Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

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The production opened originally at the Cottesloe Theatre on June 2, , and later transferred to the Lyttleton Theatre on December 16, , playing in repertory and closing on June 1, The show's design was slightly altered to fit a proscenium arch theatre space for the Lyttleton Theatre. When the show transferred, Quilley replaced Armstrong in the title role. Sondheim praised Donnellan for the "small 'chamber' approach to the show, which was the composer's original vision for the piece.

On April 5, it premiered in Catalan at the theater Poliorama of Barcelona later moving to the Apollo , in a production of the Drama Centre of the Government of Catalonia. Josep Peris as Johanna, Muntsa Rius as Tobias, Pep Molina as Anthony and Xavier Ribera-Vall as Judge Turpin, with critical acclaim and audience applause Sondheim himself traveled to Barcelona after hearing the success it was having and was delighted with the production.

Later it moved to Madrid.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

The show received over fifteen awards. This production was notable for having no orchestra, with the person cast playing the score themselves on musical instruments that they carried onstage.

This production closed February 5, A version of the John Doyle West End production transferred to Broadway, opening on November 3, at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre with a new cast, all of whom played their own instruments, as had been done in London. The cast consisted of: The production ran for performances and 35 previews, and was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two: Best Direction of a Musical for Doyle and Best Orchestrations for Sarah Travis who had reconstructed Jonathan Tunick's original arrangements to suit the ten-person cast and orchestra.

Lovett and David Hess as Todd. Alexander Gemignani also played the title role for the Toronto run of the tour in November Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton starred in a new production of the show that played at The Chichester Festival Theatre , running from September 24 to November 5, It was notably set in the s instead of and restored the oft-cut song "Johanna Mea Culpa ".

Previews began February 14, before officially opening night on March 1. After Norm Lewis left, he was replaced by Hugh Panaro in the titular role. The production has been extended through August Lovett and Peter Cousens as Anthony. Lovett and Jon Ewing as Judge Turpin. The Melbourne production toured to Sydney and Brisbane in It was also the first time the show had been presented in an intimate house Equity seat.

The Finnish National Opera production premiered on September 19, Translated by Juice Leskinen [35]. It was directed by Christopher Ashley with choreography by Daniel Pelzig. Irish tenor David Shannon starred as Todd in a highly successful Dublin production of the show at the Gate Theatre , which ran from April through June The production employed a minimalistic approach: The look of the production was quite abstract. The Sunday Times wrote that "The black backdrop of David Farley's rough hewn set and the stark minimalism of Rick Fisher's lighting suggest a self-conscious edginess, with Shannon's stylised make-up, long leather coat and brooding countenance only adding to the feeling.

The show was a collaboration with West End International Ltd. The show did a four-week run and ended on June 8, In , fifty members of the National Youth Music Theatre staged a production at the Village Underground as part of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday celebrations in London. NYMT took the show, directed by Martin Constantine, out of a conventional theatre space and staged it within a converted Victorian warehouse in the city's East End.

Movies in Theaters

Sondheim grants DC's Landless Theatre Company permission to orchestrate a "prog metal version" of Sweeney Todd , the first rock orchestration of the score. Directed by Melissa Baughman. Music Direction by Charles W. In , the Victorian Opera company in Australia mounted an operatic production of the musical for a day run at the Melbourne Arts Centre. The first opera company to mount Sweeney Todd was the Houston Grand Opera in a production directed by Hal Prince, which ran from June 14, through June 24, for a total of 10 performances. In the show was presented by the New York City Opera.

Hal Prince recreated the staging using the simplified set of the 2nd national tour. It was well received and most performances sold out. It was brought back for limited runs in and Notably the production starred Elaine Paige as Mrs Lovett. Lovett, and Davis Gaines as Anthony. This production was taped for PBS broadcast.

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The same production played at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago on August 24, , with most of the cast from the preceding concerts, except for Plishka and Clark, who were replaced by Sherrill Milnes and Hollis Resnik. The concert was again filmed for broadcast on PBS as part of their Live from Lincoln Center [54] series and was first aired on September 26, This production transferred to London Coliseum Theatre for 13 performances from March 30 through April 12, David Cuevas produced the first Mexican production of Sweeney Todd. Tim Burton directed from a screenplay by John Logan.

Stephen Sondheim believes that Sweeney Todd is a story of revenge and how it consumes a vengeful person. He has asserted, "…what the show is really about is obsession. Sondheim's score is one of his most complex, with orchestrations by his long-time collaborator Jonathan Tunick. Relying heavily on counterpoint and angular harmonies, its compositional style has been compared to Maurice Ravel , Sergei Prokofiev , and Bernard Herrmann. Sondheim also utilizes the ancient Dies Irae in the ballad that runs throughout the score, later heard in a melodic inversion , and in the accompaniment to "Epiphany".

Depending on how and where the show is presented, it is sometimes considered an opera. Theatre critic and author Martin Gottfried wrote on this subject: Opera is not just a matter of everything being sung. There is an operatic kind of music, of singing, of staging. There are opera audiences, and there is an opera sensibility. There are opera houses. Sweeney Todd has its occasional operatic moments, but its music overall has the chest notes, the harmonic language, the muscularity, and the edge of Broadway theater.

The other voices in the cast also were known quantities. Rather, it seemed to me that the attempt to actually sing the Sondheim score, which relies heavily on a dramatic parlando or speaking style, mainly showed how far from the operatic vocal tradition the work lies.

The score, effective enough in its own way, demanded things of the opera singers that opera singers as a class are reluctant to produce. The original Broadway pit consisted of a 26 piece orchestra.

The number of percussionists may vary for different shows, though the percussion book is written for two players. An alternate orchestration is available from Music Theatre International for a 9 piece orchestra. It was written by Jonathan Tunick for the London Production. Original orchestrator Jonathan Tunick revised his large orchestration for the London revival, adding a dirtier, grittier texture to the score's arrangements. It included the Judge's "Johanna" and the tooth-pulling contest from Act I, which had been cut in previews.

A performance of the touring company was taped before an audience in at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles during the first national tour, with additional taping done in an empty theatre for a television special. The resulting program was televised on September 12, , on The Entertainment Channel.

In , the Barcelona cast recorded a cast album sung in Catalan. This production was also broadcast on Spanish television. In , the same concert was held in San Francisco with the same leads and minor cast changes. The Broadway revival also was recorded. The followings songs were cut: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This article is about the musical. For other uses, see Sweeney Todd disambiguation. It is not to be confused with Pretty Woman or Pretty Girl disambiguation. Lovett "My Friends" - Todd and Mrs. List of their full titles here. Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd". The Demon Barber of Fleet Street film. Retrieved on September 13, The Guardian ; retrieved September 13, Brown ; retrieved September 13, Turner Classic Movies ; retrieved September 13, Retrieved on August 1, Retrieved on January 16, Retrieved on January 18, Archived from the original on June 13, Retrieved May 4, Retrieved on October 22, Archived from the original on August 23, Retrieved August 23, Archived from the original on September 30, Retrieved September 29, Archived from the original on October 4, Archived from the original on September 12, Retrieved September 21, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ".

The Irish Times , April 26, , Features; p. Archived from the original on April 4, Retrieved August 10, Retrieved on July 17, National Youth Music Theatre. Archived from the original on July 1, Archived from the original on March 12, Retrieved May 2, Archived from the original on February 9, Retrieved January 24, Archived from the original on December 29, Archived from the original on May 25, Emma Thompson shines as Mrs. The Demon Barber of Fleet Street". Archived from the original on April 18, Retrieved June 27, Thesis, National University of Ireland: New York Times , March 2, , p.

Archived from the original on November 13, Retrieved November 9, Archived copy as title link. Sondheim Enlarged and Updated The New York Times , October 21, Retrieved on September 25, Retrieved on January 14, The London Cast Recording". Retrieved on April 1, Retrieved April 1, Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street soundtrack. Musicals by Stephen Sondheim. Awards for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical. Tony Award for Best Musical. Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical.

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Artwork from the original Broadway production. Act II "God, that's Good! Morose and vengeful; a barber by profession who returned to London, after fifteen years of unjust incarceration in an Australian penal colony, to seek revenge first on the corrupt judge who sent him there, and then on all his clients. Contralto [12] or Mezzo-soprano [13]. A simpleton who works first for con-man Pirelli, and then for Mrs. Lovett, but does not trust Todd. A mad crone whose interjections go unheeded, eventually identified as Benjamin Barker's wife, Lucy, who was raped by Judge Turpin.

An Irish charlatan and former employee of Benjamin Barker who has since developed a public persona as a flashy Italian barber; he attempts to blackmail Todd, but is immediately killed. If nothing else is true about Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd hereafter , it is a fantastic riposte to the notion that Burton had somehow grown soft and sentimental in his middle age. This was always a rather rich comment, given that some of his earlier work, like Batman Returns, had been unfairly criticised for being too dark and cold.

But for those who found Big Fish too cheerful, this is the perfect antidote, returning us to the grim, dark world, at once oppressive and fantastic, that Burton has made his own. When Mark Kermode reviewed the film on BBC Radio 5 Live, he described it as "the flipside of Edward Scissorhands", talking about how the look and manner of Johnny Depp's performance was a twisted inversion of that film's protagonist, turning Edward's innocent harming of those he loved into a conscious murderous crusade.

There are also huge similarities in approach to Sleepy Hollow, not only with the certificate violence but the emphasis on period detail and a community feeding on itself quite literally, of course.

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The story of Sweeney Todd is one of the hardiest in English literature, with its origins stretching back to the penny dreadfuls of Charles Dickens' day and the early fallout of the Industrial Revolution. As British cities rapidly expanded as people flocked from the countryside, public fears abounded about rising crime and unscrupulous business practices - including the means by which food was now being manufactured. The first appearance of Benjamin Barker, in 's The String of Pearls, married the fear of cannibalism to barbers of the day serving as surgeons - the red and white poles outside barbers' shops symbolised the blood and bandages of their secondary trade.

Burton sets out his intentions for Sweeney Todd in the elaborate opening credits, demonstrating both his fidelity to Stephen Sondheim's musical and his intrinsic understanding of its themes and tone. The mixing of blood and water, first in the clouds and finally in the sewers, is a brilliant visual metaphor for the way in which violence and vengeance contaminate everything they touch.

Sondheim's overture, at once brooding and hysterical, puts us right in the edgy mood required for the plot to have impact, so that the second that Depp appears on screen, we feel intimidated. Perhaps no film since Get Carter or possibly The Last House on the Left has so perfectly captured the self-destructive nature of revenge - how those bent on vengeance end up becoming consumed by their own misguided obsession. The initial telling of Lucy's apparent demise leads us to sympathise at least somewhat with Sweeney's plight, but by the time he has killed for the first time he has already crossed over into darkness.

Eventually he becomes so fixated on killing Judge Turpin that he doesn't even recognise the woman he loved, slitting her throat without saying a word to her. Burton's rendering of both her death and Sweeney's are both graphic and beautiful, using their blood in a manner that would make Dario Argento proud. The film is also interested in the complicity of all society in Sweeney's schemes, either by their direct involvement Mrs Lovett and Toby or their failure to intervene and stop him.

One of the central lines comes outside the Old Bailey, when Judge Turpin asks Beadle Bamford whether the boy he just sentenced to death was guilty. Bamford mutters, "Well if he didn't do it, he had surely done something to warrant the hanging", to which Turpin replies, "What man has not?

What sounds like a platitude out of context is actually a telling remark on how society feeds on itself with no real regard for right and wrong - a theme later reflected in the song 'A Little Priest'. This brings us on to the singing, one of the main bones of contention among fans of the original musical. If you are expecting the actors to sing with the rounded, showy polish exhibited on Broadway or the West End the kind of performance that always looks rubbish on film , then you will be disappointed. But while the tone of the piece is decidedly operatic - all big emotions and hearts worn on sleeves - the subject matter lends itself to a rougher, more angular style of delivery.

Depp and Helena Bonham Carter sing very well, and the fact that they don't sound like naturally rounded singers works entirely to their benefit. The supporting cast beyond Depp and Carter is also really strong. He sings like a deep bassoon and relishes being lecherous without ever over-playing it.

Timothy Spall, who previously proved his singing credentials in Topsy-Turvy, struts through his part like a proud toad, again striking a balance between comedy and intimidation. And Sacha Baron Cohen, fresh off the back of Borat, gives one of his finest performances as Adolfo Pirelli; he's so charmingly ridiculous that he almost steals the show.

Sweeney Todd also succeeds in marrying Sondheim's darkly comic lyrics to Burton's distinctive visual imagery. The cramped and dank streets of London are like the corrupted, industrialised descendants of Sleepy Hollow, and Dariusz Wolski who shot Dark City brings out the deep reds and sharp silvers to create a world which is both gruesome and painstakingly beautiful. The city seems to stretch forever, like a nightmarish labyrinth with Sweeney and Mrs Lovett as its Minotaurs, while the seaside scene hilariously juxtaposes Burton's designs with a sugary setting.

Best of all is the closing scene, which borrows from The Third Man and the 'Acid Queen' sequence in Ken Russell's Tommy to conjure up a truly masterful climax. The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a stupendous triumph of a film, which both honours its source material and brings a unique approach to a well-worn story.

Burton's storytelling and direction are absolutely superb, bringing out the rich, murky substance of the story while never neglecting its dark sense of humour. The visuals are stunning and the gore is wonderfully executed ha ha , but we also care deeply about the characters. It is easily Burton's best film since Ed Wood, and ten years on it remains essential viewing. I normally don't like musicals but "Sweeney Todd" is an exception. The story is powerful and is accompanied with some decent songs. It gets brutal at times and the meat pies are downright disgusting. But still, it's very entertaining.

A musical slasher flick that is just beyond fun. This is Tim Burton and if you dont care for him dont watch but if you do this is a good one.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Film) - TV Tropes

More Top Movies Trailers Forums. Season 7 Black Lightning: Season 2 DC's Legends of Tomorrow: Season 4 Doctor Who: Season 11 The Flash: Season 5 This Is Us: Season 3 Saturday Night Live: Season 4 The Walking Dead: Weekend Box Office Results: View All Videos 1. View All Photos Unjustly sent to prison, a man vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter.

When he returns to reopen his barber shop, he becomes Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, who "shaved the faces of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard of again. Lovett, creates diabolical meat pies. Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd. Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs.

Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin. Timothy Spall as Beadle Bamford.

Sacha Baron Cohen as Adolfo Pirelli. Jamie Campbell Bower as Anthony Hope. Laura Michelle Kelly as Beggar Woman. Edward Sanders as Toby. Ed Sanders as Toby. Jayne Wisener as Johanna. Jody Halse as Policeman 1. View All Sweeney Todd: This is grand-scale studio-work at its most beguiling. November 17, Rating:

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