to play in community theatre,” Proulx says, excited for the Ottawa theatre community to see the production unfold.
We suggested, however, should you wish to spruce yourself up, you take in your shave and a haircut well before the production keeping at least one eye on your barber. Oh yes, and, if dining out, perhaps order vegetarian!
A Suzart After Dark Production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street takes to the Centrepointe Studio Theatre stage February 23-25. Some shows are already selling out so get your tickets now!
*Because of unfortunate circumstances, Ms. Jennifer Fontaine will now play the role of Mrs. Lovett
in Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street. Suzart Productions could not be more pleased
to have such a gifted and accomplished performer join the cast.
