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GYPT Show Reviews
| Review of Sweeney Todd |
| By Abergavenny Chronicle |
| On 06th February 2006 |
| Dark, dramatic, atmospheric and oozing with the stench of the asylum – Christopher Bond’s melodramatic adaptation of the gory tale of Sweeney Todd – the demon barber of Fleet Street proved a fitting test of the talents of the exuberant members of GYPT. Following on from last year’s similarly evocative production of Oliver Twist, Sweeney Todd again delved into the seedy side of ancient London and its twisted folklore. Director, West End luminary Ken Caswell, drew heavily on his Les Miserables experience, using every trick in the theatrical book to create a dark and sinister feel, which extended from the auditorium into the Borough Theatre itself as the inmates of Jonas Fogg’s asylum offered audience members an unorthodox welcome to their performance. In the title role Leighton Martin, once again proved what a talent he is, working hard to bring light and shade and even sympathy to a complex character. An equally powerful performance came from Bethan Witcomb as the pie maker with a difference, Nellie Lovett. Whether taking a leading role or appearing in a cameo, Bethan never fails to impress, perfectly capturing the eccentricity – to say the least in this case – of the character in question. Indeed, this was a role which could have been made for her and she played it for all she was worth, like Leighton, even managing to elicit some sympathy for the grotesque character. Obviously the success of Sweeney Todd lies with its central characters, but equally strong performances came from the supporting cast, with Hywel Vaughan as Judge Turpin, Sophie Forbes Nash as Johanna and Matthew Butler as Tobias also impressive, working every scene. Again it was the ensemble playing which impressed, with each member of the cast giving an honest performance. Never was this better illustrated than in the asylum scenes, where the dead eyed looks of the inmates chilled to the bone. I first saw Sweeney Todd in my dim and distant student days, when I was forced to leave when my vegetarian companion was overcome by the sight of raw meat being hurled into the audience – it was a student production. Thanks to the powerful playing of GYPT there was no way I was leaving this performance… Liz Davies – Abergavenny Chronicle 26th January 2006 |