Review: "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

The musicals of Stephen Sondheim are, of course, phenomenal, and probably none of his musicals are as popular as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Set in down-and-out 19th century London, the story is about the aforementioned Mr. Todd, an ex-convict who returns from a penal colony in search of his lost wife and child. Bereft of money and family, he takes up residence above a pie shop run by a Mrs. Lovett who makes the "worst meat pies in London." Thirsting for revenge against a cruel and cold world -- and in serious need of money -- Todd and Lovett come up with a gruesome plan to open up a barber shop above the pie shop, and for Todd to supply Lovett with the bodies of his customers who wind up as the meat in the pies, making them very tasty and making business boom. All the while, Todd and Lovett befriend a hustler named Anthony, who returned to London with Todd, and who is trying to woo an unhappy rich lady away from the domineering and horny man who is her caretaker. Another friend if Tobias, the sidekick of a conman named Pirelli. 

Events ensue where Todd and Lovett's plan works -- until one too many things give them away and inevitable tragedy comes.

Amazingly, given the musical's enduring popularity, there hasn't been a revival of Sweeney Todd since it's original Broadway run back in 1979. So this is a triumphant revival with the amazing voice of Josh Groban as Sweeney and the AMAZING acting and singing talents of Annaleigh Ashford as Lovett. Groban is a fantastic singer and a good, if not great actor, but Ashford is both -- a true talent in the range of Angela Lansbury and Barbara Streisand. Watching them together is a joy.

Also good is Gaten Matarazzo as Tobias -- basically, he's best known as one of the kids from Stranger Things but this guy can sing and is a fantastic stage presence. He nearly steals the show from Groban and Ashford, no mean feat.

The supporting cast is also excellent, especially Jordan Fisher as Anthony and, I must point out, someone named John Rapson plays the gentlemanly Beadle Bamford. Even though Groban and Ashford are the clear stars, their supporting cast is their equal, and makes it a great show.

I'll be honest -- this is not my favorite of Sondheim's musicals (I'm more of a Company, Into the Wood, Sunday in the Park with George kinda guy) but it's an enthralling and disturbing dark opera of the soul, and a classic.