Sondheim - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Denis Quilley and Julia McKenzie star in an exclusive BBC recording of the Royal National Theatre's hit 1993 revival of Stephen Sondheim 's musical thriller. Introduced by Sheridan Morley.

A half-mad barber returns home after escaping from an unjust imprisonment, to take vengeance on the judge who sentenced him, ravished his wife and now plans to marry his daughter. However, Sweeney doesn't limit himself to one victim, he takes revenge against the whole world for his and his daughter's suffering by slitting the throats of his customers, whose corpses are then made into meat pies by his enterprising accomplice, Mrs Lovett.

Music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim based on Hugh Wheeler's book, adapted by Christopher Bond.

Starring Denis Quilley as Sweeney Todd, Julia McKenzie as Mrs Lovett, Adrian Lester as Anthony Hope, Sheila Reid as Beggar Woman/Lucy, Carol Starks as Johanna, Philip Curtis as the Bird Seller, Christopher Benjamin as Judge Turpin, Barry James as Beadle Bamford, Adriana Lewis Morgan as Tobias Ragg, Nick Holder as Adolfo Pirelli and Stephen Hanley as Fogg.

The ensemble players: Di Botcher, Megan Kelly, Mandy Moore, Martin Nelson, Peter Prentice, Ernestina Quarcoo and Rhashan Stone.

Musicians: Colin Wray [trumpet], Dean Foley [horn], Emma Fowler [clarinet], Rachel Edmunds [bassoon], Julia Leighton-Jones [violin], Judith Herbert [cello], David Berry [double-bass] and Philip Hopkins [percussion].

Associate Music Director: Mark Dorrell and Production Music Direct: Paddy Cunneen.

Director: Declan Donnellan

For the BBC: Recording Engineer: Mike Robinson, Sound Balancer: Tim Durham and Producer: John Langridge.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in 1994.