“An old Victorian horror story reimagined as a contemporary thriller […] perfect as a Halloween treat”
You go all year without seeing anyone baked into a pie, and then two shows come along in the same week. Following on from Lace Market’s production of “Titus Andronicus”, Beeston Musical Theatre Group present “Sweeney Todd”, a nightmarish tale which is particularly suitable for this time of year, that follows the escapades of Tim Yearsley’s murderous barber as he teams up with baker Mrs Lovett (Sara Evans). But this isn’t your usual production of “Sweeney” – under the direction of George Lamb, BMTG have given the show a fully modernised update. Whereas the show is usually set in the 1800s, here we have modern technology, modern costumes and a distinctly grittier, realistic feel as a result. This is no longer an old Victorian horror story; the entire story has been reimagined as a contemporary thriller.
Sweeney Todd returns to London desperate for revenge after his wife is murdered. Yearsley’s Todd is serious and stern, barely cracking a smile throughout the almost three-hour run time. His voice is strong and deep, and he races through the lyrics at an incredible pace. Sweeney acts first and thinks later, but there is still a cold, calculating menace beneath his knee-jerk reactions. This is wonderfully juxtaposed by Evans’ Lovett, who is a perfect foil for Yearsley’s no-nonsense hairdresser. She is romantic and clumsy, with Evans adopting a Cockney accent and hanging off Yearsley throughout, as Lovett becomes obsessed with Todd. This culminates in a very funny rendition of “By the Sea”, where Lovett dreams of a perfect seaside retirement with Todd, her desires greeted by Yearsley’s unflinching, stoic expression before he casually turns back to more important business – murder!
After slitting his customers’ throats with his razor blade, Todd disposes of the bodies by throwing them into Lovett’s bakery, where she grinds them up as filling for her pies. Dragged unwittingly into this business is Arden-Caspar Jennison’s Tobias, a young boy who is adopted by Lovett after his master Pirelli (Craig Arme) disappears (three guesses as to where he’s ended up). Jennison presents an innocent youth, and he gives an excellent rendition of “Not while I’m around”, which is a quieter number amidst more grandiose, operatic songs. Arme gives a comical performance as sleazy businessman Pirelli, whose fake Italian accent quickly drops when alone with Todd, as he confronts him about his shady past.
The updates to the production never feel forced or out of place. Damon Pipes’ set design is harsh and industrial, a large metallic door through which smoke erupts provides a quick disposal for the bodies, whilst Lovett’s pie shop includes a 1* hygiene rating which draws laughs from the audience when it first appears. Ensemble members John Hand and Arran Mackay appear in fluorescent police jackets (which look excellent under the blue lights of Steve Greatorex’s lighting design), whilst El Brown turns up as a Just Eat delivery driver for Lovett’s pies, and Elsa Kitching works her way through an entire pack of chewing gum, strutting around the stage as a certified chav. Occasionally, parts of the songs are reworked as phone calls between characters, and Jennison delivers “God, that’s good!” as a piece of online promotion for the bakery. This is a very clever update, that doesn’t feel half-baked or out of place.
Todd’s daughter Johanna (performed by Harriet Campion with Charlotte Gelernter providing some of the vocals) is held captive by Judge Turpin (Adam Guest). Guest performs the role with particular malice that earns him some well-deserved boos by the curtain call, and his performance of the song “Johanna” is rather disturbing in the most deliciously unnerving way. Hugh Wheeler’s script and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics don’t afford Campion much scope to develop the character beyond standard damsel-in-distress, but she shares excellent chemistry with Jordan Silver’s Anthony. Silver delivers perhaps the best vocal performance of the evening, and both Silver and Campion are excellent in the repeated “Kiss Me” renditions scattered throughout the play.
In fact, the vocals throughout are excellent, with some fab turns from Thomas Telford as Beadle Bamford and Eleanor Carty as Beggar Woman, proving once again that BMTG are one of the strongest amateur musical societies around. This excellence extends to the ensemble, where the chorus continually revisit “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” motif to move the story on to the next chapter. Musical direction is supplied by Sam Griffiths, with the band adding an extra layer of professionalism to proceedings, and, whilst there are no big dance numbers in the show, Charlotte Drewett-Holden’s movement direction helps to bring the hustle and bustle of the seedy London underworld to life. A lot of the action takes place within the audience, which isn’t to my personal liking – those in the front rows may find themselves craning their necks to watch some extended sections of dialogue that are delivered from the aisle – although it does mean that the audience feel utterly immersed in the world of the play.
Sondheim’s musicals can take a little adjusting to, and are undoubtedly tricky to perform, yet BMTG make it look easy. The contemporary twist helps make the show more accessible for the audience, and the team are able to find plenty of laughs amidst the bloodshed (and there are a lot of cleverly placed blood capsules that result in the backstage crew mopping the stage as the audience file out). This is a brilliant production, and it is nice to see amateur groups taking well-known shows and putting their own spin on them. A chilling tale, perfect as a Halloween treat.
Tom Morley, October 2026
This show is raising money for the British Acoustic Neuroma Association – more details here.
Review Round-up:
East Midlands Theatre: Sweeney Todd – 4* from EMT, with reviewer Phil Lowe commending the cast and crew for “reinventing the story with some amusing touches” and in particular higlighting the “brilliantly played and sung ensemble”
Kev Castle Theatre Reviews: Sweeney Todd – An brilliant write-up from Kev, who calls the show “a very modern, but extremely classy production”
