Review – Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

After watching the Tim Burton Hollywood version, it was nice to see it done as the Broadway stage production it started out to be. Most of the cast is too old for their roles, a fact brought out by the video close-ups to which a theatre-goer would not be privy. Still, it’s better to have singers with the experience to play their roles rather than youngsters who look the part but can’t act it. This was particularly true of headliner Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett. The sparse sets and extra musical numbers further accent Sondheim’s apparent aspiration to be Brecht, but this is nonetheless an entertaining show on its own or in conjunction with the movie. Mildly amusing