Programme £2.50

WAOS presents

Affiliated to theNational Operatic andDramatic Association

Presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LIMITED on behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL of New York

Book byHUGH WHEELER

Music and Lyrics bySTEPHEN SONDHEIM

Rhoda McGaw TheatreWokingTuesday to Saturday10th to 14th November 2015

A Message From the Chairman Good afternoon / evening to you, one and all!

So…here we are again at the lovely Rhoda McGaw. It has already been six months since our ground breaking production of Bernard J Taylor’s musical adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights in May. And in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street what an absolute treat of theatre we have in store for you now!

Widely regarded as Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece, Sweeney Todd has been part of standard repertoire for both professionals and amateurs since its premiere in 1979, interestingly being produced at various times throughout those 36 years both as a Broadway / West End style musical and as an opera. In fact, this year alone has seen productions both by the English National Opera – with Emma Thompson and Bryn Terfel as Mrs Lovett and Sweeney Todd – and, currently, by the Welsh National Opera, featuring Janis Kelly and David Arnsperger in the roles originally created on stage by Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou. So…a genuine ‘cross-over’ piece of theatre. Elsewhere in this programme you will see our Director James Fortune’s notes in which, amongst other observations, he makes reference to Sondheim’s approach when first starting work on the piece in the 1970s.

As Chairman it is with great pleasure that I extend my thanks to James and to our Musical Director Ian Peters, our rehearsal accompanists Adam Blosse, Bob Good and Jonathan Rhodes-Smith, the hard working members of my Management Committee, the strikingly talented cast and chorus – with possibly one exception, but I’ll do my best! – our tireless and good humoured crew led by Jennifer Bye, our wonderfully imaginative set designer Mike Bartlett, and all associated volunteers, for the countless hours they have all put in to present to you this spellbinding Sondheim take on the famous legend (or is it?!) that first saw light of day in a Victorian ‘penny dreadful’ (cheap popular serial literature produced during the 19th century) called The String of Pearls: A Romance, published in 1846 and ’47. The story became a staple of Victorian melodrama and London urban legend and has been retold many times since…culminating in Sondheim and Wheeler’s Tony award-winning musical / opera.

Claims that Sweeney Todd was a real-life person are strongly disputed by scholars, although some admit that historical prototypes possibly did exist…either way, it is an enormously powerful story of an ordinary man driven to murderous insanity by vicious injustice and an all-consuming hunger for vengeance. And what with Sondheim’s notoriously complex, demanding and dramatically illustrative score, it has been a hugely challenging but ultimately highly rewarding project for all of us.

I would like to thank all of our sponsors, advertisers and benefactors who have assisted with such generous support for this show: without them, it would simply not be economically viable to stage a production such as this.

We have two productions planned in this theatre in the first ½ of next year: in February (23rd to 27th) we will be performing an English translation of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute); then in May (3rd to 7th), the hilarious musical farce by Lisa Lambert, Greg Morrison, Bob Martin and Don McKellar, The Drowsy Chaperone. We hope to see you again at both.

Finally, I’d like to thank you, our supportive public, and the Life Members and Patrons of Woking Amateur Operatic Society.

Now sit back, and “attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!”…if you dare!

Lee Power,

Chairman,

Woking Amateur Operatic Society,

October 2015

A Bit About WAOS Woking Amateur Operatic Society (WAOS) is the premier non-professional musical

theatre company in this part of Surrey and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street marks the 82nd production since its formation more than 40 years ago. Most of these have been staged here at the 200+ seating Rhoda McGaw Theatre in the middle of Woking.

The original WAOS ran in the 1920s and ’30s but folded for want of a venue. Its reincarnation was in 1972 and the building of the Rhoda McGaw in the mid-’70s (and its subsequent refurbishment a decade or so later) has provided the society with a regular home for its shows every spring and autumn.

The variety of shows has been remarkable: from 19th century Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera (The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, The Gondoliers, The Yeomen Of the Guard, etc.), through classic 20th century musical theatre (Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, Kiss Me, Kate!, Guys & Dolls, My Fair Lady and Fiddler On the Roof to name but a few), to more recent musicals such as Into the

Woods, Little Shop of Horrors, Moll Flanders, The Hired Man, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Wuthering Heights.

The company is a mix of seasoned performers – some with professional experience – first-timers who have come along to audition and ‘have a go’…and those in between! There is also a solid core of members who take care of the all-important backstage duties, from lighting and sound to costumes and stage management.

Additionally, we build all our own sets, so if you fancy the chance to flex your creative muscles on a bit of carpentry or painting and decorating then we’d love to hear from you.

If you’re interested in joining us in any capacity please contact our Membership Secretary, Sue Gaastra, at sue@gandg.fsnet.co.uk or telephone her on 01483 763243.

NODA The National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) was

founded in 1899 and has a membership of around 2,500 amateur theatre groups and 3,000 individual enthusiasts throughout the UK who are engaged in staging musicals, opera, plays, concerts and pantomime in a wide variety of performing venues.

NODA aims to give a shared voice to the amateur theatre sector; to help amateur societies and individuals achieve the highest standards of best practice and performance; to provide leadership and advice to enable amateur theatre to tackle the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

If you would like to find out more about NODA and its range of services, telephone 08451 301368.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

From the Director…

I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the opening night of a new Stephen Sondheim musical in New York on Thursday, March 1st, 1979, at the Uris Theatre (now the Gershwin Theatre) on Broadway. It was Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. We all thought we were about to see another Oliver! – a rollicking, “knees up, Mother Brown!”, sing-song of a show, set in Victorian London – but when that factory whistle screamed and those brooding opening notes echoed across the footlights, borrowed unashamedly from "Dies Irae, the Day of Wrath" from the Catholic Mass for the Dead, we knew we were in for something entirely different…

Sondheim first saw Christopher Bond’s 1970 play Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in London in 1973 and immediately recognized its operatic potential:

“I remember thinking on my way home that it would make an opera, and I spoke to John Dexter, one of the directors of the Metropolitan Opera, who at that time was directing in the West End in London. In the course of our conversation I asked him if he thought that Sweeney Todd might make an opera, and he said absolutely and that encouraged me to look into the rights for it. That’s how it all started.” (Stephen Sondheim, 1980)

“I started it, trying to write everything myself because it was really all going to be sung…it was going to be virtually an opera. I did the first 20 minutes and I realized I was only on page 5 of Bond’s script. So at that rate, the show would possibly have been 9 hours long!” (Stephen Sondheim – from Craig Zadan, 1990)

At this point Hugh Wheeler was called in to help with the libretto. Being British, he must have been an invaluable intermediary in matters of cultural reference and tone. After six years of work, it was ready.

Sweeney Todd is widely regarded as Sondheim's masterpiece, and in my opinion justifiably so. It is a thrilling, visceral and deeply disturbing piece based on the old English legend. Indeed, Sondheim has called it his “love letter to London”.

Since that scary opening night 36½ years ago, the piece has been produced many times and in many different ways. I have, of course, always wanted to direct it, and when WAOS commissioned me for it, I wanted my production to be as close to Sondheim's original idea as possible. Contrary to the anonymous steel factory setting Hal Prince used on Broadway and, later, in the West End, Sondheim always imagined it set in the classic Victorian London of ‘pea-souper’ fogs, gaslight and filthy, foetid streets.

Indeed, from a present day perspective, London was an horrendous place in 1846. Filthy, rancid and unsanitary; a sickening stench everywhere; no public toilets; little medical knowledge, and gruesome and thoroughly unhygienic medical practice. Life was cheap and squalid in the foul hovels and back alleys around Fleet Street. Out of this cesspit rose a gnarled hand clutching a bloodied cut-throat razor…

WAOS is an extraordinary production company with fascinating resources. Their props and costume stores fill two floors of a five-storey office block, and their set building is second to none. We have gone back to basics with this production, building from the floor up and imbuing the cast with a deep understanding of what life was like in those dark days.

Above all, it’s just extremely exciting to be a part of this unique piece of theatre: a show that is part opera, part Hammer Horror! To use a strange modern term…a "grusical" !

James Fortune, October, 2015

James Fortune – Director

James has been writing and directing all his life, including feature films in both Europe and Hollywood, such as Olympus Force, starring Christopher Lee, Joss Ackland, Linda Thorson, Richard Todd and Linda Lusardi. Shows in the West End include Prisoner: Cell Block H, starring Lily Savage, Stand By Me, starring Grace Kennedy, and Troubadour, starring Kim Braden. On television, James wrote and directed To Be Perfectly Frank, starring Michael Crawford, and many commercials. He has even turned his hand to fashion shows! Semi-professional theatre productions have included Kiss Me Kate for Banstead & Nork, Calamity Jane for The Lyric Players, and his own hilarious and unique production of HMS Pinafore for Leatherhead. He has directed three shows for Epsom Light Opera Company, two of which – The Witches of Eastwick (2008) and Titanic (2012) – won coveted NODA Accolades of Excellence. He had just finished directing Parade for them before starting work on Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in May. James is a Member of The Inner Magic Circle with a Gold Star (one of only 200 in the world)

and is a four-time Surrey Magic Champion! James is a professional performer and a magic consultant to the entertainment industry.

Ian Peters – Musical Director

Ian's principal musical study has been as a clarinetist. He now works as a freelance musician and teacher, and is Head of Woodwind Performance Studies and a lecturer in instrumental teaching at the University of Southampton. An additional interest in conducting led to opportunities to direct several notable youth orchestras, choirs and amateur symphony orchestras. His first venture into music theatre was in 1991 with a production of Gigi for BBLOC in Bournemouth. Since then Ian has directed for many other societies, as well as continuing his association with BBLOC. These range as far afield as Southampton, Epsom, Swindon, Romsey, Poole, Highcliffe, Waterside, Portsmouth…and now Woking. He has now directed over 60 shows, with many of these being awarded NODA Accolades of Excellence, and several being premiere regional releases, the most recent being Sister Act in Bournemouth last year and Wuthering Heights here in Woking for WAOS six months ago. He has

also received several personal awards for Best Musical Director.

Jenny Jordan – Mrs Lovett

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is Jenny’s third show with WAOS and she hopes to be in many more to come! Jenny studied Performing Arts at university and worked in various entertainment roles in her early career, before settling down, having a family and getting a ‘proper job’! Her previous principal roles include Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady), Charlie Hadwell (Charlie Girl), Miss Adelaide (Guys & Dolls), Polly Baker (Crazy For You), Julie Jordan (Carousel), Emma Carew (Jekyll & Hyde), Yum Yum (The Mikado), Lady Larken (Once Upon a Mattress) and most recently Catherine Earnshaw (Wuthering Heights – here with WAOS in May this year). Jenny would like to say “thank you” to the Sweeney Todd cast and crew for being both dedicated and brilliant, and she would like to thank her hubby for letting her go to lots of rehearsals! She has thoroughly enjoyed working with James Fortune and Ian Peters, and hopes that they will be

happy with her pie-formance! (If not, she can recommend a great local barber…)

Lee Power – Benjamin Barker (alias ‘Sweeney Todd’)

Lee has been active in musical theatre, 'man and boy', since the 1970s – winning awards both as director and performer. In 2010 his production of Epsom Light Opera Company's The Pirates of Penzance received a much coveted NODA Accolade of Excellence, and his production of The Mikado for ELOC two years ago was awarded the even more prestigious NODA Best Gilbert & Sullivan Production, South-East, 2013. He directed WAOS’s hugely successful Oliver! here last year. On stage, his recent roles include: Tevye (Fiddler On the Roof), Fred Graham/Petruchio (Kiss Me, Kate!), Capt. Balstrode (Peter Grimes), Darryl van Horne (The Witches of Eastwick – NODA Award), The Beast (Beauty and The Beast), The Pirate King (The Pirates of Penzance), Capt. Corcoran (HMS Pinafore), Col Calverley (Patience – NODA Award), Sir Roderic Murgatroyd (Ruddigore), ‘Wild’ Bill Hickock (Calamity Jane), Jud Fry (Oklahoma!) and Mike Connor (High Society). Longer ago: Billy Bigelow (Carousel), Curly McLean (Oklahoma!), Sky Masterson (Guys & Dolls), Kipps (Half a Sixpence), Sir Lancelot (Camelot), Giuseppe Palmieri (The Gondoliers), Ko Ko (The Mikado) and Jack Point (The Yeomen of the Guard).

For more than 30 years a police officer, Lee retired from the ‘Met’ in 2010, and now sings professionally. His large and varied repertoire includes Mozart, Schubert, Wagner, Verdi, Brahms, Puccini, Britten, Gilbert & Sullivan, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe, Porter and Sondheim, as well as songs recorded variously by Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Neil Diamond, Bobby Darin, Matt Monro, et al. (see: www.leepower.co.uk ).

Becky Bond – Johanna Barker

Becky is 18 and works as an assistant drama teacher at the Pauline Quirke Academy, and in the Box Office at The Harlequin Theatre and Cinema in Redhill. She has been performing from a very young age, and is looking to pursue acting as her professional career in the future. She is a member of The National Youth Theatre, and is on the books of various acting agencies. Becky has also appeared in a couple of short films and played a cameo role on ITV. Some of her favourite theatre roles include Wendy (Peter Pan), Young Jane (Jane Eyre), Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Iola Stover (Parade) and Cosette (Les Misérables – Schools Edition) which she performed with YESOS in the summer this year. Becky has loved rehearsing for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and

would like to thank WAOS for giving her such a warm welcome. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Lewis Padgett – Anthony Hope

Lewis has been performing since the age of six, and is very excited to be making his debut performance with WAOS in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He is no stranger to the spotlight, having appeared in numerous shows with the Star EFX Shepperton Showtime Academy, and is thrilled to be returning to the stage in such a wonderful production this week. Lewis has worked on and off the stage; writing, directing and performing in – and stage managing for – numerous productions, winning several awards along the way. His credits include Jack (Disco Inferno), Tyrone Jackson (Fame), ‘Wild’ Bill Hickock (Calamity Jane), Troy Bolton (High School Musical) and Dandy Dan (Bugsy Malone), and he has also appeared in many variety shows in the West End with the Academy. Lewis is currently engaged in his dream job as a graphic designer in Windsor, and always

loves to be given an opportunity to demonstrate his creative flair. He would like to wish his fellow performers the best of luck for this evening’s performance and to thank WAOS for this amazing opportunity.

Hannah Kitchener – The Beggar Woman

Hannah made her stage debut at the age of nine, in Annie at Wimbledon Theatre. This is her seventh show with WAOS. Having played male roles in three of those, including Sergeant of Police (The Pirates of Penzance, 2012), Hannah is relieved now to be back in familiar shoes as a woman in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street…except that in this part she doesn't wear any shoes! She is looking forward to unleashing her inner mad-woman upon the theatre-goers of Surrey; something her friends might tell you is nothing new. For her day job, Hannah teaches at a centre for adults with disabilities, tutors primary school children and is mummy to three daughters. In her infrequent moments of spare time, she enjoys curling up in front of an open fire with a glass of wine, singing with friends, travelling and cooking.

She hopes the show doesn't put you off pies for too long!

Melanie Morrisey – Tobias Ragg

Melanie has been acting for more than 20 years and trained at the Poor School. In between teaching and looking after her young children, Mel regularly performs with local theatre groups. She has played Miss Adelaide (Guys & Dolls) for Walton & Weybridge, Little Red Riding Hood (Into the Woods) and the eponymous Edwin Drood for 4th Wall, and Madison May (Bugsy Malone) for WAOS, in addition to many other professional theatre credits. Whilst Mel’s first love is acting, she also loves to sing and is really pleased to have persuaded the Director to let her play the role of Tobias Ragg. She has found it a real challenge to play a male role, but Mel has relished every moment. This is Mel’s second show with WAOS, following a break, and she is really happy to be back with her theatre family. She believes that WAOS is a great company to work with: full of

passion and laughter. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is one of Mel’s favourite Sondheim musicals as it involves a great deal of demanding acting. It is her second time in the show, after being among the chorus for the Questors production in Ealing. Mel really hopes that you enjoy the gore and leave the theatre feeling suitably terrified!

Mark Mowbray – Judge Turpin

Mark is very excited to be returning to the stage in one of his favourite shows of all time, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Having previously been cast as Sweeney Todd back in 2011, Mark welcomes the challenge of returning to the show in the role of Judge Turpin. He says, "The audition process this time required me to forget the Sweeney character and to get into the head of the Judge…the only problem was that I was rehearsing as Sweeney for a concert performance at the same time!" Mark has been appearing regularly on stage since the age of 11, and has enjoyed playing roles as diverse as Khashoggi (We Will Rock You) and Capt. von Trapp (The Sound of Music).

David Methven – Beadle Bamford

This is David’s ninth show with WAOS. He is thrilled to be playing Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He has found working with the Director, James Fortune, for the first time different but fun, and maintains that working with Ian Peters (the Musical Director) is always a delight. David’s previous roles have included Fizzy (Bugsy Malone), Ruth (The Pirates of Penzance) and Abel (Children of Eden), with his most recent being Will Parker (Oklahoma!) last year. David hopes that you will enjoy this show as much as he has enjoyed performing in it.

Graham Kirby-Smith – Adolfo Pirelli

Buona sera, signore e signori! 2015 is turning out to be a very busy musical year for Graham – playing Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (Anything Goes) with Cody Musical Theatre Company (CMTC) in March, Edgar Linton (Wuthering Heights) with WAOS in May, then taking part in the fantastic Don't Stop the Music extravaganza with CMTC in October, and now "da king of da barbers", Adolfo Pirelli! Music is a great passion of Graham’s away from theatre too. He often plays keyboard at the informal, lively, contemporary 7pm Sunday services at Christ Church, Woking, and at Woking United Reformed Church's monthly 8pm Wednesday evening 'Recharge' services – and will be playing carols again with the Unity band at the Cards Community Christmas A Time For Hope event at Woking Football Ground on December 16th (activities all afternoon, with carols on the pitch at 7pm).

On stage, he can next be seen in Camus’s The Good Old Days Music Hall show from November 27th to 29th at Kings International College, Camberley, and as Papageno in Mozart's The Magic Flute here at the Rhoda McGaw from February 23rd to 27th next year. But for now, Graham hopes you thoroughly enjoy today's theatrical spectacle!

Alexander Haben – Jonas Fogg

Alex has been involved in acting and with drama groups since a young age. He studied drama at school, at college (where he took a B-TEC in Performing Arts) and at University. He loves acting and performing, and feels at home on the stage, where he always strives to give the best performance he possibly can. He has appeared in several productions with WAOS, including Bugsy Malone, The Pirates of Penzance, Wuthering Heights, Children of Eden and Oklahoma!. Additionally, he has recently played Fyedka (Fiddler On the Roof) with another society, and is currently looking forward to playing The Emperor of Morocco (Dick Whittington and His Cat) with Send Amateur Dramatic Society in late November/early December (which will, he says, be his long-overdue first pantomime – he can't wait, as he loves to do comedy and has had a lot of fun

rehearsing it), and to playing a knight in The Magic Flute here at the Rhoda McGaw in February. He is really pleased to be playing Jonas Fogg in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, as he says it's so liberating to be able to play a nasty, villainous person…the total opposite of him…honest!

Amanda Carey-McDermott – The Bird Seller

Amanda has been with WAOS since 2007, and has been involved in 12 of the 16 productions that the company has staged in that time, largely as a stalwart of the chorus, but occasionally branching out into supporting roles, and once taking on the job of Assistant Director (Oklahoma! last year). Amanda loves the opportunity to put on her favourite cockney accent, and to make even the smallest part memorable – achieving this most recently as the Old Lady in Oliver!. She expects the part of The Bird Seller to be no exception!

Ricky Powell – The Peeler

Ricky has been involved in amateur musicals for just three years. To date, he has appeared in Beauty and The Beast, South Pacific, La Cage Aux Folles, Oliver! (twice – Leatherhead and Woking), Guys & Dolls and Anything Goes. His favourite part so far was as one of the ‘evil priests’ in Jesus Christ Superstar. He has also just completed his first short film which can be found on IMDb. Ricky is very much looking forward to returning to WAOS to play The Peeler in Sweeney

Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and working with a very talented cast and crew.

Patrick Coad – The Young Benjamin Barker

Patrick has been a member of WAOS for six years, and has enjoyed playing a variety of roles in that time, including Ike Skidmore (Oklahoma!), Noah (Children of Eden), Vernon Hines (The

Pajama Game), John Tallentire (The Hired Man), Georgie Locke (Blitz!) and, in particular, the lead role in the company’s last production six months ago: Heathcliffe (Wuthering Heights). This is Patrick’s first outing in a Stephen Sondheim musical, and he has enjoyed the fresh challenge.

Victoria Percival – The Young Lucie Barker

Making her return to Woking from London, Victoria has finally made it to the Rhoda McGraw stage. After injury forced her to withdraw from Bugsy Malone and Anything Goes, Victoria makes her debut as The Young Lucie Barker and in the chorus of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of

Fleet Street. Victoria studied Performing Arts in Reading: previous roles include Sandy Olsson (Grease), Nurse (Romeo and Juliet) and, her favourite role to date, Gwenyvere in the Reading production of the RSC adaptation of Le Morte D'Arthur. She has a passion for singing, and loves to sing karaoke, her song choices normally consisting of Olivia Newton-John, Joan Jett and Adele Adkins. She is looking forward to being on the Rhoda McGraw stage, and is excited to be working

with a passionate and fun-loving cast. Victoria will next be seen as Papagena in The Magic Flute here at the Rhoda McGraw in February.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Music & Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Hugh Wheeler

Dramatis personæ

Mrs Lovett…………………..……………....……………….………Jenny Jordan Benjamin Barker (alias ‘Sweeney Todd’)……………...…..………Lee Power Johanna Barker………………..…………..……………..……….…Becky Bond Anthony Hope…………………..……………………………….…Lewis Padgett The Beggar Woman…………..……..………………..……...Hannah Kitchener Tobias Ragg…………………………………..……...…………Melanie Morrisey Judge Turpin………………………………..……..……………...Mark Mowbray Beadle Bamford………....................................................……David Methven Adolfo Pirelli…..………….………………………..…........Graham Kirby-Smith Jonas Fogg…………………….………………….………..…..Alexander Haben The Bird Seller……….…………………….……….Amanda Carey-McDermott The Peeler………………..……………………………………..……Ricky Powell The Young Benjamin Barker……….……..………………….…..Patrick Coad The Young Lucie Barker……………..…......…………………Victoria Percival ‘The Letter’ quintet……………………………………….…..……..Tim Beasley Patrick Coad Graham Kirby-Smith Samantha Moylan-Heydt Victoria Percival

Chorus: Tim Beasley, Amanda Carey-McDermott, Cathy Chappell, Patrick Coad, Hannah Dare, Nicki Farrar, Beth Flitton, Sharon Forsyth, Gillian Freeman, Alexander Haben, Andy Hall, Albert Helg, Eddie Hinds, Sonia Huntley-Robertson, Liliana Ilie, Lorraine Landon, Terry Marsh, Clive Moon, Samantha Moylan-Heydt, Emily Noel-Tod, Victoria Percival, Ricky Powell, Peter Taylor, Keith White and Martine Young

The Band

Violin: Adrian Charlesworth Cello: Jayne Spencer Flute/Piccolo: Alison Hoyland Oboe/Cor Anglais: Sue Busby Clarinet: Alex Allen Bassoon: Lindsay Duberry Trumpet: Tony Adie Horn: Lisa Ridgway Bass: John Sutton

Keyboard: Jonathan Rhodes-Smith Percussion: Dan Priest

Scenes and Musical Numbers (Time: 1846, London)

PROLOGUE

The Company The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (reprised by The Company at various points throughout)

ACT 1

Scene 1: London Docks – early morning Anthony Hope, Sweeney Todd & The Beggar Woman No Place Like London

Sweeney Todd The Barber and His Wife

Scene 2: Mrs Lovett’s Pie Shop, Fleet Street – later that day Mrs Lovett The Worst Pies in London

Mrs Lovett Poor Thing

Sweeney Todd & Mrs Lovett These Are My Friends

Scene 3: Outside Judge Turpin’s Mansion – the following morning Johanna Barker Green Finch and Linnet Bird

Anthony Hope, Johanna Barker & The Beggar Woman Ah, Miss

Anthony Hope Johanna

Scene 4: St Dunstan’s Market Place – several days later Tobias Ragg, The Company, Sweeney Todd, Mrs Lovett & Adolfo Pirelli Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir Adolfo Pirelli The Contest

Scene 5: A Room in Judge Turpin’s Mansion – the same day Judge Turpin Johanna – Mea Culpa

Scene 6: Sweeney Todd’s Barber’s Shop above the Pie Shop – the following day Mrs Lovett Wait

Scene 7: Central Criminal Court, The Old Bailey – the same day

Scene 8: Johanna Barker’s Room in Judge Turpin’s Mansion & A London Street – the same day Johanna Barker, Anthony Hope, Beadle Bamford & Judge Turpin Kiss Me / Ladies in Their Sensitivities

Scene 9: The Barber’s Shop & The Pie Shop – immediately afterwards Judge Turpin & Sweeney Todd Pretty Women

Sweeney Todd & Mrs Lovett Epiphany

Mrs Lovett & Sweeney Todd Have a Little Priest

ACT 2

Scene 1: Mrs Lovett’s ‘Eating Garden’ & The Barber’s Shop – several weeks later Tobias Ragg, The Company, Mrs Lovett & Sweeney Todd God! That’s Good!

Scene 2: A London Street, The Barber’s Shop, Mrs Lovett’s Bakehouse & Fogg’s Asylum – several days later Anthony Hope, Sweeney Todd, The Beggar Woman & Johanna Barker Johanna – Quartet

Scene 3: Outside Fogg’s Asylum – immediately afterwards

Scene 4: Mrs Lovett’s Back Parlour – ½ an hour later Mrs Lovett & Sweeney Todd By the Sea

Sweeney Todd, Anthony Hope & Quintet The Wigmaker Sequence

Quintet & Sweeney Todd The Letter

Scene 5: Outside Judge Turpin’s Mansion – 10 minutes later

Scene 6: Mrs Lovett’s Back Parlour, Pie Shop & Bakehouse – that evening

Tobias Ragg & Mrs Lovett Not While I’m Around

Beadle Bamford, Tobias Ragg & Mrs Lovett Parlour Songs

Scene 7: Fogg’s Asylum, London Streets, The Bakehouse & The Barber’s Shop – later that evening

The Company & Johanna Barker City On Fire

Mrs Lovett, Sweeney Todd, The Beggar Woman, The Company, Anthony Hope & Johanna Barker

Searching Scene 7 (cont.): The Barber’s Shop – immediately afterwards Sweeney Todd & Judge Turpin The Judge’s Return

Scene 8: The Bakehouse – immediately afterwards Sweeney Todd & Mrs Lovett Final Scene

EPILOGUE

The Company The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (final reprise)

The WAOS Sweeney Todd Chorus (alphabetically):

Tim Beasley, Cathy Chappell, Hannah Dare, Nicki Farrar, Beth Flitton, Sharon Forsyth, Gillian Freeman, Andy Hall,

Albert Helg, Eddie Hinds, Sonia Huntley-Robertson, Liliana Ilie, Lorraine Landon, Terry Marsh, Clive Moon, Samantha Moylan-Heydt, Emily Noel-Tod, Peter Taylor, Keith White and Martine Young

Rehearsals and Set Construction

Jenny Jordan and Hannah Kitchener “More hot pies!”

Jenny Jordan and Lee Power Peter Taylor, Andy Hall,

Tim Beasley and Ricky Powell

Becky Bond and Lewis Padgett Jenny Jordan and Samantha Moylan-Heydt

Melanie Morrisey: Hannah Kitchener:

“Mrs Lovett’s meat pies” “Alms! Alms for a pitiful woman!”

Rehearsals and Set Construction

David Methven, Lee Power & Mark Mowbray: James Fortune and Mike Bartlett: The villains of the piece! Director and Set Designer deep in discussion

Sonia Huntley-Robertson and Liliana Ilie Lee Power, Jennifer Bye and Gillian Freeman

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (A Synopsis)

Prologue The cast, in the manner of a ‘Greek Chorus’, enjoins the audience to “attend the tale of Sweeney Todd” (The Ballad of Sweeney Todd).

Act 1 It is 1846, and Anthony Hope, a young sailor, returns to the London docks. He brings with him an older man he has rescued at sea and befriended, and whom he knows as Sweeney Todd (No Place Like London). As they are bidding each other farewell they are solicited by a filthy Beggar Woman who vaguely recognizes Todd. Todd informs Anthony of his unease at being back in the once familiar city, and of his naïvety as a young barber some 15 years before when a corrupt judge tried and convicted him on a trumped-up charge and had him transported to the penal colony in Australia in order to help himself to Todd’s wife (The Barber and His Wife). Making his way to Fleet Street, Todd enters Mrs Lovett’s pie shop and listens to her moaning about the scarcity and expense of decent meat (The Worst Pies in London). He enquires about the empty room above her shop and she tells him that it is haunted by its former occupier, Benjamin Barker, who was transported to Australia by Judge Turpin, who then had Beadle Bamford lure Barker's wife Lucie to Turpin’s home so he could rape her (Poor Thing). Lovett realizes from Todd’s distress that he is actually Barker. She promises him that he can trust her to keep his identity in confidence, and goes on to tell him that Lucie poisoned herself and that Turpin took their baby daughter Johanna as his ward. Todd swears revenge on Turpin and Bamford. Lovett then reveals that she had kept his silver cut-throat razors and returns them to him, whereupon Todd decides to resume his profession calling (These Are My Friends). Outside Turpin’s house, Anthony watches a beautiful teenage girl singing from a window (Green Finch and Linnet Bird), and the passing Beggar Woman tells him that the girl’s name is Johanna. He is, obviously, unaware that Johanna is his friend Todd's daughter, and is totally enchanted by her (Ah, Miss), promising to return and free her from Turpin’s tyrannical control (Johanna). In a busy marketplace, an Italian barber, Adolfo Pirelli, and his gormless assistant, Tobias Ragg, are selling bottles of a highly dubious hair restorer (Pirelli's Miracle Elixir). Todd dismisses the elixir as a fraud, denounces Pirelli as a mountebank, and challenges the Italian to a public shaving and tooth-pulling competition, which Todd wins easily (The Contest). Bamford, who has been watching, is impressed, and pledges to visit Todd’s barber’s shop for a shave very soon. Turpin, highly agitated in his lust for Johanna, initially flagellates himself, but then decides to marry her (Johanna – Mea Culpa).

Todd impatiently awaits Bamford’s arrival at his barber’s shop, and Lovett urges patience (Wait). Anthony appears and reveals he is planning to elope with Johanna. Todd agrees to allow them to use his premises as a ‘safehouse’. On Anthony’s departure, Pirelli and Tobias arrive. Pirelli asks for a private word with Todd, so Lovett takes Tobias back downstairs for a pie, and Pirelli reveals that he is actually an Irishman named Daniel O'Higgins, an erstwhile assistant to Todd fifteen years earlier, and knows Todd is Barker, an escaped convict. He attempts to blackmail Todd, whereupon Todd batters him with a length of lead piping, hides him, and later slashes his throat.

Johanna and Anthony plan their elopement, and Bamford recommends Todd to Turpin, so that he may be more smartly groomed and therefore more appealing to Johanna (Kiss Me / Ladies in Their Sensitivities). When Turpin arrives at the barber’s shop, Todd gets him to sit, charms him with friendly conversation (Pretty Women), and is just about to murder him when Anthony bursts in to tell Todd that the elopement is all planned. On hearing this, Turpin departs abruptly and angrily saying he will not be back. Todd, in an insane fury, vows to murder all of his future clients, regardless of who they are, because “they all deserve to die” : the wealthy for being corrupt, and the poor so they may be put out of their misery (Epiphany). When he has calmed a little, Lovett suggests that, if that’swhat he’s set on, she can dispose of the corpses in her meat pies. Todd is immediately taken with the idea (Have a Little Priest).

Act 2 Some weeks on, the pie shop is thriving and Tobias is now working there as a waiter. Todd and Lovett take

delivery of a special barber's chair so that, after killing his customers, Todd can slide their bodies down through a chute into the pie shop bakehouse (God! That’s Good!). Almost casually slashing clients’ throats, Todd despairs of ever seeing Johanna again, and, simultaneously, Anthony discovers Johanna is missing: she has been incarcerated in a lunatic asylum by Turpin (Johanna – Quartet). Lovett flirts with Todd, suggesting retiring “in a year or so” to the South coast, and possibly marriage (By the Sea), but Todd remains obsessed with vengeance on Turpin and Bamford. Anthony asks Todd how they might go about rescuing Johanna from the asylum. Todd suggests Anthony pose as a wigmaker and get into the asylum pretending to buy inmates' hair (The Wigmaker Sequence). Then Todd writes a letter and delivers it to Turpin’s house, telling of Anthony’s intention to hide Johanna in the barber’s shop, hoping to entice Turpin back there (The Letter).

In the pie shop, Tobias warns Lovett not to trust Todd (Not While I'm Around). When he recognizes Lovett’s purse as Pirelli's, she lures him into the bakehouse on the pretext of showing him how to work the meat grinder and the oven, and locks him in. She then discovers Bamford playing her harmonium – he has visited in order to make enquiries into the foul smelling smoke coming from the bakehouse chimney. Lovett stalls Bamford until Todd returns (Parlour Songs) and then she reminds Bamford that Todd had promised him a free shave. Todd takes Bamford upstairs and murders him. In the bakehouse, Tobias finds first a

human hair and then a finger in one of the pies…just as Bamford's freshly murdered body slides down the chute! Lovett informs Todd that Tobias has guessed what has been going on, so they will have to do something about him.

Anthony gets inside the asylum to rescue Johanna, but cannot bring himself to shoot the asylum owner when he tries to stop them, so Johanna seizes the pistol and does it herself, and the lunatics run into the street (City On Fire). Back in Fleet Street, Lovett and Todd search for Tobias, and the Beggar Woman searches for Bamford (Searching). Johanna (disguised as a sailor) and Anthony arrive to find the barber's shop unattended. Reassuring Johanna, Anthony departs to arrange transport to Plymouth. Left alone, Johanna hears the Beggar Woman enter and she hides. The Beggar Woman vaguely recognizes the room, but then Todd returns in order to wait for Turpin. He gives her a chance to leave, but she dithers, so, with Turpin getting closer, he kills her and sends her down the chute just before Turpin enters. Todd assures Turpin that Johanna is repentant (The Judge’s Return), and having lured him into a false sense of security, reveals his true identity. Turpin just has time to scream in recognition, “Benjamin Barker!”, before Todd slices his jugular and despatches him down the chute. The disguised Johanna emerges from her hiding place, and escapes before Todd can kill her too – each completely unaware that they are father and daughter! In the bakehouse (Final Scene), Lovett drags the Beggar Woman's body towards the oven, but Todd appears and, seeing the Beggar Woman’s lifeless face clearly for the first time, realizes she is his wife Lucie. Lovett reveals that she did not tell him the whole truth about Lucie because she has always loved him and wanted him for herself. Todd pretends to forgive her, but, while waltzing with her to the tune of Have a Little Priest, thrusts her into her own oven and slams the door. In despair, Todd embraces his dead wife. Tobias, now clearly insane, seizes Todd's discarded razor…and cuts Todd's throat. Johanna and Anthony appear in the bakehouse as Todd dies. Tobias, daydreaming and oblivious to them, turns the meat grinder.

Epilogue A final reprise of The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.

Lee Power, October 2015

WAOS Productions, 1974 to 2015

* = NODA Award winning production ^ = NODA Award other than for production

+ = NODA Programme Competition (National Winner) 1974 The Boy Friend 1987 Viva Mexico No, No, Nanette 1975 Bless the Bride 1988 Die Fledermaus Calamity Jane 1976 White Horse Inn The Gondoliers 1989 Kismet The Yeomen Of the Guard 1977 Orpheus In the Underworld Oklahoma! 1990 Fiddler On the Roof Half a Sixpence 1978 The Merry Widow The Geisha 1991 Oklahoma! The Merry Widow 1979 The Gypsy Baron Ruddigore 1992 Hello, Dolly! The Pirates of Penzance 1980 Lilac Time The Desert Song 1993 Blitz! * Camelot 1981 Free As Air Bitter Sweet 1994 Carousel Lilac Time 1982 Merrie England Carousel 1995 Charlie Girl The Mikado * 1983 Summer Song My Fair Lady 1996 Orpheus In the Underworld The Music Man 1984 The Gypsy Princess Brigadoon 1997 Kiss Me, Kate! Gigi * 1985 The Pajama Game Showboat 1998 Brigadoon Peg O’ My Heart 1986 Princess Ida The Rebel Maid 1999 Anything Goes Annie Get Your Gun 2000 In the Spotlight South Pacific ^ 2001 Robert and Elizabeth My Fair Lady 2002 Guys & Dolls Trial By Jury & Fiddler On the Roof ^ 2003 A Music Hall Extravaganza How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying 2004 Oklahoma! Jack the Ripper * ^ 2005 Calamity Jane ^ + Little Shop of Horrors 2006 Bye Bye Birdie The Slipper and The Rose 2007 The Boy Friend Carousel 2008 Moll Flanders ^ Salad Days 2009 Into the Woods * Songs That Won the War & Blitz! 2010 The Hired Man * South Pacific 2011 The Pajama Game The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas 2012 Bugsy Malone The Pirates of Penzance 2013 Children of Eden ^ Anything Goes 2014 Oklahoma! Oliver! 2015 Wuthering Heights Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Life Member

In recognition of her long association with Woking Amateur Operatic Society and her work performed on the Society’s behalf, we are pleased to acknowledge our life member:

Mrs Peggy Prosser

Patrons of the Society

The support of the following patrons of the Society is gratefully acknowledged:

Mrs T Amor Mrs J Grayson Mrs L Lawrence Mr R Slingo Mr & Mrs Brown Mrs P Knight Mr & Mrs Norris Mr & Mrs A Wellstead

Being a patron means that financial support can be given by those who wish to be involved with the Society, but who might be unable to spare the time to help in a more active manner. For a minimum annual subscription of £20, patrons receive:

advance booking facilities recognition in each show programme a complimentary copy of the Society newsletter Top Notes a complimentary programme when buying tickets for a show

If you would like to become a patron, please send your name, postal address, e-mail address and telephone number, along with your remittance, to:

Sue Gaastra, 18, Hill Close, Horsell, Woking, Surrey, GU21 4TE

or contact Sue by e-mail on sue@gandg.fsnet.co.uk

Mr Ray Kaye

Woking Amateur Operatic Society is sad to mark the passing of Ray Kaye, a Life Member of the Society, at the age of 89.

For the best part of 20 years, Ray was the stalwart of the set construction team and stage crew, although on one occasion he was press-ganged into appearing on stage and not just as stage crew. Thus, in our 1993 production of Camelot, Ray was knighted by King Arthur – becoming Sir Ray! – six times in one week!

Being from an earlier generation, Ray used hand tools and never took to using the more modern power tools. However, with his trusty saw he could cut straighter and more quickly than many others using modern equipment. Three other things that were hallmarks of Ray: he cycled everywhere throughout his life, which for many years included a daily ride to the Mount Pleasant sorting office and back to Sheerwater (a mere 56 miles!); he drank only tea, even at after-show parties; and he had a collection of over 12,000 78rpm records, including many operas. In fact, some of his recordings were so rare that even the BBC didn't have them in their record library!

Keith White, October, 2015

A selection of forthcoming productions in Surrey…

The Yeomen of the Guard Betchworth Operatic & Dramatic Society Nov 11 - 14 The Village Memorial Hall, Betchworth

Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime The Grayshott Stagers Nov 12 - 14 The Village Hall, Grayshott

The Sorcerer Banstead & Nork Amateur Operatic Society Nov 26 - 28 The Community Hall, Banstead

The Wizard of Oz (Royal Shakespeare Company version) Leatherhead Operatic Society Dec 9 - 12 Leatherhead Theatre

Little Red Riding Hood The Haslemere Thespians Jan 8 - 10 & 15 &16, 2016 Haslemere Hall

Aladdin The Peaslake Players Jan 22 - 24 & 28 - 30, 2016 The Memorial Hall, Peaslake

Whistle Down the Wind Farnham Operatic Society Jan 26 - 30, 2016 Farnham Maltings

The Grand Duke Godalming Operatic Society Feb 16 - 20, 2016 The Borough Hall, Godalming

Mozart’s The Magic Flute (English translation by Vincent Wood) Scene Change Productions, in association with WAOS Feb 23 - 27, 2016 Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking

The Grand Duke Godalming Operatic Society Feb 25 - 27, 2016 Leatherhead Theatre

Princess Ida The Camberley Savoy Singers Mar 9 - 12, 2016 Camberley Theatre

Sister Act The Haslemere Players Mar 15 - 19, 2016 Haslemere Hall

HMS Pinafore Epsom Light Opera Company Apr 12 - 16, 2016 Epsom Playhouse

The Drowsy Chaperone Woking Amateur Operatic Society May 3 - 7, 2016 Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking

Monty Python’s Spamalot Sutton Theatre Company May 11 - 14, 2016 Epsom Playhouse

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Production team and backstage credits Director………………………………..…………..………………...……….……………….…..………James Fortune Musical Director……………………………………………….……………..…………..…………………..Ian Peters

Assistant to the Director & Production Manager………..…………….……………….…..………Jennifer Bye Rehearsal Accompanists…………………………….…...Adam Blosse, Bob Good & Jonathan Rhodes-Smith

Stage Manager & Properties……………….…….……………………………………………………..Jennifer Bye Deputy Stage Manager………………………………………..………..…….…………………………Tracey Gillard Assistant Stage Managers…..…………………………………..…………….……....Mike Griffiths & Lisa Young

Set Design…………………………………………….…………………….……………….………...……Mike Bartlett Set Construction & Painting……..……………………………....Mike Bartlett, Mike Griffiths, Lorraine Landon, the cast & friends of the company

Lighting Design & Operation………………..………………..………………………………………..Richard Pike Follow Spots……………………………………………………………….………………..Tony Pike & Lisa Waugh Assisted by……………………………………………………………Gloria Endredi, Marc Thomas & Pat Waugh

Sound Design & Control………………………………………………………..…………….……. Stuart Vaughan Sound No.2…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………Jo Epps Sound Rigging…………………………………………………………………….……………...……….Stewart Epps

Make-up…………………………………………..……………James Fortune, Lynda Lawrence & Martine Young Mr Power’s Hair………………………………………………………………………....Elvis at Alley Barber, Epsom Costumes (hired)…….………..…………..………………………………..………Kris Benjafield & Diane Nichols Costumes (from the WAOS Wardrobe)…….…...................................….... Cathy Chappell & Martine Young

Sweeney Todd’s Barber’s Chair provided by………………..……………………….Propit Theatrical Prop Hire

Box Office………………………..…………………………………….………………….………………....Keith White Publicity & Marketing…………………………………………………..…………………….…….……..Brian Higgs Poster & Programme Cover Artwork………………………………….………………………...…….Mario Lenza Programme Design………………………………………………………………..…………………………Lee Power Programme Formatting…………………………………..………..……………………………….…..…..Lisa Young Front of House & Programme Photography……..…................…Lisa Young, Martine Young & Lee Power Programme Printing……………………………………….…………………………..…………………..Cherrill Print Front of House…………….Roger Thomas, with Brian Beamish, Brian Higgs, Peter Howitt, Geninne Menzies, Sylvie Petersen, June Saich, Peter Saich, Betty Stonard, John Tanner & Vale Tanner

Show Photography………………………………………………………………….….…………..………Peter Sillick

Woking Amateur Operatic Society Management Committee

Officers: Chairman: Lee Power Secretary: Jennifer Bye Treasurer: Keith White Business Manager: Martine Young

Non-officers: Membership Secretary: Sue Gaastra Publicity: Brian Higgs

Social Committee: Hannah Dare, Jenny Jordan, Mel Morrisey & Samantha Moylan-Heydt