Deadly Dichotomy

Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” just might be the most bizarre of plays.

Both gruesome and hilarious, it has won the hearts of theatergoers who clamor to experience its spine-tingling plot. 

The Stephen Sondheim musical will take center stage for several performances at the Arsht Center in Miami March 14-17, 20-24 and 27-31. This version of the 1973 play by Christopher Bond will be performed by the award-winning Zoetic Stage, which promises the audience a new twist.

“Zoetic Stage was founded to create fresh, bold interpretations of contemporary plays and musicals,” notes the venue’s website. “Stephen Sondheim’s gloriously gruesome musical combines melodrama and murder with one of the most thrilling scores ever written for the stage. Zoetic Stage, continuing its ongoing relationship with the work of Sondheim, presents an interpretation of ‘Sweeney Todd’ that promises surprises and a whole new feel to this beloved musical.”

For those of you unfamiliar with the grisly story that takes place in Victorian London, here’s a short recap: Barber Benjamin Barker is falsely accused of a crime and sent away to exile. Fifteen years later, he returns as Sweeney Todd – with vengeance in his heart and revenge on his mind. He teams up with Mrs. Lovett, a widow who owns a meat pie shop, and the duo hatches a plot that’s as dangerous as it is thrilling. The dramatic music adds to the suspense. 

Get ready to shiver.

For more information, call 305-949-6722 or visit arshtcenter.org.