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Directed
by John Doyle and featuring a cast of nine actor-musicians, Sweeney
Todd tours to Bath after opening to rave reviews at the Watermill
in Newbury.
Sweeney
Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, is a macabre tragi-comedy
based on the legend of a half-mad 19th century English barber, who
is driven to crime when an evil judge takes his wife and child from
him.
Unjustly
imprisoned, Todd eventually escapes and vows to bring justice not
only to the judge who destroyed his life, but to all the people
of London.
His
plan for revenge is shaped when he forms a cut-throat partnership
with Mrs Lovett, an enterprising bar mistress who is soon producing
the tastiest meat pies in all London.
The
composer
Stephen
Sondheim is regarded by many as a music theatre genius.
His
shows include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company,
Follies, A Little Light Music, Sunday in the Park with George and
Into the Woods.
The
director
John
Doyle, who has directed and designed the Watermill's production
of Sweeney Todd, studied theatre first at the Royal Scottish Academy
of Music and Drama, and then on a scholarship as Junior Artist in
Residence at the University of Georgia, USA.
He
staged his first professional production in 1974 at the tiny Ochtertyre
Theatre in Perthshire.
Now,
175 productions later, he has worked throughout the UK and abroad.
Awards
he's received include the British Theatre Award for the Best Production
of a Musical on three occasions - 1995, 2001 and 2002 (with nominations
for the same award in 1997, 1998 and 1999).
The
actors
Paul
Hegarty plays the role of Sweeney Todd.
His
many theatre credits include, in the West End, the re-opening production
of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Lyceum Theatre, the RSC production
of Les Miserables, and Cabaret at the Strand Theatre.
Paul's
more recent TV credits include Doctors, Casualty, Down to Earth,
Taggart and A Touch of Frost.
Karen
Mann, who plays the role of Mrs Lovett, has worked with John Doyle
on over thirty productions, including Romeo and Juliet, A Streetcar
Named Desire, Hedda Gabler, Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods and Moll
Flanders.
For
television, she recently appeared in BBC ONE's My Family and Death
of a Salesman.
David
Ricardo-Pearce, who plays the role of Anthony, recently graduated
from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
His
theatre credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream at Bristol Old
Vic directed by David Farr, When We Are Old at the Nuffield Theatre,
and Company at the Edinburgh Festival.
The
cast also features Michael Howcroft, Rebecca Jackson, Stephanie
Jacob, Rebecca Jenkins, Sam Kenyon and Colin Wakefield.
>>>
Sweeney Todd appears at the Theatre
Royal Bath from Tuesday 20 April to Saturday 24 April
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