Sweeney Todd
★★★★☆ Vigorous
The Famous Spiegeltent (Venue 333): Tue 12 – Sun 24 Aug 2025
Review by Rebecca Mahar
Captivate Theatre take on the Famous Spiegeltent with their production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street through the 24th, bringing Sondheim’s chilling musical, directed by Sally Lyall, to life beneath the canopy.
Sweeney Todd is one of Stephen Sondheim’s most enduring classics. With music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler, the musical spins the tale of its titular barber, returning to London after many years spent in exile after having been transported for a crime he did not commit.
On his return, Todd finds that his wife Lucy took poison after being assaulted by the corrupt Judge Turpin, who sentenced him, and that the judge took his then-infant daughter, Johanna, for his ward.
Hazel Beattie (Mrs Lovett) and Robert Moyes (Sweeney Todd). Pic: Captivate.
Todd partners with the widowed Mrs. Lovett, lodging above her pie shop to re-start his barbering business, while plotting revenge on Judge Turpin, and supplying fresh meat to the shop below. Meanwhile, young sailor Anthony, a friend of Todd’s, has fallen instantly in love with the beautiful young woman he sees singing at her window in Judge Turpin’s house…
Sondheim’s music is notoriously difficult, and the company of Sweeney Todd, under the musical direction of Colum Findlay and Luke Sprague, have risen to the challenge. Whether clustered onstage or spread about the perimeter of the Spiegeltent, the choral moments are a highlight of this Sweeney, when the ensemble coalesces into glorious dissonance.
Which is not to say that the individual performances are any lesser: across the board, the principal characters are well-sung, with only a few bobbles that could easily be put down to opening, in classic Fringe fashion, with minimal rehearsal in the venue. Several of these principal characters are double cast, alternating on even and odd dates— Æ attended on an even date, so be sure to check which cast members are performing on the date you attend if you’re trying to see someone in particular.
a rich sound
Robert Moyes as Sweeney Todd sits comfortably in the role’s vocal range, bringing a rich sound to the murderous barber. While Todd must at first appear hardened and impervious to the humanity of the world around him, it is his own humanity seeping through this exterior that ultimately makes the character work, allowing the audience to be sympathetic to his ruthless cause.
This is where Moyes’s Todd is slightly lacking; a bit too internal, largely talking at the other characters onstage rather than to them. The highlight of his performance comes in “Epiphany,” when the walls crack and Moyes begins to truly embody Sweeney’s rage and despair.
Hazel Beatite as Mrs. Lovett. Pic: Captivate.
As Mrs. Lovett, Hazel Beattie is wonderfully lovesick over Sweeney, and brings superb diction to The Worst Pies in London, one of the most difficult numbers in the show. There are a few places throughout when her high end sounds a little strained, calling into question whether a full belt was the correct choice for those moments, but Beattie is otherwise vocally outstanding in a challenging role, crossing between comedy and drama with ease.
Another standout comes in the form of the youthful urchin Toby (Alex Fraser; Seumas Cross on odd dates), at first a servant to the snake-oil salesman Pirelli (Chris Cotter), then shop-boy to the softhearted Mrs. Lovett. Fraser’s “Not While I’m Around,” is beautiful and heartbreaking, flustering Mrs. Lovett, who is unused to having anyone care for her. Pirelli himself is also a highlight, with Cotter’s huge tenor and knack for comedy bringing a star quality to this featured role.
Anthony (Luke Davidson; Ewan Robertson on odd dates) and Johanna (Anna Hamilton; Gigi Guyot on odd dates) are well-matched, portraying the naïve young lovers earnest hope and beautiful voices. Hamilton’s Johanna is particularly well-layered, balancing her desire for freedom, love for Anthony, and horror at the proposal of her guardian.
appropriately grimy and grim
Stephen Donaldson’s Judge Turpin, meanwhile, is more clueless than sinister, seeming a bit bemused as to why the young woman he’s raised wouldn’t want to marry him. It’s an interesting choice, and well played by Donaldson, but does sap a little of the urgency from Johanna’s flight.
Wardrobe supervisor Charlotte Nicolson’s Victorian-esque garb with a hint of the circus about it works well, particularly for Turpin and Beadle Bamford (Kennedy Thompson). All are appropriately grimy and grim, excepting Johanna, and for some reason Sweeney Todd, who is far too shiny and clean and oddly modern looking. Even the romantic lead Anthony is fittingly threadbare, with the seams of his coat coming apart here and there.
Members of the Sweeney Todd chorus. Pic Captivate.
Sally Lyall’s direction has made full use of the unique layout of the Spiegeltent, sending the ensemble skittering about its perimeter like so many vermin of the streets the story stalks. The clattering of their feet on the tent’s antique boards, far from detracting, adds another layer to the production, as does their lingering in close proximity to the outermost audience members. The expansion and contraction of the ensemble in this fashion creates a frenetic atmosphere, driving their physicality along with the score and embedding the audience into their world.
questionable lighting choice
Though most of Lyall’s directorial choices are extremely strong, the absence of some props and the presence of others leads to some odd miming which, though well executed by the cast, doesn’t really fit. There are also been a few questionable lighting choices: while the design is generally atmospheric and appropriate, shining two large, very bright lights diagonally across the audience directly into the eyes of approximately two-thirds of the house for nearly half the show is ill-judged.
Captivate have tackled Sweeney Todd with vigour and imagination in a production that’s well worth a trip to the Spiegeltent this Fringe— or better yet, two, to catch both talented casts.
Running time: Two hours and 30 minutes (Including one interval).
The Famous Spiegeltent, St. Andrew Square EH2 2AD (Venue 333).
Tuesday 12 – Sunday 24 August 2025.
Daily: 2pm.
Tickets and details: Book here on EdFringe.com.
Captivate website: www.captivatetheatre.com
Facebook: @captivatetheatre
Instagram: @captivatetheatre
TikTok: @captivate_theatre
Robert Moyes as Sweeney Todd. Pic: Captivate.
ENDS
