Rucker-directed ‘Sweeney Todd’ is a dark and tasty tale
By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“)
Were it not for its subject manner of serial killings, revenge and cannibalism, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street might be be considered the most clever conceit of a musical for Stephen Sondheim, whose music and lyrics worked like a dream to advance the book written by Hugh Wheeler.
It is a macabre tale adapted from the play by Christopher Bond, who in turn based the horrific story of Benjamin Barker on a series “Penny Dreadful” booklets sold on the streets of London for a penny each. No greater story of man’s darker nature and a thirst for vengeance satisfied by a taste for blood has so captured the imagination of man. Sondheim must have squealed in delight as he wrote the operatic choruses and musical exchanges between the main characters.
There are few examples in the musical arts where incarnate evil, represented by the formerly exiled Barker (having assumed the new identity of “Sweeney Todd”) joins with the opportunistic and greedy Mrs. Lovett to justify preparing and feeding the victims of the barber’s bloodlust to the ravenous crowd.
The original story was much less empathetic to audiences prior to Bond’s play, if it can be suggested that there ever is a way to find a nullification for plotting murder and finding a way to capitalize on its outcome. Indeed, the fact that the many corpora delecti are consumed with vigor by Lovett’s customers might be conceived as clever a plot device that any mystery writer might invent.
But there is no need on the part of the audience to find reasons to justify Todd’s malevolence. Bent on revenge, he reveals his motivation is to get even from those that separated him from his beloved wife and daughter. By the end of the musical, he has gone about as far from that desired reconciliation than those in the audience might have expected.
Benjamin Dougherty plays the role as deliciously dark and foreboding. Following 15 years as an exile in Australia, he returns to London, which he politely refers to as a cesspool. The London to which the former barber returns is especially dark and dismal.
Recognized by Mrs. Lovett (played with exuberance by Hannah Rachal), she befriends “Mr. Todd” with her plight. She is downtrodden and, were it not for a regular supply of meat, she would not have to resort to selling “The Worst Pies in London.” Revealing only what she is required to get what she desires, Lovett presents “Mr. Todd” with the set of razors he was forced to leave behind and to which he pronounces them as his “My Friends.” The inanimate objects take on a life of their own as Todd announces “At last my right arm is complete!”
Rachal, a very talented singer and performer. She was the first regional Elle Woods on a local stage at Rivertown and has regularly played at the National World War II Museum’s BB’s Stage Door Canteen as one of the Victory Belles. While such wholesome characters may seem out of balance in her role as Lovett. But nevermind, she serves this role up deliciously.
Luke Boucvalt, with his chiseled features and creamy voice in “johanna,” is a highlight of this musical. He has played Todd’s sailor friend, Anthony Hope , previously at Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane two seasons ago. Recently seen in Westwego’s two-piano version of My Fair Lady as Freddy Eynsfort-Hill, he positively soars in this role, especially in the song “Johanna.”
As Johanna, Lauren Smith plays opposite Boucvalt to great effect with “Kiss Me” and renders a lovely solo of “Green Finch and Linnet Bird,” a song that speaks of the lovely things in life as all about her is about to go quite ugly.
The large ensemble serves as a latter-day Greek chorus and the narrator of the musical. Laurie Reinagal serves as the musical director and she and Rucker have honed an incredibly rendered production that serves up the gravitas of the main characters in a thoroughly satisfying manner.
In addition to the main stars, other noted performers are Lalanya Gunn as the mysterious and dirty Beggarwoman. Louis Duddosat manifests as the evil Judge Turpin, who is the ultimate object of Todd’s disdain, Scott Sauber is also memorable as Señor Pirelli, who competes against fellow barber Todd. Also, Parker Portera-Dufrene, a ninth grader, plays Tobias, a young hawkster for Pirelli, who later is taken in by Lovett, remarkably well for his young years.
Belle Tudor provides the choreography for the production, which is thoughtful in the delicate dance found between Todd and Lovett in “A Little Priest” and the larger ensemble pieces that advance the story such as the opener “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.”
The set by Maxwell Martello and director Rucker, who also designed the props, is also outstanding. The Act II working barber chair on the upper level as it deposits Todd’s victims to Lovett’s pie shop below is to be admired for its sleek design and bloodthirsty efficiency.
Amanda Cavalier executed the wig designs quite well and Antoniette DeAlteris displays an impressive talent for costumes that rise above the commonplace. This is a Sweeney Todd that screams to be seen and the lighting designs by Camille Griffin are splendid. Caleb Ayton also is quite up to the challenge of rendering the sound design.
In short, this Sweeney Todd is not to be missed. One might accurately say it is a cut above other musicals.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Stephen Sondheim with book by Hugh Wheeler continues to play at Westwego Theatre for the Performing Arts, 177 Sala Avenue in Westwego, Louisiana, through November 22. For tickets, click here or call 504-885-2000.
