With the national tour of Sweeney Todd now at its second stop, Toronto can experience the production that was so well received in Boston. BroadwayWorld says the reason for the response is clear: “the simple genius of exceptional material interpreted within a brilliant directorial vision and delivered by an immensely talented and inspired cast. In short, this Sweeney Todd is not to be missed.” The Toronto Star calls it “so musically thrilling, dramatically inventive and visually striking that anyone who likes theatre above the ordinary should be thrilled to spend a few hours in its company ... You'd be a bloody fool to miss this one ... It's a murderously magical evening in the theatre.”
With the national tour of Sweeney Todd now at its second stop, audiences in Toronto can experience the production that was so well received on its first stop, in Boston. BroadwayWorld.com writer Jan Nargi says the reason for the overwhelming response is clear: “the simple genius of exceptional material interpreted within a brilliant directorial vision and delivered by an immensely talented and inspired cast. In short, this Sweeney Todd is not to be missed.”
Director John Doyle's reimagining of the Stephen Sondheim musical first grabbed Broadway theatergoers in the 2005–2006 production starring Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris, the recording of which is available on Nonesuch. Its streamlined sets and smaller, instrument-playing ensemble of actors made for all-the-more intimate and affecting results. And the tour has been equally adept at bringing that excitement across the continent. Writes Nargi:
The intense prism through which Doyle invites us to watch his Sweeney Todd allows the audience to see and hear all the subtle layers in Sondheim's masterpiece. It also challenges his actors to create nuanced performances that embrace realism while simultaneously rising musically to operatic heights. Have no fear. This touring cast expertly delivers the goods ... this touring production is a magnificently realized musical tale of one man's tragedy set against a swirl of human inequities. It's potent, visceral, and dangerous—and remarkably entertaining.
After opening night in Toronto earlier this week, the Toronto Star's theatre critic Richard Ouzounian weighed in today as well with kudos for the production, giving it 3.5 out of 4 stars and calling it “so musically thrilling, dramatically inventive and visually striking that anyone who likes theatre above the ordinary should be thrilled to spend a few hours in its company.” Ouzounian doesn’t mince words when he implores readers to catch the show before it heads out on December 9: “You'd be a bloody fool to miss this one ... Kill for a ticket to Sweeney Todd if you have to. It's a murderously magical evening in the theatre.”
To read the BroadwayWorld article, visit BroadwayWorld.com. For the Toronto Star review, visit thestar.com.
Look for the Tim Burton–directed film version of Sweeney Todd starring Johnny Depp in theaters in late December and the soundtrack recording on Nonesuch December 18.
