Theater Review: Sweeney Todd

by Clyde Berry of John Garcia's The Column

Admittedly I am a devoted Sondheim addict, so anytime a theater is doing any production of his; I'm going to be there. It is with delight that I was assigned to see Sweeney Todd as presented by the Garland Civic Theatre this past weekend. Sweeney is an incredibly complex piece of musical theater, requiring a great deal vocally from singers, vision from designers, and a steady hand from a director.

Many people are likely familiar with the recent film version of this tale, which while true to the original story, does have significant differences, as a film can do things a stage does not allow. In brief, Sweeney Todd returns from a wrongful prison sentence to pick up the pieces of his life only to be told his family is dead or gone. Bitter and forlorn he tries to find his place in a corrupt world. He meets Ms. Lovett, who convinces him to resume his old trade as a barber. As the story progresses, we find out that Sweeney is not who he claims to be, and that his daughter is in fact still alive. Sweeney attempts to save her from her situation and becomes obsessed with getting a macabre revenge against not only those who wronged his family, but anyone in his way, or even in the wrong place. Will his passion for revenge preclude his family's salvation?

Kyle McClaran, Artistic Director for GCT, and Director of this production has assembled a strong cast and crew for this production. Overall though, the production has a very rushed feel, as if another week of rehearsals were needed, and any odd design choice glaringly stands out. The staging overall is good until "City on Fire" and then the geography established earlier is completely thrown out. These inconsistencies are distracting as the "rules" have changed, and the logic of trying to figure out why things moved distracts from the storytelling. Also distracting were the constant crosses and bits taking place in the audience. The chorus arrives too early and is hovering around pulling from the main focus on stage. Scene shifts move quickly and well, again until the conclusion, when the chaos of the story is as unfortunately chaotic as it appears.

Donna Covington's light design uses lots of color, but these "moods" created do not allow for basic visibility. The palate of either green or red is a bit heavy and to compensate, many numbers are lit by follow spots. These spots slice into the darkness and, while making actors visible, further isolate their bodies and actions with beam lines across their torsos actually making it harder to see. The spots also turn on and slide several feet to find their mark, and likewise disappear.

Jim Cox's set design is very traditional and works well in the space. The only awkward bit is the lack of a parlor for Act 2. The scene takes place in Lovett's storefront, and is where the geography starts to get fuzzy later on. A bit more redressing could make this work a bit better, especially since the lines contradict the location.

As far as the sound, the microphones did not help the chorus, who have very active roles in this production. The opening number was not their strongest, and the mikes picking up each other as well as brushing costumes contribute to a sound that is difficult to clean up, and not flattering. They seem a bit uncertain about their music, and many of the tempos in the show are quite slow, however they nail the opening of Act 2, which is impressive. They would sound better without amplification, and in the space, they should have the volume to do it. There were also sound effects, namely the usual steam whistle, but placed in very distracting places. Sadly, one of the best numbers of the entire production is punctuated with piercing screeches of this whistle, breaking up "Johanna", one of the strongest moments in the piece. Also a comic effect used for a character, comes off more as an offstage mike being left on, than the laugh it is being used for.

This brings me to costumes, designed in this production by Deborah Gerard. The Beadle, and Pirelli are wonderful creations that truly are worth notice, but it makes the other pieces look less important. While the leads have very nice outfits, the chorus is in the same attire the entire show, which is fine except for the odd changes of wigs. Why change a wig on someone if they are going to move and act the same way in the same clothes? There is also a mix of periods on stage, with no consistent choice or theme, making non-period elements like neon colored boas (in red and green light) stand out even more. A makeup designer would also have been helpful, as there is a sharp difference in the looks of the characters.

The average audience member is willing to forgive quite a lot, if they care about the characters and the story they tell. Despite the technical issues, the audience (and myself) did not find the show unpleasant. Quite the contrary, there are some quality performances by folks who are struggling to overcome these challenges and should be commended for them.

Terrence McEnroe plays Sweeney with the usual somberness and gravelly rage. His voice is quite naturally suited to the range of the role, and he is enjoyable to watch. If anything, he could gain more sympathy by working more on the joy and love in his character, so when he has lost everything the loss is more substantial. McEnroe had the challenge of dealing with a replacement lead, Ms. Lovett, played by Morgana Shaw. While blocking was sacrificed for the sake of getting through unmemorized scenes, McEnroe adapts easily to the changes in tempo, the occasional dropped line, and awkward moments. He safeguards the story, and keeps things on track. It will be interesting to see how things will grow once Shaw settles in to the role.

Don't be mistaken, Shaw has no easy task to step into this role so late in the production. She does an excellent job of performing Lovett on book, and manages to have some nice moments, even with only one hand free. Never frustrated and always focused, Shaw should be commended as well for keeping things moving, and not letting the odd off moment get conveyed to the audience. While Lovett is a bit of a stretch for her, Shaw plays her with an enthusiasm and eagerness that is quite nice. I'm sure her weekend was spent getting the book out of her hand to really launch into the part this weekend.

The strongest and most natural character was created by Jonathan Bragg, who plays Anthony. Bragg has a beautiful voice and is always in the moment without being too large for the young sailor. He is earnest and quite entertaining. Johanna, as played by Stephanie Hall, is a bit more worldly and physically demonstrative than needed, but she is able to easily sing the fluttery role. Johanna often is an irritating role with unpleasant piercing high notes, but Hall's voice rings true, balanced, and clear, making her a comfortable treat when she gets going.

Burl Proctor's Judge Turpin is solid and stable, and his best moment is the "Pretty Women" duet with Sweeney. Emily Hunt's Begger Woman is appropriately crusty, but she often gets a bit cackley and screechy (amplified by her mike) that makes her sometimes hard to understand. Ryan Hinojosa's Toby is well sung, though his character's turn at the end seems out of place. Hinojosa is often placed at the opposite end of the stage from everyone else, even in his own duets, which unfortunately cuts him off from the action and intimacy he's trying to create.

Michael B. Moore and Maxwell LaBounty II have a great deal of fun with the character roles of Pirelli/Fogg and Beadle, respectively. While these characterizations are very strongly developed, they don't quite belong to the same world as everyone else. Moore does create two very different people with his roles, but Pirelli's diction made it very hard to understand him (and the diverse accents needed). Still both men are fun to watch, as they are the comic aspects of the production.

While there may seem to be large issues in this production, remember how complicated Sweeney Todd is as a show. GCT has taken a big stride with this production, and one that I think will be a successful. Everyone is working very hard and is committed to what they are doing, and I think that after the first weekend of performances everything will settle into what will likely be a compelling result.

Sweeney Todd runs through May 9. Call 972-205-2790 for tickets.