Chronicle Spring 2022

23 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

complex psychology and literally ‘become’ them, think like them, move like them. The entire cast was simply superb, night after night. Charlie Scales played Benjamin Barker, a barber who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, bent on vengeance for the rape and apparent death of his wife, Lucy (now a Beggar Woman, the talented and characterful Bianca Rizzini-Bisinelli ). From his first lines in ‘No place like London’ to the unfolding drama of ‘My Friends’, Charlie managed to convey the faceted nature of the devilish barber, portraying every aspect of his personality with an intensity that is rare to see in someone of his age. Now re-named as Mr Sweeney Todd, he resumes his trade while forming a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs Lovett ( Flossie Butler-Adams ). The striking relationship between the two actors was obvious from the first few lines of ‘Worst Pies in London’. Flossie’s five-star performance in her debut role as the infamous pie shopkeeper was a true revelation. Her ability to sing the highly-syncopated rhythms as well as hiding her most morbid plans, for instance in ‘A Little Priest’, was most convincing. p

Photo: Jonathan Eden

Ben Topping as The Beadle with Will Cruddas as Judge Turpin