Upright Theatre Co. presents Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Based on an adaptation by Christopher Bond
Some brief thoughts on Sweeney Todd at Upright Theatre Co or…easily the best pies in Euless
I have to admit when I learned there were going to be four productions of Sweeney Todd in DFW I was skeptical that any local company could produce this difficult musical successfully. Upright Theatre Co. has allayed my fears with its brilliant staging of the Sondheim classic.
I wish I had seen Sweeney earlier in its run so I could give it the full review it deserves, but I do want to share a few observations.
The intimate size of the Upright space increases the creepiness factor of the musical tenfold. Director Natalie Burkhart and Choreographer Whitney Morris have the characters in the ensemble surround the audience at times and it elicits a spooky, almost threatening feeling of impending doom that brings the experience of Sweeney’s victims practically in your lap. The use of space in this production is remarkable and Director Burkhart’s razor sharp direction keeps Sweeney ‘s action up front and center and the atmosphere chilling.
Music Director Noel Clark has the cast sounding amazing and the group numbers with so many great voices singing brings chills of the good kind.
The twenty person cast is pretty close to perfection, and I wish I had the time and space to recognize everyone individually. I do want to single out a few people who give outstanding performances. Devon Watkins is both fun and menacing as Pirelli and looks straight out of commedia dell’arte. Sascha Connor is a frightening Judge Turpin with a glorious voice. Laura Lester is both scary and pathetic as the Beggar Woman. Jacy Schoening, as the melancholy and abused Johanna has a beautiful soprano and winning stage presence. The angelic faced Andrew Cave as Johanna’s suitor Anthony has a voice as sweet as his demeanor. Someone needs to cast him as Pippin soon. Joshua Hawkins is the callous Beadle Bamford, Judge Turpin’s right-hand man. Although the character is despicable, Hawkins gives him an appealing impish quality and his scene playing Mrs. Lovett’s harmonium is one of the few lighthearted and charming moments in this dark musical. Nathanael Clark is a marvelous Tobias. He is a fine actor and singer and is convincing as the rather slow-witted young man who forms a maternal attachment to Mrs. Lovett. I don’t think I ever truly picked up on the irony of Tobias singing “Not While I’m Around” to Mrs. Lovett until I watched Clark’s expressive face during the number. Brandy Raper is a young and beautiful Mrs. Lovett. Mrs. Lovett may have” been around the block” a few times, but it certainly doesn’t show. Raper’s youthful Mrs. Lovett became more and more compelling to me as the play progressed as I realized that her innocent appearing face was hiding a monstrous woman with no compunction about selling “people pies” or murder. As Lady Macbeth says, “Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it.” Add Raper’s phenomenal pipes, acting skills, an enormously appealing presence together and you have one heck of a Mrs. Lovett. As the demon barber himself and 19th century serial killer, Rocky Massey scores big slashing throats and getting revenge. To quote Shakespeare again, Massey’s Sweeney has a “lean and hungry look.” Furthermore, Massey somehow is so absorbed in the character that he makes himself (maybe with the help of makeup) look dead behind his eyes. However Massey achieves the look, it makes his Sweeney truly frightening, and it is easy to believe that the deadly razor really is an extension of his arm. And I haven’t even mentioned Massey’s astonishing vocals. Bravo, Sir!
Congratulations to the cast, crew, and creatives of this fabulous Sweeney Todd. You have set the bar high for the season of Sweeney.
