CW: This article references fictitious sexual assault, murder and cannibalism. Please refer to the end of the article for on- and off-campus resources.
If anything can make you laugh in the face of death and cannibalism, it is Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society’s latest production, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
Written by Hugh Wheeler and composed by Stephen Sondheim, the show tells the tale of Sweeney Todd (Massimo D’Onofrio, CAS ’28), a wrongfully accused man who has returned to London with the young sailor Anthony Hope (Nate Findlay, CAS ’27). Years ago, Judge Turpin (Jack Kealey, CAS ’25) wrongfully imprisoned Todd and sexually assaulted his wife, driving her to her apparent death. Eyes set on revenge, Todd makes his way back to his old barber shop, where he meets Mrs. Nellie Lovett (Daisy Casemore, University of Edinburgh), a baker who runs a dilapidated pie shop on the first floor. With his razor in hand, Todd rapidly descends into madness with Mrs. Lovett at his side, cutting down anyone blocking his path to Judge Turpin’s throat.
By the nature of its complex story steeped in years of literal and theatrical history, “Sweeney Todd” is an inherently massive project. Yet, Mask and Bauble effectively captures the musical’s wild energy within its black box theater. The production smartly simplifies the sets into three main areas: Mrs. Lovett’s meat pie shop, Todd’s barber shop and Judge Turpin’s home, where Johanna Barker (Hannah Beil, CAS ’28), Todd’s daughter, is trapped. In a clever twist, the set of Judge Turpin’s home changes in the second act to reveal the bakehouse where Mrs. Lovett turns Todd’s victims into meat pies. These minimalistic sets leave a lot of open space, which the cast uses to its full advantage as its frantic energy fills every corner of the stage during full ensemble scenes.
The show also adeptly translates the grand technical aspects of the original production into its smaller space. Each time Todd kills a customer, he pulls a lever that causes a section of the wall to separate, sending the chair backstage. A crew member quickly throws a curtain as the actor moves out of the chair before pushing the chair back into the set. It is a smart system that does not take away at all from the action of the scene, but rather acts as a surprising technical delight that further adds to the show.
However, there are moments between scenes where an awkward silence slightly breaks the production’s atmosphere. Some of the transitions are accompanied by music from the live band, but others, particularly in the first act, are noticeably and strangely silent. The inconsistency of the music makes these transitions feel a bit abrupt, slowing some of the show’s momentum.
Despite this slight irregularity, “Sweeney Todd” shines as a whole, primarily due to its dedicated performances. D’Onofrio and Casemore play off each other extremely well, creating a charmingly odd couple dynamic defined by a sweet insanity. D’Onofrio pulls off the stoicism that is needed for Todd without ever losing the emotional core that drives the barber’s thirst for revenge. On the other end, Casemore is a charming mess as the bumbling, quirky Mrs. Lovett, a clear audience favorite due to her effortless, rapid-fire line delivery and excellent comedic timing.
Findlay’s Anthony and Beil’s Johanna are also standouts. The pair’s vocal chemistry shines particularly in the charm of “Kiss Me,” one of Sondheim’s outrageously fun but challenging patter songs. Beil’s voice literally soars, notes falling and rising effortlessly, much like the birds Johanna dreams of becoming in “Green Finch and Linnet Bird.” Findlay has an equally strong voice driving home Anthony’s sweet innocence, especially with Anthony’s declaration of love in “Johanna.” Both performers perfectly portray a sweetness and naivety that contrasts with the carnage of Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd.
Additionally, the comedic forces of “Sweeney Todd” shine, thanks in part to Jack Markowitz’s (CAS ’27) flamboyant Adolfo Pirelli and Stratton Rebish’s (CAS’28) endearing Tobias Ragg. The audience roared with laughter at their introduction in “Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir,” with Rebish’s innocent eagerness playing perfectly against Markowitz’s exaggerated Italian accent.
The show’s ensemble also plays an important part in bringing Fleet Street to life, whether it be becoming the sinister chorus that haunts the show or the babbling, hilarious London crowd that adds to the liveliness of musical sequences like “God, That’s Good!” The ensemble vividly brings choreographer Kayla Jones’s (CAS ’25) work alive, as their haunting movements elevate the eerie atmosphere of the various reprises of “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.”
Darkly comedic and strangely sweet, Mask and Bauble’s production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” is a beautiful, bloody tragedy. It effectively balances the chaotic murder, aching grief and everlasting love of the musical tale, bringing Sweeney Todd to life in another triumphant run of his age-old story.
Resources: On-campus resources include Health Education Services (202-687-8949) and Counseling and Psychiatric Service (202-687-6985); additional off-campus resources include the D.C. Rape Crisis Center (202-333-7273) and the D.C. Forensic Nurse Examiner Washington Hospital Center (844-443-5732).
