The notorious tale of Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street is quite rightly considered a modern masterpiece of musical theatre. The Stephen Sondheim musical classic is a dark and macabre tale of murder, madness and cannibalism, all held together by a glorious score and just a little humour. The newest production, directed by Joe Wright, is currently wowing audiences at the Birmingham Rep, and last night I went to see it and was frankly astounded by its absolute brilliance and horror.  The show has the power to thrill and horrify an audience at the same time.

Benjamin Barnes has just arrived back in London, 15 years after being transported to Australia for life on a trumped up charge. He arrives with a family reunion on his mind, for the once successful barber was sent away by Judge Turpin and his Beadle. both with eyes on Ben’s beautiful wife. He soon discovers that the evil judge raped his wife, and that she took arsenic, and that the Judge now has the guardianship of his daughter Johanna.

With the help of a local pie shop owner Mrs Lovett, currently down on her luck due to a meat shortage, Ben sets out to get his revenge, taking the guise of a new barber Sweeney Todd. As the bodies start to mount up, Mrs Lovett comes up with an ingenious plan to get ride of all the unwanted bodies and soon her business is thriving. But people are getting suspicious, including Tobias Ragg, suspicious about the disappearance of his boss Adolfo Pirelli, and the strange beggar woman who seems to recognise Mr Todd. How long will Todd and Mrs Lovett be able to keep their gruesome secret, and will Benjamin Barker be reunited with his daughter?

The ensemble cast is excellent. Ramin Karimloo a brooding physical presence in the lead royal, he was clearly born to pay Benjamin, and his incredible voice has a power that is astounding to behold. Meow Meow is fantastic, putting in a scene stealing performance as Mrs Lovett. She has the ability to make this character sympathetic and pitiful, even as she is making you laugh out loud with her descriptions of ‘people pie’. Jo Stephenson and Shem Omari James give the musical a softer edge with their note perfect performances as Anthony and Johanna, whilst David Bedella and Julius D’Silva are deliciously villainous as Judge Turpin and the Beadle. The cast is rounded out by a funny performance by Silas Wyatt-Barke as master barber Adolfo Pirelli, and the pivotal characters of Jack Gibson as Tobias Ragg, and Florence Andrews as the Beggar woman, both integral to the downfall of Sweeney Todd, and both impressive.

credit: Photography by Manuel Harlan

The musical numbers are stunning and powerful delivered with aplomb by the company as a sort of gothic choir, this is truly a grand musical spectacle. With the impressive, atmospheric old London sets from Ella Steele that have the scales of justice ever present  and the supremely taut direction from Joe Wright. Sweeney Todd is a musical masterpiece – the show of the Summer that must not be missed.

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