2008 Woodie Awards
Sweet Slitting Sweeney
A review
Shari Tate
Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
On the not-so-merry streets of London the banished return to reclaim the lost jewels of their lives. Enter Sweeney Todd, a former barber of Fleet Street, who unlawfully returns home with hopes that he can begin a new life with his lost family. When he arrives home he discovers that his beloved wife has perished and his infant daughter was long ago taken in by the pious and twisted judge responsible for his exile.
Mr. Todd resumes his old profession of "slitting hairs" in the hopes that vengeance will be his. With the cooperation of Mrs. Lovett, the widowed and poorly-accomplished cook, the two devise a plan to settle one's debt and the other's desperate need for new business.
The captivating and highly talented cast at UNCG does a stupendous job of bringing alive this dark tale. With ripples of comedy laid upon a sinister plot, Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street is sure not to disappoint.
The music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim could cause one to rethink and enjoy the way most of us have come to define musicals. A well-crafted and unique set blends perfectly with the 19th century costuming as the wonderfully harmonic ensemble sets the mood for this unorthodox musical.
Could there have possibly been a better introduction to the October holiday and the fall Taylor Theatre season? Mrs. Lovett's meat pies aren't the only thing that are sketchy on Fleet Street. With random yet strategically placed characters and plot twist, Hugh Wheeler has achieved an amazing on-stage thriller. With brilliant execution of character development and powerful pull on audience emotion, the cast of Sweeney Todd has made Wheeler's stage thriller surreal. The two-act play flies by with never a dull moment.
The post thrill of this play is looking forward to the film Sweeney Todd directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. It is set to come out Christmas of this year. Along side Johnny you may also recognize some of the dark veiled characters of the Harry Potter films including Alan Sidney and Helena Bonham Carter.
As for the rest of the season at Taylor Theatre, you can anticipate seeing more spectacular acts from the UNCG crew in The Rimers of Eldrtich starting Oct. 18-21 and The Taste of Sunrise on Nov. 10-18. As a spectator of UNCG's theatrical rendition of Sweeny Todd: Bravo, cast! Here's to a job well done and a deserved standing ovation!
Mr. Todd resumes his old profession of "slitting hairs" in the hopes that vengeance will be his. With the cooperation of Mrs. Lovett, the widowed and poorly-accomplished cook, the two devise a plan to settle one's debt and the other's desperate need for new business.
The captivating and highly talented cast at UNCG does a stupendous job of bringing alive this dark tale. With ripples of comedy laid upon a sinister plot, Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street is sure not to disappoint.
The music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim could cause one to rethink and enjoy the way most of us have come to define musicals. A well-crafted and unique set blends perfectly with the 19th century costuming as the wonderfully harmonic ensemble sets the mood for this unorthodox musical.
Could there have possibly been a better introduction to the October holiday and the fall Taylor Theatre season? Mrs. Lovett's meat pies aren't the only thing that are sketchy on Fleet Street. With random yet strategically placed characters and plot twist, Hugh Wheeler has achieved an amazing on-stage thriller. With brilliant execution of character development and powerful pull on audience emotion, the cast of Sweeney Todd has made Wheeler's stage thriller surreal. The two-act play flies by with never a dull moment.
The post thrill of this play is looking forward to the film Sweeney Todd directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. It is set to come out Christmas of this year. Along side Johnny you may also recognize some of the dark veiled characters of the Harry Potter films including Alan Sidney and Helena Bonham Carter.
As for the rest of the season at Taylor Theatre, you can anticipate seeing more spectacular acts from the UNCG crew in The Rimers of Eldrtich starting Oct. 18-21 and The Taste of Sunrise on Nov. 10-18. As a spectator of UNCG's theatrical rendition of Sweeny Todd: Bravo, cast! Here's to a job well done and a deserved standing ovation!
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Lime
posted 10/10/07 @ 4:05 AM EST
I think instead of Alan Sidney you must mean Alan Rickman, who played Prof. Snape in the Harry Potter movies. (Sidney is one of his middle names)
Other than that, nice article. (Continued…)
James Guy
posted 10/10/07 @ 11:37 AM EST
Just wanted to correct that it is Alan Rickman, and not Alan "Sidney", which was posted in the review.
Also, it'd be nice to hear more detailed commentary on the actors, director, set crew (maybe their names mentioned), and the people who's hard work was involved in making this show rather than flooding the "review" with witty little remarks. (Continued…)
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