THEATER REVIEW - Swing with Sweeney: Stage Door wins with Classic Sondheim

By Dennis Wemm
THEATER CRITIC

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by Hugh Wheeler
Directed by Meg Ferrera

Stage Door Productions
810 Caroline Street
Fredericksburg

Tickets $30.00 through September 22, 2024

Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street debuted in the 1979 Broadway season and was an instant hit. It rode the waves of topical rock/pop sort-of-operas and spooky Victorian nostalgia that was popular at the time, and later became enshrined as a standard. It got a reputation as a difficult show to stage because of the intense emotions and language involved. It’s kind of a dream show for directors and singers.

So, when Stage Door Productions decided to perform it, I have to admit I was skeptical. I’m happy to state that as I left the 810 Caroline Street performance space on opening night, I was a believer. If you are not familiar with the show or the Johnny Depp movie, you might wonder about the improbable mashup of styles, messages, and legends that made up this hit.

Initially based on a set of penny dreadful stories, the original Sweeney Todd was a story about a robber and serial killer (before they were called that) written by George Dibdin Pitt. First it was published in broadsheet form and then adapted by Pitt into a stage play, and that play turned into an urban legend. Even today when London pizza places are named after Sweeney, people believe he was real, kind of like Sherlock Holmes.

Enough dramaturgy, you want to know if you should see the play. Yes, you should. And you should be warned, although there are no sexy or obscene scenes, or splashes of stage blood, and only some (occasional) naughty words, the experience is strong medicine.  The score and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim are so intense; they stay with you long after the performance.

In short, Sweeney is a Victorian barber wronged by a wicked Judge Turpin (“a pious vulture of the law”) in London. As barber Benjamin Barker he lost his wife, baby daughter Johanna, and his freedom. When he returns to London, he has no plan other than REVENGE.

By himself he’s clueless as to how to carry it out. Every step of the way he’s encouraged, inspired, and enabled by the “eminently practical and yet appropriate” Mrs. Lovett. She’s the source of his ideas-and his razors.

She takes him in and encourages his plans both for his sake and reasons of her own, both long time personal crush and a business interest. You see, she sells meat pies and meat is expensive. And nobody really knows what’s in those things. It could be cats (funny how urban myths live on for centuries) or well shaved customers. But what if he really didn’t “lose” his wife and daughter?

In the hands of a capable director, Meg Ferrara, and cast, the story and score are lightning in a bottle. Vocally adept and well-rehearsed, the performers deal well with the complex score and the intensely emotional scenes. 

Jake Ramirez’s Sweeney is intense and haunted, clearly living in the past as Mrs. Lovett will not let him forget. He’s so out of the moment that when he must be nudged out of introspection there’s always a feeling that he is being pulled into reality by an act of will. Caeli Schamel’s Mrs. Lovett is a malevolent girlish flirtation with the world, shifty-eyed and in-your-face. One, the other, or both of these two are the focus of every scene they’re in, which is about 80% of the play. They hold up well.

Johanna, Benjamin’s daughter is well sung and performed by Sarai Tabisz, and sailor Anthony Hope (who has rescued Sweeney after his escape) is played by Zachariah Cloven. (Zachariah also played Romeo recently and has spent a lot of stage time rescuing hopeless young women from balconies downstage right.) 

Leslie Barton is equally effective in his highly confused role of Tobias. As the child in this unholy family he’s looking for affection, subjected to abuse, and torn by betrayal. He manages to find all those in a relatively small role.

Tripp Lloyd (Judge Turpin) and Addison Sipp (Beadle Bamford) make a nasty pair of legal opponents, using their power to create chaos in the lives around them.

Heather Mcintosh effectively shows us the logic behind the crazy old Beggar Woman. She creates a character who is impossible to forget. Matthew Wolski as Pirelli was delightfully slimy, a perfect first course in Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett’s murderous smorgasbord. All are supported by the wonderful ensemble.

The ensemble! The vocal work was wonderfully sung, but not only that it was beautifully performed. It was never simply a group of people doing the same thing at the same time, it was a group of individuals each with their own mindful and perfectly appropriate reactions. They were actors who sang. My favorite musical director once said: “A chorus can sing beautifully but be the factor that sinks the show. If they don’t remember they are also acting as individuals with their own characters and reactions the show will not succeed.” And this show succeeded.

Choreography was derived from natural movements. It flowed with the music which given its complexity and variety is a challenge. Stephen Sondheim’s score is a stern taskmaster, running from melodic to music hall to slasher movie jump scare, slowing down only for occasional dialogue scenes and the rapid, low, crazy murmur of “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.”

I chose to see the show on opening night. While jitters seemed to affect some of the cast members, everyone seemed well practiced. Technically the show was serviceable. Sometimes the balance between recorded music and song seemed to tip the scales too much to the instrumentals. Sometimes there were lights where there were no actors, and actors with no lights. In the second row of the audience I had a personal spotlight a couple of times. 

We all enjoyed the show and I’m very tempted to see it again. You should too.

Dennis Wemm is a retired professor of theatre and communication, having taught and led both departments at Glenville State College for 34 years. In his off time he was president and sometimes Executive Director of the West Virginia Theatre Conference, secretary and president of the Southeastern Theatre Conference, and generally enjoyed a life in theatre.

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