“Sweeney Todd-The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” darkly humorous opera at the Broad Brook Opera House

EAST WINDSOR — Revenge is a dish best served cold but in “Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” it’s served piping hot in meat pies.
It’s a gruesome tale of a wronged man, Benjamin Barker, who is railroaded out of England by the cruel and creepy Judge Turpin, who steals his wife and daughter.
Barker returns to England and takes on the name Sweeney Todd and goes about starting up his barber business above the meat pie shop owned and operated by Mrs. Lovett.
They team up their efforts, with him killing most of his customers, telling them that he will give them “the closest shave you will ever know,” and Mrs. Lovett using them to fill her pies.
In the meantime he meets up with his competitor barber, Pirelli, played by the expansive Tim Reilly, and Mrs. Lovett takes on his young assistant Tobias, played by the wiry Stephen Jewell. Jewell’s rendition of “Not While I’m Around” with Mrs. Lovett is touching and spine tingling all at the same time.
Todd’s friend, the young sailor Anthony, here played by the operatic Eric Rehm, finds his daughter Johanna, played by the bird-like Janet Pohli. Both of their singing voices are so well suited for this show. Especially the beautiful “Johanna” which he sings alone and then in a quartet, beautifully staged, with Johanna, Todd, and the beggar woman.
Pohli has a pristine, clarion tone that fits her caged bird character perfectly.
The excellent Grace Spelman plays the beggar woman, who turns out to be someone very connected to Todd after all.
Also fine is the pompous lackey Beadle Bamford, played with officious stiffness by Jim Metzler, and the judge, played by Jonathan Trecker.
I have seen this opera a few times, including at the Bushnell, and this is by far the best production of this show I have ever attended. It’s all the more surprising because this show has never been my cup of tea. Instead of disliking it, however, I found that I enjoyed it very much, despite its horrific subject matter.
The cast is first-rate, with a glowering and focused Steve Wandzy playing the murderous Todd, and Erica Romeo giving a remarkable performance as the industrious, cheerful, and evil performance as Mrs. Lovett.
I would prefer that Todd not beam so at Mrs. Lovett when she tries to seduce him while singing “By the Sea.” It breaks his possessed focus on revenge where “half the fun is to plan the plan.” His smiles should be limited to his evil dreams.
All the performances, down to the smallest ensemble roll, are played with energy, gusto, precision, and enthusiasm.
There is some profanity along with broad sexual innuendo and throat cutting scenes, so it is not a show for young children.
Directed by Anna Giza, everything fits together exquisitely including the music, with music direction by Tony B. Romeo, the fine solid, moveable set, by set artist Christopher Berrien, and the detailed costumes by Moonyean Field and Solveig Plfueger.
I have never seen so many connections to other theatrical historical influences before, such as Bertolt Brechtl’s “Three Penny Opera” and Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.” I credit that to director Giza for exploiting all the subtle and not so subtle nuisances in this wonderfully dark, dank, and well-performed musical.

SWEENEY TODD

4 Stars
Theater: Opera House Players
Location: 107 Main Street, Broad Brook
Production: Music and lyrics and book by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Hugh Wheeler. Based on a version of “Sweeney Todd” by Christopher Boyd. Direction and choreography by Anna Giza. Musical direction by Tony B. Romeo. Stage manager Andrew Holl. Lighting designer Roy Ryzak. Sound design by Avitra, Inc. Costumes by Moonyean Field and Solveig Pflueger. Scenic artist Christopher Berrien.
Running time: 3 hours including a 15-minute intermission
Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday.
Tickets: $20, $16 for seniors over 60. Definitely not recommended for children due to language and adult situations. Call 860-292-6068 or visit their website at www.operahouseplayers.org
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Steve Wandzy … Sweeney Todd
Erica Romeo … Mrs. Lovett
Grace Spelman … Beggar woman
Eric Rehm … Anthony
Janet Pohli … Johanna
Jonathan Trecker … Judge Turpin
Jim Metzler … Beadle Bamford
Stephen Jewell … Tobias
Tim Reilly … Pirelli
Matthew Falkowski … Fogg, ensemble
Bob Forker … Bird seller, ensemble
Zachary Gary … Police officer, ensemble
Betsy Maguire, Kerrie Maguire, Martina Desnoyers, Reva Kleppel, Marge Stepansky, Bechy Rodia Schoenfeld, Tara Kennedy, Patrick O’Konis, Matt “Sparky” Falkowski, Gwen Moriarty … Ensemble