THE FULL title of the musical “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” says it all.

For this show, with both music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, is surely the most gruesome show in the common public repertoire.

Now students auditioned by  ANU Interhall Productions and musicians from the ANU School of Music are getting  together to present this demanding show, a seamless mix of dark comedy, melodrama and for the main character even tragedy, at the ANU Arts Centre. “Citynews” popped in on a full dress rehearsal last night.

Briefly, Returning to London after years of wrongful imprisonment by the corrupt Judge Turpin, Benjamin Barker resumes work in his barber shop above the curious Mrs. Lovett’s failing pie shop. Under the alias ‘Sweeney Todd’, he seeks to avenge the loss of his apparently dead wife and daughter, now lusted after by the judge.

Todd (Spencer Cliff)and Lovett (Georgie Juszczyk) plot a murderous  plan that is mutually beneficial—you’ll be debating the question of who leads whom for hours—leading  them down a ‘dangerous and thrilling path’.

If you don’t already know, we’ll let you guess what goes in the pies.

Based on the 1973 play by Christopher Bond and a whole swag of Victorian-era melodrama of the very same name driving from a real-life story, the  1979 Tony Award winner for Best Musical has often been considered   Sondheim’s opera, with a limited amount 3of spoken dialogue.

The sophisticated music, normally a problem for any amateur group, has been undertaken by ANU School of Music students under the baton of musical director Katrina Tang with assistance from Edward Huang. Last night it was hard to fault, unified and atmospheric.

The production is directed by up and coming Gowrie Varma with assistance from Jack Northall. Varma, with assistance from Maryanne Irhia, also designed the huge set, inspired by the organ and sometimes the whole stage. The costumes by Nell Fraser are eclectic, but with a nod to Victorian melodrama.

“Sweeney Todd” is produced by D’arcy Pierce from ANU Interhall Productions and the ANU School of Music.

This is not just a show about love, betrayal and revenge, Varma stresses. It also follows a grieving man as he tries to come terms with loss, and with a sympathetic portrayal, vile though his actions may be, he nears tragedy. The manifestations of his grief challenge the audience to consider who the real villain is and who the hero is.

Audience might like to consider that “Macbeth” opens for Canberra REP on the same night as “Sweeney Todd” this Friday, and what a comparison that is.

Varma and Tang’s say their new take on this Broadway classic is “dark and relevant…focusing on the dualities of character and drawing Sondheim’s masterpiece out of context.” We’re not sure if it’s out if context but it is certainly dark and relevant.

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”, at ANU Arts Centre, August 5 – 13, all details and bookings to http://sweeneytodd.getqpay.com/