With a quick flick of the wrist, throats are slit in the Jasper Junior/Senior High School’s rendition of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
The dark musical, full of blood and gore, follows the story of Sweeney Todd, a murderous barber who kills his victims with a straight razor across the throat. Those victims, after being alleviated of their valuables, are then turned into meat pies by Todd’s partner in crime, Mrs. Lovett, who sells them to unsuspecting customers in her shop.
The play—a somewhat surprising choice for a high school production—is being directed by Grade 12 students Alys Thomas and Elena Kellis. (Kellis is also starring as Mrs. Lovett.)
The students have both loved the story of Sweeney Todd since they watched Tim Burton’s version, starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, when they were 13 years old.
That’s why they were devastated when their classmates voted for Foot Loose as the final production of the school year, leaving their musical in the dust.
But they didn’t let that stop them.
“We cried for a few days,” joked Thomas. “Then we went to Mr. T (Jonathan Thornton) and said we really just wanted to do it anyway and we were OK with the responsibility of it.”
In response, Thornton, the school’s band and drama teacher, said a resounding “heck yes” and let the students run with it—under the condition that they also participate in Foot Loose, which hits the stage in May. For Kellis, that means wrapping up Sweeney Todd and then immediately learning the lines for a second leading role.
“This is what I live for,” she said with a laugh, admitting that she’s already exhausted.
With Thornton’s blessing, Kellis and Thomas held auditions a month and a half ago, filling every role but one.
“We had people audition for every role in the play, except for Sweeney Todd,” said Kellis. “So we’ve imported one person.”
That person is Grade 11 student Danny Handford of Edson.
“He’s a charming young fella,” said Thomas, noting “he’s less charming as Sweeney Todd.”
“He’s a little terrifying,” added Kellis with a laugh.
But, of course, with the role of a villainous, albeit loveable, murderer, that’s exactly what you want from your actor.
“Morally [this play] is an interesting experience,” said Thomas, explaining how Todd could possibly be loveable. “Out of context, the main characters would be depicted as villains, but as it is you’re rooting for them, and it’s so messed up and you feel guilty about it, but you love it at the same time.”
“It’s so funny,” added Kellis. “It’s got a lot of dark humour. Then you think about the overall concept of the play and you wonder how you could be laughing at this stuff.”
“It’s messed up in a way that you don’t encounter very often. It’s fun if you’re a little tweaked in the head,” joked Thomas.
Sweeney Todd will be shown in the Jasper Junior/Senior High School gym this Friday through Sunday, beginning at 7 p.m. and, as an added bonus, the students will be selling meat pies and ale during the intermission.
Kellis and Thomas encourage everyone to bring their appetites, and they promised no one was harmed in the making of the pies.
Tickets for the show are available at Tekarra Color Lab or at the door.
Nicole Veerman
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