Musical thriller for Sneddon

KICKSTART presents Stephen Sondheim’s iconic musical thriller, Sweeney Todd, at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, UKZN, from 8 to 24 August.

A regular penny-dreadful, this musical noir thriller by contemporary American musical-theatrical genius, Stephen Sondheim, features one of the greatest musical theatre scores ever written. It tells the bizarre tale of the outlandish urban legend of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, who famously murdered his clients in his barber’s chair, where-after his whacky neighbour, and partner-in-crime, Mrs Lovett, turned them into much sought-after meat-pies.

Sweeney Todd looks at what drives a man to this sort of extreme and considers what tragedy lies in his dark and mysterious past. Sweeney Todd won both the Tony Award and the Olivier Award when it was first produced in 1979, and is now also a major motion picture by Tim Burton, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohe delicious as the sly fop Pirelli.

This KickstArt production stars Johannesburg musical theatre star, Jason Ralph in the title role, and local favourite, Charon Williams-Ros as Mrs Lovett. Others in the cast include Lyle Buxton as the strapping young sailor, Anthony, and sweet-voiced Johannesburg soprano, Sanli Jooste as his beloved Johanna. Bryan Hiles plays the simpleton, Tobias, well-loved Durban bass, Richard Salmon returns to the stage as the evil Judge Turpin, Danilo Antonelli (currently on scholarship at Regent’s College, London) makes a flamboyant Pirelli, Liesl Coppin plays the enigmatic Beggar Woman and Darren King the odious Beadle.

Booking is through Computicket. For block bookings of 10 or more, or sold performances and early bird specials, contact Ailsa Windsor of Going Places on 083 250 2690 or editor.goingplacessa@gmail.com