SWEENEY TODD

Thursday 3, May 2012 EXTRA CREDIT Tonight I took myself to watch Sweeney Todd at the JC. This weekend is the last few days of this performance and I am sure glad I did not miss it. The play begins with the Judge arresting an innocent person for a crime he did not do. The stage was dark, the perfect setting for Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The set was in the 1930's in London. The towns people are all working class and after 15 years Todd returns and vows revenge against the judge. Todd's equally as talented counter part was a women who owns a bakery, Mrs. Lovett. She is a meat pie maker and makes the worst tasting pies in London. The musical was a tragic story. The couple killed most of the towns people by way of slashing their throats. Todd is a close shaving killer who uses his blades to kill and refers to them as his arm being complete again. The show was amazing filled with chills, thrills and death. From there it goes into " My Friends." This is where it really started getting good. It became very dark and bitter sweet. Todd is hell-bent on revenge. Love was in the air for the two lovers but is over powered by the stench of blood. The visuals were great. The goth story with their terrific performances made the entire 2 and a half hour show worth watching. I found myself at times at the edge of my seat. The entire cast deserves thanks for a terrific show. I could see that alot of work had gone into the making and planning of this show. Fortunately for me this musical turned out to be charming. The song lyrics were endlessly dreadful. At times the lyrics had a black, piercing poetry to them. Along with the goth like attitudes there was a central tone of humor. For example, the cut throat that was repeated half a dozen times was exaggerated. Revenge has always provoked the worst in our behavior. In this case the revenge was killing everyone in London. The musical touched on every impulse towards evil . The audance found themselves laughing right along with Todd and Lovett as they planned on putting PEOPLE in Mrs. Lovett's pie's.