Sweeney Todd Analysis
Perseverance theatre has proudly presented a four-week run of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This musical thriller directed by Flordelino Lagundino was a delightful re-telling of the musical adaptation of Christopher Bond’s play. Wicked Judge Turpin (Keith McCoy) lusted for the beautiful wife of Benjamin Barker (Enrique Bravo), a London barber, and sentenced him to an Australian penal colony for a crime he did not commit. He returns after 15 years with Anthony Hope (Leonid Grinberg), the man who rescued Barker from the ocean. Calling himself Sweeney Todd, he vows revenge on Judge Turpin and his accomplice Beadle Bamford (Kelly Rossberg). Todd uses his razor on unsuspecting customers and transports the bodies down to Mrs. Lovett
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Noteworthy performances include Enrique Bravo, and Victoria Bundonis.
Mr. Bravo played the part of a brooding and grief-stricken Sweeney incredibly well. He took the line “his voice was soft and his manner mild” and made it part of Sweeney. What Mr. Bravo conveyed best was the brooding obsessiveness of Sweeney wanting revenge for his wife’s death and his daughter’s predicament. He sang the lines with precision so that ‘There’s No Place Like London’ is sung with obvious disgust yet, and when he greets the razors in ‘My Friends’ he sounds happy to have them back as well as anticipatory of the revenge to come.
Ms. Bundonis made a wonderful Mrs. Lovett, balancing between naiveté and immorality, as well as singing clearly and on point. She showed a refreshing Mrs. Lovett who wasn’t overwhelmingly insane but more concerned with the success of her business and her long-standing crush on Sweeney.
While the performances of Ms. Skiba and Mr. Grinberg were vocally impressive, the chemistry between the two was a bit lacking. With Mr. Grinberg, one believed that Anthony was instantly in love with Johanna. With Ms. Skiba, however, Johanna seemed to be more interested in escaping Judge Turpin than the romance right in front of
Noteworthy performances include Enrique Bravo, and Victoria Bundonis.
Mr. Bravo played the part of a brooding and grief-stricken Sweeney incredibly well. He took the line “his voice was soft and his manner mild” and made it part of Sweeney. What Mr. Bravo conveyed best was the brooding obsessiveness of Sweeney wanting revenge for his wife’s death and his daughter’s predicament. He sang the lines with precision so that ‘There’s No Place Like London’ is sung with obvious disgust yet, and when he greets the razors in ‘My Friends’ he sounds happy to have them back as well as anticipatory of the revenge to come.
Ms. Bundonis made a wonderful Mrs. Lovett, balancing between naiveté and immorality, as well as singing clearly and on point. She showed a refreshing Mrs. Lovett who wasn’t overwhelmingly insane but more concerned with the success of her business and her long-standing crush on Sweeney.
While the performances of Ms. Skiba and Mr. Grinberg were vocally impressive, the chemistry between the two was a bit lacking. With Mr. Grinberg, one believed that Anthony was instantly in love with Johanna. With Ms. Skiba, however, Johanna seemed to be more interested in escaping Judge Turpin than the romance right in front of