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Sweeney Todd review – Sondheim’s demon barber is still a cut above
The Guardian's theatre critic reviews a new production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd at Birmingham Rep, directed by Joe Murphy and starring Ramin Karimloo as the murderous barber and Meow Meow as his pie-making landlady Mrs Lovett. The review praises the staging as a superb, opera-inspired interpretation that leans into the dark, fairytale-like roots of the story, marking it as a strong revival of Sondheim's classic musical.
The production is set on a stark, concrete-grey set dominated by a statue of Lady Justice, with a chorus that performs in stylised, statuesque poses under icy lighting, evoking a corrupt legal system and a grimy Victorian London. Karimloo's stern, unsmiling portrayal of Todd is highlighted as giving the character an unexpected nobility, while Meow Meow's Mrs Lovett brings comic swagger alongside strong singing from the whole cast. The show runs at Birmingham Rep until 15 August.
In short
- Birmingham Rep stages a new Sweeney Todd, directed by Joe Murphy.
- Ramin Karimloo and Meow Meow lead with praised, tremendous singing.
- Guardian review calls it a superb, gothic-tinged staging; runs until 15 August.
Explained simply
Sweeney Todd is a musical by Stephen Sondheim, a towering figure in twentieth-century musical theatre, which premiered in 1979. The story unfolds in Victorian London and tells of a barber who methodically murders his customers, their bodies then converted into meat pies by his landlady and sold to an unsuspecting public.
The work has become one of the most frequently revived musicals in the theatrical repertoire, valued for its sophisticated music and its dark exploration of themes including revenge, justice and social corruption. Over the decades, it has been staged in countless ways by different directors and companies, each bringing their own artistic interpretation to Sondheim's complex work.