For anyone who loves musical theater, Sweeney Todd is practically a household name. The musical, starring the infamous Demon Barber of Fleet Street, first appeared on Broadway in 1979 with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. It was also done as a film adaptation by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp in 2007.
Now, Raleigh Little Theatre has produced its own version of the classic tale. Running through March 6, “Sweeney Todd” features all the music, characters and eerie elements that fans of the show know and love.
Set in 19th-century England, the musical tells the story of the demon barber’s return after 15 years of exile. Seeking revenge upon a corrupt judge and aligning himself with the promiscuous baker Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney sets up a barbershop above Mrs. Lovett’s business. Here, his customers get far more than a haircut.
The challenge for Raleigh Little Theatre was to appropriate this popular play for a modern audience by keeping the story true to its original script, while still making it applicable to the present.
Patrick Torres, the show’s director, explained his thought process about bringing the play into the 21st century.
“With ‘Sweeney Todd,’ I thought we had a great opportunity to take this really big show and make it very personal,” Torres said. “It is the same as Broadway in that we did not alter the script in any way, and we are honoring all of the music as written. It is different in that the actors and I worked to make sure they were applying their personal experiences and imagination to each character. We also stripped the orchestra down to piano, strings, drums and reeds. We hoped to create a more intimate and haunting feel in making this choice.”
In this show in particular, Torres said he wanted to highlight the religious aspects and ideas present. He said that the script is still presented as written and not significantly different from the original, but that there is a subtle undertone of religion and the pressing question of, “What does justice look like without grace and mercy?”
The ritualistic and religious themes were brought to life in the show through choreography, the set and the use of blood. However, Torres said he elected to not go for a lot of blood because he wanted something that felt “really unsettling and real rather than the comic effect of a lot of blood.” The set and scenery incorporated in the production is of a factory that resembles a church, according to Torres.
“A lot of people don’t use choreographers for ‘Sweeney Todd,’ but I thought that was really important because choreography and the movement that we incorporated really does help develop this ritual feeling,” Torres said. “It’s what makes it feel a little more like a church.”
Charles Phaneuf, RLT’s executive director, also stated that there are challenges with a smaller theatre producing such a popular work.
“There are certain aspects of producing a well-known musical that are easier than a lesser-known title and other aspects that are harder,” Phaneuf said. “Often, a theater doesn’t have to try as hard to promote better known titles. But, people show up with a preconceived notion of what it should be, so they might be more critical, which can hurt word of mouth. Lesser-known work can attract more press attention and be popular with people who feel that they’ve seen the classics plenty of times.”
However, RLT has been able to surpass these challenges, according to Phaneuf, as there has been a very high demand of tickets. So much so, that the showings of “Sweeney Todd” have been extended to an extra weekend, lasting until March 6. The original run ended this Sunday, but Phaneuf said that due to word of mouth and the popularity of this title, every single seat would be sold in the initially announced three-week run, and many people wouldn’t get to see it.
“The feedback from audiences has been extraordinary,” Phaneuf said. “I’ve heard people say it’s the best show they’ve seen here in years. I’ve heard many express particular appreciation for Patrick [Torres]’s vision, his focus on the religious overtones in the piece that are often underemphasized. Many people have been impressed by the performers, including the leads and a current NC State student, Areon Mobasher, who plays Adolfo Pirelli.”
Mobasher, a sophomore studying communication, said the role of Pirelli is unlike any character he has ever played. Mobasher has performed in theater since his senior year of high school and said he usually plays father figures in productions. His past musical roles include Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables,” Mushnik in “Little Shop of Horrors” and Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.”
“Pirelli is much different,” Mobasher said. “Pirelli is a con-artist and a rotten person at his core. He is pompous and a bit too quick to make a spectacle of himself. It’s overcompensation, as anyone who sees the show can agree and rooted in a deep-seated facade that he uses in order to survive the dog-eat-dog world that is 19th-century London.”
Mobasher has a special connection with “Sweeney Todd,” as he said it was the first musical he experienced and enjoyed seeing. Throughout the years, Mobasher said his appreciation of musical theater and the works of Stephen Sondheim, the composer of “Sweeney Todd,” have grown. So much in fact, that when he found out RLT was holding auditions for this production, Mobasher “wanted to jump right on that opportunity.”
“Ultimately, it was the music that drew me in,” Mobasher said. “Not so much the story, although it is, in my opinion, one of the only dark/serious musicals that actually works. Think about it, you don’t really see that much grim material in most Broadway shows.”
Torres said his hopes are that the audience will ask questions and make conclusions of its own. This is part of the reason he kept the original script and setting, as it allowed audience members to have the freedom to form their own opinions about the play and its themes. But in the end, he said he wants audience members to have a good time and walk away entertained.
“This is a fun, entertaining and smart piece of theater that is enjoyable on so many levels,” Phaneuf said. “If you’ve seen it before, you’ll enjoy what is unique about our production. If you’ve never seen it before, this is a great introduction to Sondheim’s masterpiece.”
Reporting by: Camille Bernon and Christiana Hall, Correspondents
The challenge for Raleigh Little Theatre was to appropriate this popular play for a modern audience by keeping the story true to its original script, while still making it applicable to the present.
