Stage Review Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
- debra Hall
- Jul 17
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 18
Stage Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
A Musical based on play Sweeney Todd by Christopher Bond
Music and Lyrics Stephen Sondheim
book by Hugh Wheeler
Directed by Joe Murphy
Musical Supervisor Dr John Rigby
It is Victorian London and Benjamin Barker returns to England after being wrongfully imprisoned for many years. He makes his way to his old abode and barber shop premises on Fleet Street in search of his family, only to be told by pie seller, Mrs Lovett that his wife is dead and that his daughter, Johanna, now 15, is now the ward of the evil, Judge Turpin.
Before his incarceration Todd recalls Judge Turpin making up lies to have him arrested while, at the same time. coercing his wife away from him. Beadle played his part in allowing Turpin to groom her. Mrs Lovett confirms Todd's worse fears saying that his beautiful wife had been drugged and raped at Turpin's ball and she had suffered so much after and without him, that she had taken her own life.
To cover up his true identity and to chase his revenge against Turpin and to save his child, he goes under the new name of Sweeney Todd and sets up a barber business once again above the pie shop. He has murder on his mind.
Meanwhile the young Anthony has fallen in love with Johanna when he sees her trapped and living like a bird in a cage he can't bear it. Turpin, on the other hand, has developed an unhealthy lust for Johanna. She is shocked and appalled when Turpin makes a move on her.
Todd takes part in a public shaving display with rival barber, Pirelli, led by his apprentice Tobias Ragg (Toby). Later, when Pirelli and Toby come to Fleet Street and Pirelli and Todd are alone upstairs, Pirelli drops his pretence and reveals that he knows Todd's true identity. Todd panics, murders Pirelli and hides his body. He and Mrs Lovett concoct a macabre scheme for disposing of the evidence.
They go on to realise that both their businesses could benefit from unsuspecting clients being given 'the closest shave of their lives' and becoming fodder for pies sold in the shop to Victorian clientele.
Meanwhile, after rejection, Turpin has Johanna locked away in an institution. Anthony's pursuit leads him to that place. He turns to an acquaintance for help in rescuing her, that comes in the form of Todd, though Anthony has no idea that he is Johanna's father.
Mrs Lovett is getting nervy and tries to persuade Todd to marry her and that they go far away together. Toby is not the brightest but he is beginning to question things; about the missing Pirelli and the other goings ons at the bakery. Mrs Lovett tries to keep Toby sweet and warns Todd that he's worked it all out.
Mrs Lovett however, has not been completely truthful to Todd along the way, but it is Toby who is the catalyst for all the unravelling at the end.
Comment
A BIG production with live orchestra band playing and an impressive set. The drama of the early scenes involving Todd imagining the plight of his ill fated wife and his daughter being in the hands of a man who had wronged them all, is met by a heavy hands on the piano keys delivery, incidental music, driven by a score with deliberate sharps and flats notes designed to cringe like one would when running fingers nails on a blackboard.
There is so much dark cynicism between characters in this story, so much distrust, hate and suspicion - it's a mood. Therefore, when the band as a whole are all playing their loudest a wall of loud sound is created which is fabulously effective, especially when the line of solemn singers in black and white monochrome settings under directed stagelight, perform dramatic, choral style compositions.
However, the high dynamic is not curtailed on occasion and music drowns out the vocal performances of a couple of songs of a jaunty nature with witty lyrics; performers of these upbeat solo numbers compete to be heard over the band at times.
After the interval however, the music is generally lighter, a single clarinet and a single horn along with the keyboard and percussion play the melodies and creates the sound effects, with the other instruments playing softly and blending; it's pretty cool.
While the Sweeney Todd's murders are theatrical enough and well staged, this is a musical at the end of the day and it is a winner; an absolute delight in that respect. In Birmingham until August 15th. Recommended!
Stage Review Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by theatre critic, Debra Hall who attended the matinee performance on Thursday 16 July 2026 at 2pm
REFERENCES
Collins, A. Information ahead of the the performance of Sweeney Todd on Thursday 16 July, 2pm Birmingham Rep 16 July 2026
Birmingham Rep https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street/
Collins, A. PRESS RELEASE: Birmingham Rep release production images for Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Birmingham Rep 10 July 2026
Hall, D. Review of Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Remotegoat Stage 14 Dec 2008
Rigby, J. https://johnrigbymusic.com/
Sweeney Todd Fandom https://sweeneytodd.fandom.com/wiki/Beadle_Bamford
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