Rick Pender
Bloomsbury
2 October 2025
264
eBook - PDF
Non-Fiction/Theatre
ARC via NetGalley
An award-winning Sondheim expert dives into all facets of this unique, murder-filled masterpiece—its slimy roots, original production, characters from killers to lovers to bakers, soaring score, gripping storytelling, and lasting power.
This bloody tale is often considered one of the greatest musicals of all time. Rick Pender provides a kaleidoscopic view and interweaves a wealth of archival materials and insights, starting with the show’s 19th-century gruesome literary origins and Christopher Bond’s 1970 stage adaptation that inspired Sondheim to transform it into a Broadway musical. Pender extensively explores the show’s development and its Tony Award-winning original 1979 production, focusing on Sondheim’s majestic score and the show’s masterfully written and intricately plotted book by Hugh Wheeler. Also profiled are members of the all-star creative team led by producer/director Harold Prince as well as legendary orchestrator Jonathan Tunick, renowned musical director Paul Gemignani, and the original cast, including Len Cariou, Angela Lansbury, Victor Garber, Sarah Rice, Edmund Lyndeck, Ken Jennings, and Merle Louise.
The book surveys major, subsequent productions by theater and opera companies, as well as Tim Burton’s dark cinematic adaptation featuring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter. Critical assessments of the original production and numerous adaptations are shared, including John Doyle’s 2005 Tony Award-winning actor/musician production and the 2023 revival starring Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford. The book ends with a look at the musical’s cultural impacts and legacy. Rick Pender provides riveting exploration of Sweeney Todd will please fans of musical theatre, Sondheim enthusiasts, and those who gravitate to horror stories.
As a long-time fan of Sweeney Todd, I was naturally excited to read a book dedicated to it, and Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd certainly has a lot to offer fans of the show, including a discussion of the original conception of the musical, a look at major productions, and an overview of all the songs. At first I wondered why foreign productions were being ignored; however, there was an appendix at the end that outlined some of the major productions across the world. Overall, the book provided interesting reading, and the various aspects of the show and its creation had clearly been well researched. The book will appeal to fans of musicals who like to know how shows were developed, and to fans of Sondheim and Sweeney Todd in particular. I am giving it four stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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