Broadway’s musical about the murderous barber is sure to turn heads, writes Diane de Beer
Stephen Sondheim’s musical thriller Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is on its way to Gauteng to Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre from October 9 to November 29. It will be staged by that wiz Durban team, director Steven Stead and designer Greg King. And then it moves to Cape Town in February.
It’s a partnership with Pieter Toerien and KickstArt producing, while local musical fiend Jonathan Roxmouth steps into the visual picture of the demon barber Johnny Depp created in the Tim Burton movie.
But that’s all the movie got right, that visual image, and if anyone can replace that it’s Roxmouth with his mighty voice, magnetic presence and a determination to make every musical his own. It’s also one of his top three: “I’ve always said that my three top performances are Phantom, Sweeney and Valjean (from Les Mis). Two out of three isn’t bad?”
He’s also pleased that Sweeney is perhaps one of the musicals not so familiar to local audiences. “They might know the movie, but that wasn’t very good and it wasn’t the stage show,” he says.
Describing it as a dark comedy, he says it’s right up South Africans’ street. “It’s about getting revenge after you’ve been wronged and then doing that to beautiful music!”
What can be sweeter than that? Not much, says Durban’s Charon Williams-Ros who will be relishing the role of whacky neighbour, and Sweeney Todd’s partner in crime, Mrs Lovett. “We’re the perfect gruesome twosome,” says Roxmouth and one can almost hear him sharpening those blades.
“It’s a fantastic role for older women,” she says and having performed the part in Durban last year, she’s been put to the test. “It’s also Stephen Sondheim, so you’d better have a good, strong set of lungs,” she adds.
“It’s an indulgent role because it’s so much fun,” she continues. “She’s so awful, but that has its own charm and there’s the tiniest bit that women pick up on that allows them to identify. Who hasn’t had some love disappointment? We can relate.”
It’s the combo of darkness and comedy that appeals to both stars. The music, though, is hectic, it is Stephen Sondheim after all.
“But his notes are chosen so carefully to match the lyrics,” says William-Ross. “It’s complex but a huge challenge.”
And then she slips back into Snoopy rehearsals where she’s assistant director because Stead is directing and plays Snoopy!
Sweeney Todd is about the look, the theatrics and the thrilling story, with a score and lyrics that make musical magic. In case you don’t know, it tells the outlandish tale Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, who murdered his clients in his barber chair, followed by his partner in crime, Mrs Lovett, who then turns them into sought-after meat pies. Set in 19th century England, Sweeney Todd explores that which pushes someone over the edge to extract this extreme revenge and obsession, and considers what tragedy lies in his dark and mysterious past. The classic songs include Pretty Women; Johanna; Not While I’m Around; By the Sea; A Little Priest and The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.
It will also feature a South African cast that includes the delicious Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors, Candice van Litsenborgh, alongside other Stead favourite Michael Richard, as well as Jaco van Rensburg, Anne Marie Clulow, Adam Pelkowitz, Luciano Zuppa, Wesley Swain Lauder, Cameron Botha, Pauline du Plessis, Sanli Jooste, Claire Simonis, Megan Rigby, Schoeman Smit and a special welcome back to Earl Gregory, one of TUT’s best graduates who spent a few years overseas. Rowan Bakker is the MD with costume designs by Neil Stuart Harris. Lighting is by Tina le Roux.
l R350 to R100 at Computicket. Wed to Fri at 8pm, Sat at 4pm & 8pm, Sun at 3pm. It plays in Joburg October 9 to November 29 and Cape Town February 19 to April 9.