‘People pies’ go on menu in city
THE thrilling story of the world’s most infamous barber, Sweeney Todd, will bring a touch of Victorian tragedy, intrigue, love, and dark humour to the Empire Theatre stage.
Presented by the Toowoomba Choral Society, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street tells the tale of a London barber who returns home after 15 years of exile and his quest for revenge on the evil Judge Turpin.
When revenge eludes him, Sweeney swears vengeance on the entire human race, murdering as many people as he can, while his business associate Mrs Lovett bakes the bodies into meat pies and sells them to the unsuspecting public.
Director Mary Quade said rehearsals were well under way and audiences could expect to be captivated by the musical thriller, considered to be composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece.
“It’s the type of musical where everyone thinks about this dark concept of murder, mayhem and people in pies, yet there’s so much more to it,” Ms Quade said.
“There are so many great characters who bring these side stories into the plot and spin an amazing web of intrigue.”
Actor Kyle Dever said he was enjoying the challenge of bringing the brooding, dark character of Sweeney Todd to life.
“Sweeney is definitely one of my favourite musicals and I’ve had it on my performance bucket list for many years,” Mr Dever said.
“The character itself suits my acting range; he’s so outlandish. It’s good to have a deep, dark and emotional character to delve into.”
Mr Dever has appeared in many Toowoomba Choral Society and Empire Theatre shows during the past 12 years. His highlight roles include Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls, Winkie General in Wizard of Oz, Mr Northbrook in Mary Poppins and Che in Evita.
It will be performed at the Empire Theatre on September 1-3. Tickets are available at empiretheatre.com.au or phone 1300 655 299.