Sometimes the uncanny ability that live theater has to evoke jouissance is more a product of the audience than the production. On the night I attended North Coast Repertory Theatre's Sweeney Todd at the 5th and D Street Theatre, people clutching flowers waiting to reward months of their friend's commitment to the show, new-to-theater locals amazed at their coworker's talent, and a proud mother who drove from Santa Barbara to see her son's work all reconciled my longing for support that theater remedies. The experience, directed by Nannette Voss and Isabel Semlar, feels like Christmas; everyone involved in this production labored to find the perfect gift and presents it with love. It is visually stunning, musically brilliant, expertly acted and sinisterly murderous.
After 15 years of imprisonment, Sweeny Todd (Alex Benn) returns to London for vengeance from Beadle (Rigel Schmidt) and Judge Turpin (Joe Cherry), who took Sweeny's daughter Johanna (Marina Benson) as his ward with plans to wed her. Todd lures people into his barber chair, where he slices their throats and donates their bodies to Mrs. Lovett (Aundrea Zvaleko), who grinds them up to serve in her meat pies. The morbidity of the plot juxtaposes with composer Steven Sondheim's hauntingly beautiful melodies creates joyful dissonance and soothing tension.
I cannot praise Spike Foster's lighting design enough. The production is stunningly gorgeous from preshow to curtain-call with texture, motion and perfect balance. It allows the details of the set design (by Calder Johnson) to reveal its details. Though I would love to see the interior design, like the oven and chute, finished, and a better masking of specials on the platform, the impressive lighting forgives all shortcomings. Taylor Depew's costume design is equally impressive with its attention to detail; intentional rips and patches, as well as Johanna's stunning dress, add character throughout.
With a nearly three hour run time, the cast and musicians must maintain drive. While the music does have the dynamics needed to sustain interest, it is not enough. Urgency and the actors' constant fight for their characters' objectives must be prioritized to bring this production to the next level. Still, it is a rare treat to see every single person in this cast rise to Sondheim's challenging work and perform at such a high level. Justin Ross, Avery Alexander, Jeremy Cotton, Amber Grimes, Luke Hernandez and Gina Piazza also deserve huge praise for giving the music its own life. Musical and stage director Voss could focus on the pace of the few non-musical scenes and tempo of songs (particularly in the second-act ensembles), speed up transitions and continue the exceptional movement work of Shawn Wagner past a song's end and into the following scenes to shave time. Even still, her eye for cohesion and maintaining the writer's intent proves that she is one of the best directors in the county.
Standouts are Holly Portman's Beggar Woman and Filip Ambroski's Pirelli, who both incorporate full bawdy movement, exceptional character work, and stunning vocal dynamics to steal the show. Benson is a true triple-threat, Broadway-level performer. River Keller's Anthony is simple and sweet in the best ways. Schmitt's physicality and commitment to character add much needed levity to the piece, though it rides the line of caricature. Zvaleko is exceptional, though her dialect inconsistencies can rob her lines of clarity. Benn is powerful and I would love to see choices in physicality reflect that. Meaghan Sharrard comes alive in the second act with terrific acting and a stunning song. Cherry's consistent punching of words in his line readings become a bit distracting but is outweighed by his command of space.
A special thanks to Miss Maija, the friendly stranger who sat next to me and has never missed her son's opening nights. The pride in her eyes reminded me that transformative theater magic manifests through community, begets excellence and ensures the cyclical exchange of energy between cast and house. I recommend solidifying your place in that dynamic and getting your tickets early.
NCRT's Sweeney Todd continues Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a masked matinee Sept. 28, through Oct. 20. Visit ncrt.net.
Tiggerbouncer Custodio (he/she/they) is an empowered queer Indigenous Filipino artist whose works have been seen on Humboldt stages and elsewhere.
NOW PLAYING
Ferndale Repertory Theatre's production of Blithe Spirit continues to haunt Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Oct. 6. Call (707) 786-5483 or visit ferndalerep.org.