(Enlarge) Lynne Sigler becomes more than a landlady to Russell Sunday in "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," now back on stage at Toby's Dinner Theatre of Columbia through Nov. 8. (Photo by Kirstine Christiansen)

Just in time for Halloween, Toby's Dinner Theatre is offering patrons "the worst pies in London" and the very special package they come in: a meaty bit of professional stagecraft called "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

The 19th-century tale, about a grievously wronged barber with a crazed lust for vengeance, arose in the hard-knock alleys of Queen Victoria's England. It's what we today might call a "slasher," but back then it was published as a "penny dreadful." By the time it reached Broadway in 1979, it had learned some manners and took theater-goers for a pretty penny.

The great Stephen Sondheim wrapped it all in musical decorations that suggested Brecht and Weill at their angriest. It may condemn the dog-eat-dog world of victimizers and victims, but Sondheim knew it was an even sadder fate to be consumed by one's own hunger for revenge.

I hardly have to tell you it was never the feel-good show of the year. Indeed, throughout most of the first act, it's not much of a feel-anything show -- except maybe waves of admiration for the composing genius who somehow managed to be both musically literate and a rip-roarin' spellbinder.

This is not Columbia's first brush with "Sweeney Todd." In 1983, artistic director Toby Orenstein challenged expectations of what a dinner theater could be and do with an absolutely mesmerizing production. She has also staged the new show, and it's a first-rate example of making theater-in-the-round work for audiences through strong, focused storytelling.

Once again a shrill factory whistle blares forth from the darkness, and a variety of street riffraff appears to "attend" to the tale of the mad barber sentenced to prison by a corrupt judge who wanted to have his way with the barber's beautiful wife and daughter.

Together the company erects a wide stone platform that resembles the foundation of the Tower of London. But it will serve all evening as the meat-pie emporium of eccentric Mrs. Lovett, who becomes the escaped barber's protector, landlady, potential paramour and accomplice in murder.

Award-winning, barrel-chested baritone Russell Sunday makes for a strong, sorrowful but largely unsympathetic Sweeney Todd. Glowering, self-pitying and ill-groomed, he suggests a dissipated druggist after too much sampling of his own stock.

While Sunday is never less than a powerful singer, his performance doesn't gather emotional traction until the big comic duet, "A Little Priest," about the prospect of marrying capitalism with cannibalism via Mrs. Lovett's meat pies. The pair's giddy intoxication with their macabre wordplay ("We'll serve anyone!") is spot-on perfection, and finally galvanizes audience empathy for Sweeney's plight.

Lynne Sigler's Mrs. Lovett is the big revelation here. We've long known the Toby's veteran has a prize knack for comic characterization, but who knew she could pull one off while at the same time delivering all of Sondheim's complicated rhymes, notes and nuances? Physically, she could be Angela Lansbury's Broadway stand-in, and probably acquits herself better than Lansbury could in the unique auditory environment at Toby's.

From my vantage on opening night, the amplified sound design by Drew Dedrick seemed weighted toward Christopher Youstra's expert, six-piece musical ensemble. That meant the singers had to struggle to be heard at times, and some lyrics were lost in the echoing crossfire. Soloists and choral harmonies seemed to fare best.

Adding notably fine singing talent to the night's enjoyment were versatile Jeffrey Shanklin as Anthony, the lovestruck seaman who warbles the show's most haunting melody, "Johanna," and Jessica Ball as the object of that ballad.

Late in the show, newcomer Jamison Foreman as Tobias revealed a touching falsetto in his musical promise to mother-surrogate Mrs. Lovett, "(No One's Gonna Harm You) Not While I'm Around."

Unusually strong support in key roles was provided by April Blandin and David Reynolds, while Toby's favorites Larry Munsey and Andrew Horn not only got ticklish comedy roles for a change, both managed to take them into memorable directions.

"Sweeney Todd" isn't everyone's cup of tea, any more than Brecht and Weill are. Let's hope the Maryland arts community's appetite is whetted for a piping-hot return of high-quality musical theater.

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" continues at Toby's -- The Dinner Theatre of Columbia (5900 Symphony Woods Road) through Nov. 8, in rotation with the Frank Sinatra revue, "My Way." Ticket prices are $46 to $51 for adults, with discounts for children 12 and under. Reservations are required at 410-730-8311 or 800-88TOBYS.

user comments (0)