Sweeney Todd feat. Michael Ball & Imelda Staunton

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd. His skin was pale and his eye was odd. He shaved the faces of gentlemenwho never thereafter were heard of again. He trod a path that few have trod, did Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

The idea of Michael Ball as evil is a rather strange one. He's more of a cuddly, jovial type, or a love-sick fool. Yet somehow his encarnation of Sweeney Todd really works. Made up almost beyond recognition, he exudes malice in this latest version of Stephen Sondheim's 1979 musical, directed by Jonathan Kent at the Adelphi. However, this seems much more of an acting piece for him than a chance to show off his famous vocal range, as the songs don't really stretch him much (although at the end of one song he did hold the note for what felt like five minutes).

As his partner in crime, Mrs Lovett, Imelda Staunton displays the ample wit that has made her a national treasure. She has one of the most expressive faces I've ever seen and didn't even need to do much to have the audience giggling. Sweeney's arch-nemesis, Judge Turpin, played by John Bowe (of Prime Suspect fame), was suitably malevolent. The scene of his self-flagellation was particularly disturbing. 

Moving away from the nasty characters, Lucy May Barker as the innocent Johanna was not quite sweet enough for me, while Luke Brady, as her young lover Anthony, was so earnest it hurt, but sang delightfully. Rounding off the cast, musical veteran Peter Polycarpou was perfectly slimy as Beadle Bamford.

The cast then was, on the whole, a real treat. Nonetheless, I was underwhelmed by Sweeney Todd. I had seen Tim Burton's film (and Tomorrow, La Scala! a rather dark TV drama about a production of Sweeney Todd being staged in a prison), but had somehow forgotten quite how dark and depressing it is. Not that dark doesn't have a place in musicals, but a show so unrelentingly bleak can't help but bring you down. Of course there are laugh out loud moments, particularly from Mrs Lovett and her meat pies, but they were pushed out of my head as the corpses began to stack up. As for the songs, they are certainly catchy - at least bits of them - but rather mundane. Not the kind of music that fills the theatre and gives you goosebumps. Nonetheless, the chorus which narrates the story is dramatic and menacing, and Not While I'm Around (sung by the young Toby to Mrs Lovett) has a simple beauty.

Aesthetically, I think Burton's signature gothic vision suits the story better than the realist setting of this production, which adds to the gloomy feel of the whole show.

In short, it is certainly worth seeing Sweeney Todd for the stellar performances - especially the rare chance to witness a very different side to Michael Ball - but don't expect it to be an uplifting experience.