Rave reviews from last night's opening performance of Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber from Fleet Street
Based upon the fictitious tales of the murderous barber in the Victorian era, Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street; is one of American composer Stephen Sondheim’s most iconic and classic musicals. Telling the story of a man’s return to London after years of exile, Benjamin Barker aka Sweeney Todd teams up with former landlady and pie maker Miss Lovett with murderous consequences. Knowing that his exile from London was from wrongful accusations, Sweeney Todd sets out to exact revenge on the ones that did him wrong and returning to his former profession as a barber, eyebrows are soon raised as it seems more than a huge coincidence that Miss Lovett’s delicious pies become the talk of Fleet Street the same time as Sweeney’s customers disappear in mysterious circumstances. This fantastic musical adaptation of this popular tale first found success on the Broadway stage when the role of Miss Lovett was performed by ‘Murder She Wrote’ star Angela Lansbury. Going through various revivals both on Broadway and the West End, people may be familiar with the recent movie musical adaptation of the show by gothic film director Tim Burton. With Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter playing the famous pair Sweeney Todd and Miss Lovett, the film was a smash hit success and earned Johnny Depp an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a leading role. After enjoying a short but successful run at the Chichester Theatre in the UK, Sweeney Todd has made another West End revival in 2012 with the show coming to the Adelphi Theatre. Starring West End regular Michael Ball as Sweeney Todd and Imelda Staunton as Miss Lovett, this revival of the show has garnered positive reviews and with its transfer to the West End, expectation is at a high level. Enjoying its opening performance last night, on Tuesday 20th March 2012, WinkBall video reporters Daniel and Zoe were at the Adelphi Theatre for this anticipated performance of Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Speaking to fans that had come down to see the show, fans were asked what were their expectations of the evening, particularly what were they expecting from both Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton as performers. Also, looking back at the film version of the musical, fans were asked how would this stage version live up to the recent highly successful cinematic translation and where could they see cinema and theatre combine in this show?