SWEENEY TODD

This year’s College Musical was Sondheim’s infamous creation, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. A cast and crew of our boys performed alongside pupils from Didcot Girls’ School. Senior Prefect, Jack (6.2, A Social), reports from a soldout Theatre.

As the cast emerged from the wings, I was stunned by the gothic makeup and steam-punk concept of the costumes that added a dark tone to an already tragic plot. The small details such as Sweeney’s bleached hair, distinctive moustaches, and metallic costume textures added to the quirky look of the characters and helped to create an impressive and imitating foundation for the cast to build on. At face value the setting seemed simplistic, with one large central cube structure and enclosing stairs, yet the crew’s rotation of the staging, revealed a different location on each side, adding to the pace of the plot. Above all, I marvelled at the use of the barber’s chair; with the slick trap door adding a touch of comedy to the storyline. The consistently ominous lighting was the finishing touch in building the morose picture of a polluted and dismal Fleet Street.

In terms of the actors, I was truly impressed; Miss Buse nailed the casting. Max (6.2, L Social) who portrayed Todd, expertly conveyed the mental convulsion of a psychotic yet brokenhearted protagonist, all while singing beautifully. Erin stole the show as Mrs Lovett; the passion she threw into the role and expressions she added, most notably during the song A Little Priest, were superb. Max and Erin were an effective pairing, with Erin’s warm, timid-hearted Lovett juxtaposing the harsh, pathos-filled nature of Max’s Todd. Joe (6.1, G Social) as Anthony Hope was equally impressive, perfecting the anguish of a star-struck lover and successfully navigating the romantic scenes that came with the role. The cast created refreshingly light moments in scenes throughout the musical, most notably through the eccentric Italian, Adolfo Pirelli, played by Colby (6.2, K Social) who put his heart and soul into perfecting the accent and comedic elements of the character.

Unsurprisingly, the music was exceptional. The orchestra, comprised of Radleians and professional musicians, provided the perfect accompaniment and really brought the musical to life, joining together with the cast to create a truly epic soundscape. When I first saw the long list of songs in the programme and realised the number of lines the actors must have had to learn for their performance, I wondered whether the music might decline as the cast became more fatigued. But I was very pleased this was not the case at all, and the music was consistently breathtaking throughout. In fact, the cast’s performance of Johanna was so good it has now been permanently added to my Spotify playlist!

The movement and pace of the musical kept the audience on edge. A dramatic increase in action and intensity in the scandalous scene of Poor Thing was effective in contributing to the tension of the plot, almost breaking down the fourth wall by such immersive action. With lots of new elements to the tale being crammed into the last few scenes, the cast did a fantastic job in bringing the climax of the story to a clear end, with one final twist to the plot in tow.

This review would not be complete without mention of the interval snacks – pies and drinks that mimicked the cooking of Mrs Lovett. Such touches like this came together to make a thoroughly delightful evening and I must take my hat off to the Drama Department for curating a truly magical evening. I congratulate Miss Buse and her team, alongside Mr Gladstone and the Music Department for all the hard work they put in to creating such a powerful and entertaining piece.