The demon barber of Fleet Street will be at UF through Sunday.
The School of Theatre and Dance presents “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” at the Nadine M. McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion. Tickets are $13 for students and $17 for the general public.
“Our ‘Sweeney Todd’ offers a different twist on a familiar story,” said director Tony Mata. “Audience members can expect a version that is more contemporary than most (other productions).”
The musical, set in 19th century London, follows the life of eccentric barber Benjamin Barker aka Sweeney Todd, as well as his revenge on the cunning judge who exiled him for 15 years. Bloodthirsty and full of revenge, Todd enters a meat pie shop owned by Mrs. Lovett, who joins forces with Todd by introducing a carnal ingredient to her meat pies that attract Londoners to the shop and to Sweeney’s barber chair of death.
The revenge musical has had great success and became one of Broadway’s favorites.
“There is a lot of terrifying and creepy moments,” Mata said, “I don’t want to give too much away. I want you to come see it.”
He originally directed the show professionally 13 years ago.
“In the movie, you don’t capture the blood and gore like on the stage,” he said. “I was excited to rethink it. I had done it more Victorian and wanted to do the show differently.”
Jason Collins, a UF professor and Sweeney Todd’s understudy, said the cast rehearsed every weeknight for six hours and even once on the weekend.
“(This production) really has to be seen to believe,” Collins said. “It’s a world Tony Mata has created (that’s) very postmodern but still in a Victorian England setting.”
If you plan to come Friday for the Halloween performance, don’t forget to wear your costume and stay afterward for a costume contest and for photos with the cast.
Performance times are at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Most shows have sold out, but you can buy tickets in advance at the University Box Office or through ticketmaster.com.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 10/30/2014]
