University of Virginia Library

STAGE

'Sweeney Todd': Cheers, Jeers, And Peanuts

By Steve Wells
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Somewhere in the annals of
theatrical drivel, the Virginia
Players found a nineteenth
century melodrama by George D.
Pitt entitled "Sweeney Todd, The
Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and
decided to present it as their third
major production of the 1970-71
season. The play, which opened on
Monday evening in Minor Hall
would probably have been better
served had it been allowed to
remain blissfully obscure and
happily forgotten.

Motive In Madness

Yet I think there was a motive
in the Players' madness. They must
have recognized how bad the play is
and approached it with the
knowledge that a contemporary
audience could not view and accept
the play as anything other than a
parody of its genre. Perhaps it
could be fun. Perhaps the audience
would even get in the spirit of
things and actually cheer the hero
and boo the villain. Perhaps some
members of the audience would go
so far as to throw things at the
actors on stage.

Well, on Monday night the
audience did cheer the archetypal
stalwart hero, they did hiss at the
archetypal murderous villain, and,
yes - thanks to my colleague Paul
Chaplin, who came armed with two
huge bags of peanuts - they did
occasionally throw small projectiles
at Sweeney Todd. While this did
enhance the evening considerably,
it was unfortunately, not quite
enough to compensate for the
weaknesses in the play (even when
taken lightly) and the general
unevenness of the production
which director Arthur Greene has
mounted.

Devilish Delight

The action of the play centers
around a barber named Sweeney
Todd, who takes devilish delight in
stealing his customers' valuables
and then 'polishing off" the
unsuspecting victims. While he
frantically tries to protect himself
from exposure, a handsome mariner
who falls prey to Sweeney s wicked
wizardry, the mariner's loyal friend,
and Sweeney's young apprentice do
their utmost to bring the demon
barber to justice.

The play is not particularly well
constructed and if the acting does
not exaggerate the characters as
much as possible at all times, then
we lose interest in the characters
and begin to notice the plot and
structural deficiencies. And while
much of the acting approaches the
pinnacle of exaggeration, only in a
few instances does it ever reach that
zenith.

Peter Webb And Lois Garren In A Scene From The Play

Peter Webb has not mastered the
role of Sweeney Todd, but he does
have some very good moments.
What we have here is a succession
of flashes, spurts of strong, precise
vivid characterization interrupted
by intervals where strained effort is
obvious but total realization isn't.
The suggestion is always there: the
embodiment comes and goes.

On the positive side of the
supporting cast are Lawrence
Alaimo, who could do no better by
his grotesquely penetrating figure of
the keeper of a madhouse; Tony
Gilbert, who has a good time with
the role of a comically lecherous,
heavy-drinking preacher; and Jim
Carrington, who splendidly handles
the bloody but heroic part of the
mariner. George Miller as Sweeney's
apprentice, Lois Garren as a pie
shop owner who is Sweeney s
accomplice, and Paul Ames, Steve
Samusson, and William Hartung in
lesser roles also come across
reasonably well most of the time.

Too Inhibited

On the negative side, however,
Rixey Smith damagingly
underplays the part of the mariner's
girl. She is far too inhibited in her
portrayal and doesn't convey the
heightened emotions of a distressed
damsel who fears for the life of her
lover. Likewise. Peter Pentz as the
hero's buddy could have amplified
his character much more.

I am left with but one question,
a question which puzzles and
disturbs me, and that is why did the
Virginia Players choose to do
"Sweeney Todd. The Demon
Barber of Fleet Street" in the first
place? After opening the season
with a total artistic triumph, why
would they insist upon lowering
their standards? The traces of
professionalism which ran all
through "Rosenerantz and
Guildenstern Are Dead" are
nowhere to be found in this strictly
amateurish enterprise. It is the sort
of evening which you would expect
from a high school drama group,
and that is a sad commentary when
we have seen all that the Players are
capable of doing when their talents
are properly channeled.

It is difficult to be harsh when
the Players' intentions were good.
All they wanted was to give us an
evening of fun. But the fun comes
in fragments when it needed to
come consistently and
emphatically.

If you should decide to drop in
on "Sweeney Todd," I strongly
suggest that you follow Mr.
Chaplin's lead and buy a bag or two
of peanuts and then get your
throwing arm and vocal chords in
shape. It does make a difference.

Ed.)