Review By Elise White, Front Row Reviewers
Sweeney Todd is one of those highly revered musicals that everyone should see once in their lifetime and I was extremely excited to experience the full show on a live stage for the first time at The Grand Theatre in Salt Lake City. As soon as I walked in, I’m greeted by extremely friendly and welcoming ushers and box office staff. Sitting in the stunningly ornate theatre, the lights projected onto the curtains make it look as though blood has been splattered across them. I know I am in for a good time.
Sweeney Todd is a dark musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler, based on Christopher Bond‘s play of the same name. The story tells the tale of Sweeney Todd (Dallyn Vail Bayles), a barber who returns to London after spending fifteen years in exile where he befriends a young sailor named Anthony Hope (Brock Dalgleish). He seeks revenge against the corrupt Judge Turpin (Patrick Kitz) who framed him, ravaged his young wife, and stole his infant daughter Johanna (Samantha Paredes). Turpin plans to marry her and when Todd learns of this, he vows to rescue her and kill the judge once and for all. He partners with Mrs. Lovett (Tamara Howell) and embarks on a murderous enterprise, killing his clients and supplying Mrs. Lovett’s pie shop with human meat while he plots his final revenge.
As the curtains open, the audience is presented with a magnificent, two-story industrial style set (designed by Halee Rasmussen) that is brilliantly constructed to be perfectly suited for multiple scenes without anything being awkwardly in the way of the actors or the audience view. This includes a chill-inducing slide for the bodies of Sweeney’s victims to travel from the top floor of the set to the bottom. Stage Director Mark Fossen takes full advantage of the set design in the best ways throughout the play.
The opening number, “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd,” is captivating and immediately proves the audience is in for a treat. Kudos to musical director Jonathan McDonald, as there are no weak performances among any of the actors. The ensemble is especially strong vocally.
Lighting design by Seth Miller is simple but so effective and is easily one of the shining elements of the show. Backlighting is used in “No Place like London” (and throughout) to tell the story of Sweeney’s past through a silhouette performance that creates a haunting narrative. The audience is pulls into Sweeney’s sorrow. Glowing red lights flash during moments of horror, simple spotlights draw the viewers’ eye, and brilliant lights emerge from a box turning an ordinary barber’s knife set into something spectacular and terrible.
The choreography (Jessica Pace) and terrifying masks by costume designer Shannon MCullock add a haunting element to numbers like “Poor Thing.” One of my favorite touches to the show is how Sweeney Todd’s under eye circles (makeup by Erin McCullock) gradually get darker and darker as Sweeney Todd slowly loses his sanity. The scene with Jonas Fogg (Tynan Portillo) and “City on Fire” is perfectly chaotic and well directed by fighting director Christopher Duval.
Bayles does a spectacular job of embodying Sweeney Todd. At first he is stoic and still, but when he sings “Epiphany” we really get to see his dynamic acting ability and character depth. Howell’s comedic timing as Mrs. Lovett is perfection throughout her performance, including my personal favorite funny number “A Little Priest”.
Kitz as Judge Turpin gives an wonderful, appropriately sleazy vibe. Trevor Blair is dynamic in his ability to make the audience laugh at him one moment and shrink back in terror as he beheads a bird the next. Hope has amazing physicality in his performance as Anthony.
Pirelli (Christian Johnston) is hilarious and did a comical, fantastic (and unexpected) Irish accent. In fact, the accents were well coached (Stacey Jenson) among the entire cast and re noticeable in several numbers.
Vocals throughout the production are flawless, with Peredes as Johanna and Heidi Farber (as Tobias) especially shine. Dawn Veree as the Beggar Woman is sad, funny, vulgar, and heartbreaking all at once.
Sweeney Todd is a thrilling performance with the best all-around cast of any play I have attended this year. Sweeney Todd has some adult themes and may be a bit scary for young audiences, but should be appropriate for adults and teenagers as well as older kids.
The Grand Theatre presents Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Stephen Sondheim.
The Grand Theatre, 1575 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84115
October 5-28, 2023 dates and times vary
Tickets: $28-35
The Box Office is located in the West Lobby just across from the Theatre.
Contact: 801-957-3322, grandtheatre@slcc.edu
The Grand Theatre Facebook page
Sweeny Todd Facebook event page
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