Sweeney Todd Forum
"Sweeney Todd Forum is a lot of fun" (Stephen Sondheim)
STP Academy's Sweeney
Our featured production is being performed by STP Musicals Academy in Southsea, England.
They are one of the first companies to be performing the specially licenced "Schools Edition" of the show.
Rich Spencer and Laura Moon as Sweeney and Lovett
ON THIS PAGE:
STF's Peter Auker interviews Rich Spencer and Laura Moon
Press Release
Details of the production:
May 2009 marks STP Musicals’ debut at The Kings Theatre, Southsea in their razor sharp production of Sweeney Todd. In this masterfully adapted School Edition, the 11-18 year old performers from STP Musicals’ Academy deliver a performance full of spine tingling wit, humour and tenderness. Sweeney Todd is Sondheim’s musical masterpiece and was most recently immortalised by Tim Burton’s Oscar winning movie starring Johnny Depp as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
This talented company consistently delivers high quality musical entertainment and have subsequently emerged as one of the foremost youth theatre companies in the region with past successes High School Musical and Les Miserables at Ferneham Hall in Fareham. The 60 strong cast were selected from over 150 auditionees who underwent an intensive audition at The Kings in mid January. Just over three months later, their weekly rehearsals have seen them tackle the challenging music, learn reams of lyrics and master striking and innovative staging under the guidance of the production team - Jason Curtis (Director), Lyndsay Barnbrook (Musical Director) and Nina Bradley (Choreographer).
Taking the lead roles of Sweeney and Mrs Lovett are Rich Spencer and Laura Moon. Rich (18) lives in Eastleigh and attends Peter Symonds College, Winchester. He has a vast experience of stage appearances and has been seen with a variety of theatre companies in recent years in such roles as Tony (The Boyfriend), Galileo (We Will Rock You) and the title role in The Wiz. Laura is 15 and lives in Fareham; this summer she will be taking her GCSEs at Cams Hill School and then hopes to attend South Downs College in September. Sweeney Todd marks her sixth show with STP Musicals, her first being High School Musical in 2007.
Although this productions sees STP Musicals debut at The Kings, the acronym STP has been long associated with this prestigious venue. Southern Theatre Productions, founded by Helen Dyer and associates in 1963, staged some of their early productions at The Kings before establishing a regular appearance at the Gaumont, and latterly, the Mayflower, Southampton. We are very proud to be returning over forty years later as the incarnation STP Musicals and are extremely grateful for the opportunity.
Sweeney Todd is a musical thriller; a chilling, macabre, sophisticated, suspenseful, heart-pounding masterpiece of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime. It tells the infamous tale of the unjustly exiled barber who returns to 19th century London seeking revenge. His thirst for blood soon expands to include his unfortunate customers, and the resourceful proprietor of the pie show downstairs soon has the people of London lining up in droves with her mysterious new meat pie recipe!
Lovers of traditional theatre will love this; as will anyone who prefers a more modern theatre experience. This exceptional production delivers a great big meaty slice of entertainment, a satisfying theatrical treat for the eyes and ears!
Thu 7 & Fri 8 May at 7.30pm, Sat 9 May at 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sun 10 May at 5.30pm
Tickets available from The Kings Box Office Tel: 02392 828282 or online www.kings-southsea.com
Sweeney and Lovett Interview
Peter interviewed Rich Spencer, who plays Sweeney, and Laura Moon (Mrs Lovett). Here are their answers:
PA: How did you first get involved with acting in musical theatre?
RS:I first got into musical theatre when a local group were looking for children to play the kids in the King and I. My mum put me in for the show and I did my first ever musical at the Point Art and Dance Centre in Eastleigh at the age of 10. Then a youth group spawned from the adult society and a few years down the line I started hearing about other shows that other societies were putting on. I’ve tried to get in as many opportunities to perform ever since.
PA: What were your feelings when you first heard you’d got the part?
RS: Well it was a mix of emotions really, I was obviously very pleased to get the part, and when Jason (the director) told me I had got the part he was handing me my script and I knocked a drink over his Apple Mac's keyboard...so I ended up being in a state of extreme delight and horror at the fact I’d just spilt drink over his computer keyboard. But after I had gotten over that slight hiccup in receiving the part, I was very excited to be taking on such a challenging part.
PA: Have you had to have special singing lessons to take such a vocally demanding role?
RS: I have always been a singer and I have had singing lessons from a very good tenor singing teacher, so I already had the vocal grounding and technique to be able to take on this part. Singing the notes of the part isn't one of the things I've had to work particularly hard on.
RS: The role of Sweeney Todd is such a challenging part to get under the skin of, because you don't get told about all the things that have gone on between him being sent to away to him coming back. Not only do you have to take into account the things you get told about in the script but also how the events in the meantime have affected his personality. I have really tried to bring out the sense of sympathy the audience should feel for Sweeney so they understand that he is doing all these brutal acts for a reason. The shock at his horrific manner of getting back at Judge Turpin should be an obvious but secondary thought for the audience. In my opinion Sweeney is a desperate man who is desperately trying to get back at the Judge and can think of nothing else, he has obviously become a very violent man between being taken away and coming back. He is a selfish man as well, he doesn't care about Mrs.Lovett unless she is doing something which is benefiting him - same with Anthony, although a moment of Benjamin Barker creeps in at the beginning when he is thanking Anthony for saving his life. I guess what I'm trying to say his that he is a very complicated and deep guy.
PA: Have you seen any other Sweeneys on stage or screen? Did they influence your interpretation?
RS: The very first version of Sweeney Todd was when I was about 14. It was being performed at the Nuffield Theatre in Southampton, by Southampton Operatic Society. It was the first time I had heard any music by Stephen Sondheim, and I immediately fell in love with his intricate arrangements and use of motifs. I have also seen Johnny Depp do the role on the movie version of it as I'm sure so have most of your readers. Although not a technically strong performance from Mr.Depp I believe he shows the character with all the depth and meaning it deserves. After I found out I had got the part I watched the 1982 version starring Angela Lansbury and George Hearn and thought it was alright, wasn't a big fan on George Hearn as Sweeney but thought highly of Angela Lansbury.
PA: What’s the best bit about being Sweeney?
RS: I want to say the cutting of throats...but I'm going to be more of a lovey and say the music. It is just incredible musical theatre writing, and I have loved Sondheim for a long time and this is the first show I have done where he has written the music. I can safely say that is the best bit about doing Sweeney.
RS: I can safely say that it will be daunting when we get to the theatre, but right now no, I am not one to get nervous weeks ahead of the show, and have performed in venues of comparable size, so I will know what to expect when stepping out onto the stage and seeing the audience for the first time. But whether I'm performing a 20 seat cabaret or 1400 seat venue I will always get nervous right before.
PA: What makes Sweeney Todd such a popular show, in your opinion?
RS: Well the recent success of the movie has obviously made the show more popular particularly as it had such a star line up. But for those that like musicals I find that people aren't all loving toward Sweeney, the music doesn't appeal to some people I find, but the fact it has such a good story and characters that people can really get there teeth into a big plus for musical theatre lovers.
PA: Who has been most important to you when preparing this role – the director or someone else?
RS: Jason has been very important with the development of Sweeney for me as he has given me so much freedom to do what I like with the part. It annoys me when directors try and over advise me on how I should play a part, I'm a very strong believer in: "You direct...I act..." I very much like to work on my own when preparing a part, obviously I take and adapt ideas from other people who have played the roles, but I really do try and get under the skin of the character and play it how I think the part should be played.
PA: What’s your favourite Sweeney song?
RS: Ooh...such a hard question! the opening is epic, when that is done right it is one of the most powerful moments of the play, and I must say the ensemble of STP Academy do it very well. But I'm going to have to say Pretty Women, it is just such a deadly but beautiful song, because even though Sweeney has his victim under his blade you really get to see into the soul of Sweeney, singing about his wife and you get to see the tender and emotional side of the man, as well as the harmonies and arrangement of the piece being beautifully constructed.
LM: I think Mrs Lovett is a very crafty yet lonely woman. She doesn't really have anyone or anything, expect for her Pie Shop! She keeps to herself and only worries about her pies!
PA: Were you surprised to get the part in this show?
LM: Yes, I was very surprised to get this role as I was unwell on audition day and I went to the auditions with the intentions of just being in the show. However, I auditioned for Mrs Lovett after being urged to do so by one of the Mentors. I'm very glad I auditioned, as the show so far has been very enjoyable.
PA: What’s the most challenging aspect of being Mrs Lovett?
LM: The most challenging aspect of being Mrs Lovett for me, other then remembering the lines, would be interpreting and portraying her emotions in certain scenes.
PA: Could you describe a bit about your background in musical theatre?
LM: Back in 2007, when I was 13, I performed in High School Musical with STP Musicals. Since then, I have stayed with STP Musicals and appeared in Stage Presents, You Can't Stop The Beat, Les Miserables, X-mas Factor and this year, Sweeney Todd.
PA: If someone was a bit doubtful about coming to see Sweeney Todd, what would you say to convince them to come and see the show?
LM: I would assure them that they would be greatly entertained, as we are when performing Sweeney Todd!
PA: Have you seen the film version? What did you think of Helena Bonham Carter’s approach to the character?
LM: Yes I have seen the film and I enjoyed watching Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs Lovett. This was because she was interested in playing the role of Mrs Lovett when she was 13 years old. Also, the songs from Sweeney Todd are not the easiest songs to sing and before hand, Helena was not known as a singer. However, I thought Helena Bonham Carter made a great Mrs Lovett!
PA: Which part of the show do you most look forward to?
LM: I look forward to the song "A Little Priest". I love the song as it is fun to sing and its very humorous and clever.
PA: Did you have to learn to make pies to be in the show?
LM: No, I didn't have to learn to make pies to be in the show! But if I did have too, I would have to get my mum to help me!!
STF would like to thank Jason and Melissa Curtis of STP Academy for making this interview possible.
