A bloody and brilliant serving

SWEENEY Todd is Little Theatre Company’s 60th anniversary productions and for their diamond jubilee show they have produced, if not a gem, at least a peach. Stephen Sondheim’s musical version of the legend of the demon barber of Fleet Street is tough, dark and problem-packed. Director Steve Wilkinson, aided by choreographer Nicola Bott, gives us a Sweeney that removes the amateur from am-dram. It’s hard to believe that this is a cast with day jobs. Scott Roche in the title role of the throat-slitting barber is scary and convincing enough to cause the mass evacuation of the front stall seats at the very least. Sally Lightfoot is beyond professional as the maternal but murderous Mrs Lovett who gleefully turns Sweeney’s victims into meat pies. Also in slam-bang form are Antony Smith as Sweeney’s flamboyant Italian barber rival, Bradley Green as the oily Beadle, and Barry Jones as the lustful and corrupt Judge Turpin. Musically the ensemble work wonders with Sondheim’s songs, while also tapping confidently into the all-important stream of black humour, a key element in making this macabre musical so endearing.

All in all, bloody brilliant – with the emphasis on both words

Tom King, Echo News

“God That’s Good!” Sing the chorus as they chomp on Mrs Lovett’s meat pies...and the audience agreed as they watched Little Theatre Company’s Sweeney Todd. Congratulations to the auditioning committee for putting together a near perfect cast. Sally Lightfoot was superb as Mrs Lovett, whether complaining about the stairs or hitting upon a way to dispose of a body, and Scott Roche as Todd thrilled and horrified in this most demanding of roles. Tobias was acted and sung most convincingly, the young lovers were perfectly suited in sweetness and naivity, whilst the Beadle was possibly the creepiest I’ve seen.The difficult chorus and smaller ensemble numbers were very well sung, and the balance with the orchestra just right. Lighting was atmospheric, and costumes excellent. My only reservation with the production was the size of the set – beautiful though it was, the remaining playing space was tiny, and especially in the ‘City on Fire’ scene and those with extra trucks, the actors did look a little cramped. Congratulations to the band, who took the complex score in their stride, to Paul Day and Steve Wilkinson, whose obvious hard work in drilling the cast in their music and characterisation paid off handsomely.

All this, and a splendid programme too!

Paul Tarrent, NODA