The story of Sweeney Todd first appeared on the stage in 1847, in a melodrama at the Britannia Theatre, Hoxton, in the east end of London.
The String of Pearls, as it was called, was based on a popular “penny dreadful” serialised story.
Theatres like the Britannia at that time had large permanently employed orchestras, and the first Sweeney Todd would have been performed with a score of orchestral music.
Opera della Luna’s new production restores the musical element of story-telling with an orchestra of ten musicians, and music penned by British opera composers of the Victorian age.
Come and be shocked, terrified, and amazed; and most important of all: hiss the villain, - the notorious Fiend of Fleet Street!
Please note this is NOT a production of the musical by Stephen Sondheim.
First Night CRITICS CHOICE The Times 28 April 2023
'Riotously funny, turning evil in all its cannibalistic, gory gruesomeness into rollicking entertainment' ★★★★ The Times
'Both an important moment in recovering theatre history and a truly fun night out. A five-star event' ★★★★★ Plays to See
'A funny, raucous and bloodcurdling show that has buckets of creep and darkness but also a whole lot of fun and laughter that makes this a super enjoyable evening' ★★★★ The Upcoming
'There’s cheering from the stalls and the circle as good triumphs over evil' ★★★★ Londontheatre1
'A wonderfully fun exploration by Opera della Luna into the exaggerated Victorian Melodrama genre. The notorious Fiend of Fleet Street finds the perfect setting at Wilton's Music Hall' ★★★★ The Recs
'Everything about this production is flawless - I cannot praise it enough' Southwark News
'An enjoyable production backed by immaculate musicianship, it's easy to see why this kind of audience-focused, fun-forward approach to the penny dreadful was a winner with the crowds of the age' All That Dazzles
Running time: 2hrs 20mins, plus interval.