Sweeney Todd
"Our Summer Production, ‘Sweeney Todd’, took place in July to packed theatre audiences. Reporter, Bradley Naylor, explored the technical details...
Sweeney Todd was a technical challenge for the cast and crew to stage. A rotatable cube was the centre point, giving special emphasis to the industrial London in which Sweeney Todd is set. The cube's rotational abilities meant that each side became focal locations throughout the performance, from the dark basement where Sweeney's victims were stored, to Mrs Lovett's parlour decorated with singed wallpaper.
Although the cube offered new challenges to the production crew, they were never put off and performed the smoothest of changes. For many the highlight of the show was the trap door, through which Sweeney Todd mercilessly dispatched his victims into the hands of Mrs Lovett. Through great design and much practice the cast were able to send actors swiftly down a shoot, leaving the audience mesmerised by their display of technical skill.
Sweeney Todd is a bloodthirsty story, something that the props department did not hesitate to show. Each death left its gruesome mark through the liberal use of many litres of stage blood, providing the closest shave as promised.
Sweeney Todd was an incredible success for Valley Park Productions. Fabulous performances from the cast were ably supported by the technical crew, for which they were given justifiable recognition and applause."