Sweeney Todd coming to Sydney’s New Theatre

2014 has been  a great year for musicals in Sydney, especially on an independent scale. And we’re not just talking about the incredible success of the Hayes Theatre – the Theatre Division premiered with Ruthless, Darlinghurst Theatre Co took on the beautiful Falsettos, and Squabbalogic, who led the charge into this great revolution, have returned with a new three-show season just launched. The New Theatre is joining in, too, with Privates on Parade and now with their last production of the year: Sweeney Todd.

A Stephen Sondheim horror-love-story, it’s the fable of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. It’s shocking, moving, funny, and there’s a lot of blood. The director, Giles Gartrell-Mills, is a Londoner who moved to Sydney last year. In 2008/9, he was director-in-residence at the award-winning Union Theatre in Southward, and his directing credits include Caligula (Time Out London Critics’ Choice), Jekyll & Hyde, The Two of Us, It’s Behind You! and The Dark and Cavernous Walls.

Giles worked as assistant director on Spring Awakening and a production of Sweeney Todd which won both the Time Out London and Evening Standard Critics’ Choice Awards.

“I have a great affinity with the London environs and origins of the Sweeney Todd character which I’m looking to explore in this production,” said Giles.

The New has assembled a strong cast for this production. Justin Cotta (The Removalists, Glengarry Glen Ross) will play Sweeney himself, and Lucy Miller (Wolf Lullaby, Scenes from an Execution) will play Mrs Lovett. Courtney Glass (The Woman in White on Broadway) will play the Beggar Woman; Laurence Coy (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) is Judge Turpin; Simon Ward is Beadle; Josh Anderson and Jamie Leigh Johnson will play Anthony and Johanna; Aimee Timmins will play Tobias, and Michael Jones will play Pirelli.

 The ensemble includes Erin Bogart, Briony Burnes, Jamie Collette, Daisy Cousens, Carl Olsen, and Steven Richie.

Sweeney Todd will play from 18 November – 20 December. For tickets and more information, visit www.newtheatre.org.au (there is no booking fee).