Opera North - Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Poster, 1998
Title
Opera North - Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Poster, 1998
Date
24 February 1998
Description
Poster for Opera North production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd.
What's the story?
Performed in repertoire with Mozart’s The Magic Flute, this revival of Sweeney Todd by Opera North starred Steven Page in the title role and Beverley Klein as Mrs Lovett. The show was directed by David McVicar.
In 2002, Opera North revived this production. Reviewing the show for The Guardian, Alfred Hickling wrote:
“David McVicar's production of Stephen Sondheim's shocker is sinister, spectacular and not at all suitable for vegetarians. The hot reek of real meat seeps under the curtain for the start of the second half, which opens with the chorus tucking into pies in which many of the characters from the first half feature as ingredients.
When Opera North first produced this work five years ago, it left some of the audience gagging for more, and others simply gagging. Now it's back, mercifully fresh and enabling one to appreciate that this is one of Sondheim's most ambitious, fully integrated scores.”
It is interesting to note that Sweeney Todd is seen as one of Sondheim’s major works, especially having received the full Tim Burton film treatment in 2007. Yet when the show first opened in London in 1980, it was seen as a commercial flop, having closed after just 157 performances.
In 2002, Opera North revived this production. Reviewing the show for The Guardian, Alfred Hickling wrote:
“David McVicar's production of Stephen Sondheim's shocker is sinister, spectacular and not at all suitable for vegetarians. The hot reek of real meat seeps under the curtain for the start of the second half, which opens with the chorus tucking into pies in which many of the characters from the first half feature as ingredients.
When Opera North first produced this work five years ago, it left some of the audience gagging for more, and others simply gagging. Now it's back, mercifully fresh and enabling one to appreciate that this is one of Sondheim's most ambitious, fully integrated scores.”
It is interesting to note that Sweeney Todd is seen as one of Sondheim’s major works, especially having received the full Tim Burton film treatment in 2007. Yet when the show first opened in London in 1980, it was seen as a commercial flop, having closed after just 157 performances.
Type
Poster
Location of item
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Rights
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Contributor
Researcher: David Longford
