Preparations for Teatru Manoel’s musical production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street are in full swing at Malta’s famed national theatre. With opening night a few weeks away and temperatures on the rise, here are five reasons to get excited about the chilling theatrical highlight of the season.
It’s a first!
Not only is this the first time that Sweeney Todd is being performed in Malta, but it is the first ever in-house musical to be produced by Teatru Manoel itself. And what a first it will be! With a performance of this calibre and at 290 years young, Teatru Manoel is still making history. Who wouldn’t love to be a part of it?
The hit musical itself
Based on the 1973 play by Christopher Bond and the book by Hugh Wheeler, Sweeney Todd premiered on Broadway in 1979, garnering critical acclaim and winning several awards. Teatru Manoel’s adaptation of the masterpiece will be a fitting tribute to composer Stephen Sondheim – the musical theatre giant who passed away last November.
The escapist horror
Sweeney Todd is the grisly tale of a wronged-man-turned-serial-killer and his partner in crime – the vile Mrs Lovett. Extreme yet believable, their barbaric deeds capture the imagination and make for a story that is as gripping as it is blood-curdling. This is one that horror enthusiasts simply cannot miss!