SWEENEY TODD is mesmirizing to the point of being surreal--a bloody good show

Step aside Lavinia Fisher, you have been upstaged by a frazzle-haired, razor wielding barber named Sweeney Todd--a cut-throat proprietor who once upon a time had a shop on foggy London's famed Fleet Street and was known for his quick shaves. His provocative tale is unfolding on the stage of the James F. Dean Theatre April 6-22.

Inspired by a weekly fictional series published in the mid 1800's known as a "penny dreadful" and enthusiastically consumed by the British masses, the evolved tale of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street slashed its way onto Broadway in 1979 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical (music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler). Sondheim first conceived his musical version after seeing Christopher Bond's spooky melodrama of the story in 1973.

Sondheim's adaptation possesses an underlying theme that explores the darker impulses of the human condition. Impulses relating to lust, treachery, rape, cruelty, greed and revenge. Impulses that could drive a person to madness, sometimes unjustly. Although tragic in nature, Sondheim softens the impact with timely humor. It is a lyrical juggernaut performed to haunting music jam packed with surprises.

Director David McLaughlin, assisted by Kelsey Palmer, orchestrates a fine-tuned production that plays with Sondheim precision from prologue to climax. Possessing the uncanny ability to squeeze every bit of talent out of everyone around him, his unique trademark of musical excellence seen in all his works permeates every song and underlying musical number. A mix of both seasoned performers and first timers, his carefully selected actors, from main to supporting cast, are as sharp as Sweeney Todd's sterling silver straight edge razors.

Steve Tarnow's digital image speaks volumes. It is a picture that paints a thousand words. In full makeup and costume, he is the epitome of the character Hugh Wheeler calls for in his description of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. But, not only does Steve look the part, he owns it. With unbridled passion and explosive vocals, he brings the tragic story of Benjamin Barker, aka Sweeney Todd, to life in full bloody living color.

Kristin Cotton plays the outrageous and somewhat deranged Mrs. Lovett, who has a thing for Sweeney Todd and with whom she enters into a twisted partnership. Aside from serving up to die for meat pies filled with grade-A homo sapien courtesy Sweeney, Kristin serves up spot on vocals with a Cockney accent and bakes up the humorous flavor of the play with well-timed one-liners. After the demise of Fleet Street's flamboyant street huckster dressed in red, Pirelli (Tyler Reed), Mrs Lovett takes in his abused young assistant, Tobias.

Olivia Gainey, a natural talent at fourteen years young, knows how to pluck your heartstrings, which she does with spellbinding artistry as young Tobias. She is so compelling, she could sell you on a "miracle elixir" purported to make your hair grow faster even though Sweeney describes it to be "concocted of piss and ink"--a snippet from one of the Play's most entertaining scenes.

The contemptible Judge Turpin, a morally decadent beast of a man and the main reason for Sweeney's spiral into a mental abyss, is played by multi-talented Jamie Young. Rusty Cooler plays the Beadle, the Judge's henchman who takes pleasure in others pain. His icy demeanor comes full circle in the scene where he is playing on the harmonium.

Rounding out the cast with strong voices and pivotal portrayals are Charissa Word--the sweetly innocent Johanna, Larry Lewis as Anthony--friend to Sweeney Todd and a love-struck and devoted suitor of Johanna, Sara Armistead as the Beggar Woman, and Shaffer Ripley as Madam Fogg, owner of an insane asylum.

The Victorian costumes are eye-popping and beautifully crafted (Emma Scott and Kristen Bushey). The multi-scene rotating stage doubling as Mrs. Lovett's pie shop and Sweeney Todd's barber shop, ingeniously equipped with a mechanical sliding barber chair and revolving trap door engineered by Ernie Eliason, was visually eye-catching and was accentuated by a complimenting lighting design that set the necessary moods (Jean Gaston). Each of Sweeney's numerous victims slip into pie crusted oblivion in a bloody red glow.

The Flowertown Players presentation of Sweeney Todd is mesmerizing to the point of being surreal. Captivating, positively. Entertaining, guaranteed. Sinfully funny, thankfully. You would be hard pressed to spot a flaw in this deservedly 5-Star theatrical performance. A bloody good show you do not want to miss, it is one play I would return to see a second time, and maybe a third.

Tickets for Sweeney Todd.