The Chichester Festival Theatre production of Sweeney Todd is to transfer to London’s Adelphi theatre from 10 March (press night 20 March), with leads Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball reprising their roles as the demon barber and Mrs Lovett.
Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s musical is set amongst London’s seedy side streets where the demon barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd, seeks justice and retribution after years of false imprisonment. Aided by his devoted Mrs Lovett, who has a particular way with pies, he sets out to avenge the wrongs done to him and his family.
Jonathan Kent’s revival for Chichester Festival Theatre received a clutch of rave reviews when it opened there in October, with the Evening Standard’s Fiona Mountford naming it a “magnificent production, easily the finest I’ve seen of Stephen Sondheim’s dark and tuneful masterpiece.”
Ball was last seen in the West End as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, for which he won the 2008 Best Actor in a Musical Olivier Award. His numerous stage credits include Les Misérables, The Woman In White, The Phantom Of The Opera, Passion, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Kismet for ENO.
Staunton is an equally prolific stage performer, with two Olivier Awards to her name. Her recent stage outings include Entertaining Mr Sloane at Trafalgar Studios, There Came A Gypsy Riding at the Almeida theatre and A Delicate Balance, also at the Almeida theatre, earlier this year. She is also well known for her film and television work, including Cranford, Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake and the Harry Potter series.
Also transferring with the leading duo are Peter Polycarpou (Imagine This, Love Story), Lucy May Barker (Spring Awakening, Earthquakes In London) and Luke Brady (The Fantasticks).
Sweeney Todd plays at the Adelphi theatre following another transfer, hit National Theatre play One Man, Two Guvnors, which is currently booking at the venue to 25 February.
CB