Review of Novato Theater Company’s Sweeney Todd

Cor blimey - what a performance! Novato Theater Company, in conjunction with Theatre-at-Large, have pulled it off again! Sweeney Todd is a rip roaringly fun production, light and dark, tragic, horrific and comic. A perfect seasonal offering, though I think more suitable for Halloween than Thanksgiving - meat pie anybody?

I’m always amazed that a story as gruesome as Sweeney Todd, translates into such an enjoyable musical. A 19th century barber on London’s Fleet Street, slashes the throats of his customers and adversaries, then the lady downstairs, who runs the worst pie shop in town, sees an opportunity to up her game, by using the cheap and plentiful meat…, the perfect recipe for a dark comedic musical. This is older kid friendly, I would say best saved for the over 10’s. Adapted into a musical from Hugh Wheeler’s book, the music and lyrics are by the prolific Stephen Sondheim, and if you’re a lover of musicals, then this production is a must see.

Bruce Viera, who also co-directed, gave a commanding performance as Sweeney Todd. A professionally trained actor, with plenty of national experience, he has a beautiful bass and baritone, and easily navigated the broad range of emotions this layered musical demands. Alison Peltz, who has a slew of local musical credits, starred as Mrs. Lovett, the pie shop lady, with an assured and comedic turn. Other stand-outs include Dominic Quinn-Harkin as Mr Pirelli, and Fernando Siu as Tobias Ragg, the boy assistant. Somebody cast him as Puck one day soon, please! Cordell Wesselink and Julianne Bretan, as the errant lovers, and Jane Harrington as the beggar woman, and infact all the cast, including the ensemble, gave strong performances. I never cease to be amazed by the top notch quality of our community theaters here in Marin. There is a lot of talent out there, and I’m glad Novato Theater Company and Theatre-at-Large are utilizing it so well.

The indomitable Marilyn Izdebski, stalwart commander of countless Marin childrens theater productions for decades, was the choreographer and movement director. I know to expect nothing less than excellence from her, and I'm pleased to see she's back from 'retirement', and delivering to the same standard she always has.

And let’s not forget the musical accompaniment, live ensemble if you please, with keyboards, percussion, bass, violin, woodwinds and flute. This is no mean feat! Musical director, Judy Wiesen has also worked extensively in Marin musical productions for decades, and as always, oversaw the musical score with a deft and faultless hand.

I don’t want to leave the set unmentioned either. A two tiered set with an upstairs balcony, (and a trap door, with a chute), it looked great. And where did they find that gigantic oven? The lighting too must not be overlooked. Some great opportunities for story telling with dramatic red lighting in this one!

Co-directed by Bruce Viera, as mentioned, with Kim Bromley, who also has a slew of local theater directing credits, together they created a highly enjoyable and professional quality production, which was clearly the result of a lot of hard and very dedicated work. I brought along my 13 year old daughter, who loved it. We saw it in a full house, although I thought the compere was joking when he announced the production was going to be two and a half hours long, with a half hour intermission, but, indeed it was. However, even my daughter didn’t think it felt like two and a half hours, If you have a younger kid, who is wriggly or easily alarmed though, this may not be the performance for them. But if you don’t have one of those, then go and see it! Sweeney Todd runs until November 17th, at Novato Theater Company.

Review by Hannah Yurke.

Photo Credits: Kristen Schutz and Mark Clark