Brilliant Todd at Ex

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

by Stephen Sondheim

directed by Sarah Stewart

at the Loeb Experimental Theater

through November 14

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is rarely attempted by amateurs. Like all Stephen Sondheim musicals it has tricky lyrics, complex orchestrations and a plot that's more than a little strange. Three hours spent watching a barber who cuts people's throats and a baker who turns the corpses into meat pies may make some audience members queasy. Sweeney Todd is by far the most operatic and most complex of Sondheim's shows. The production currently at the Loeb Ex is a brilliant reminder why the show is one of his best.

David Travis demonstrates amazing range as Todd, the ex-convict barber who seeks revenge on the men who destroyed his life. Travis manages to show Todd's intensity without letting the character slip into melodrama. Travis portrays Todd's inhumanely violent nature yet also his sincere despair over the loss of his wife and daughter. Travis' many musical numbers show off his terrific voice and his acting at its best. Like most of the cast he seems underdirected in straight dialogue scenes--particularly in the first act.

Kathleen Mullins is flawless as Mrs. Lovett, Todd's partner in crime. A Boston Conservatory student, Mullins is a brilliant comic actress as well as a good singer. In her first number, "The Worst Pies in London," Mullins sings an incredibly difficult song, stays in character and rolls out meat pies all at the same time. In a cast of varying English accents, Mullins' stands out as the most authentic.

As Anthony and Johanna, Colum Amory and Lizzy Marlantes manage to inject spirit into the naive young hero and ingenue. Amory has one of the strongest voices in the show and Marlantes sings prettily even if she doesn't quite hit all the high notes. They are both accomplished actors and the scene in which they plan Johanna's escape from the evil Judge Turpin is charming.

But what makes this production of Sweeney Todd such a joy to watch is that everyone in the cast can not only act but they can actually sing Sondheim's tortuous lyrics. Particularly notable are Joel Derfner as Tobias, Carolyn Rendell as the Beggar Woman and Adam Feldman as Beadle Bamford. Derfner is almost a little too campy and needed to project more but his wide blue eyes and clear tenor are perfect for the waif befriended by Mrs. Lovett. Rendell, a Crimson contributing reporter, is a terrific actor and the complexity of her music allows you to forgive the occasional vocal lapse. With great comic instinct Feldman turns an unmemorable spear-carrier role into a scene-stealing portrayal.

Director Sarah Stewart has done a masterful job with the complex action of Sweeney Todd. The crowd scenes are well staged and the general atmosphere of a London slum is so well evoked that the scene changes seem to be part of the action. Certain scenes, such as the contest between Pirelli and Todd, manage to transcend the tiny stage of the Loeb Ex. One of the best moments in Sweeney Todd is the "A Little Priest" number at the end of the first act. Travis and Mullins' rendition of it is one of the finest moments in Harvard theater this season.

Music Director Josh Ranz has obviously worked hard with the cast and orchestra. Most scenes feature several actors all singing in different keys, starting on different beats and overlaying each other Mamet-style in lyrics trickier than Cole Porter's. Not only do the actors pull this stunt off consistently, the orchestra actually manages to keep up without overpowering the singing.

Producers Maria L. Gambale and Susan Swearingen also deserve credit for assembling such a large crew and paying attention even to smaller details on the standard (read: miserly) Loeb Ex budget of $550. Not only is the costuming more or less appropriate to the period, but Costume Designer Melanie Martinez has paid as much attention to the chorus as the principal players. Lighting Designer James Gwertzman has resisted the impulse to use overly dramatic lighting while managing to make effective use of lighting to distinguish mood changes.

Everyone involved with Sweeney Todd should be credited with pulling off what many Harvard theater people thought was impossible. If there was ever an argument for raising the penny-ante funding (it hasn't been raised significantly since the early 80s) given by the A.R.T. to student productions, this is it. And if there was ever an argument for getting tickets early to an Ex show, this was also it. The last tickets for this weekend were given out by last weekend. The current waiting list is rumored to be approaching the one hundred mark. Getting to the show this weekend may require theft, bribery, or outright murder. Sweeney would approve.