By Diane Parkes
Actor Ramin Karimloo has sung many of the most iconic roles in musical theatre including the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables but, despite a career which has seen him performing on Broadway and the West End, this summer is the first time he will play Sweeney Todd.
Ramin takes up the cut-throat razor of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in a new production of the Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler hit musical produced by Birmingham Rep and directed by the theatre’s Artistic Director Joe Murphy which premieres on 4 July.
And the Iranian-Canadian actor, singer and songwriter is looking forward to bringing the role to life.
“Sweeney is one of those rare characters who feels almost inexhaustible,” Ramin explains. “On the surface, he’s become this mythic figure, almost a cautionary tale, but underneath that is a man shaped by loss, injustice and a kind of emotional fracture that feels very human.
“Sweeney is one of those rare characters who feels almost inexhaustible,” Ramin explains. “On the surface, he’s become this mythic figure, almost a cautionary tale, but underneath that is a man shaped by loss, injustice and a kind of emotional fracture that feels very human.
“What draws me to him isn’t a desire to define him too quickly but to explore that space between the man he was and the figure he becomes.
“There’s something unsettlingly relatable in that. The idea of how far someone can be pushed and what happens when grief and anger go unresolved.”
Based on a Victorian Penny Dreadful, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street tells the story of Benjamin Barker who is wrongfully sent to a penal colony and returns to London bent on revenge. Taking the new name of Sweeney Todd and opening a barber’s shop, he joins forces with the baker Mrs Lovett to launch a murderous regime in which he cuts the throats of his customers and Mrs Lovett turns them into tasty pies.
Ramin, who will be sharing the stage with Meow Meow as Mrs Lovett and David Bedella as Judge Turpin, is keen to delve into the multi-layered character of Sweeney.
“The role feels like a real gift. With Sondheim, so much of the work is already there on the page, in the language, in the rhythm, in the way the music carries thought and emotion. You’re not having to impose something onto it - you’re listening, responding, and allowing it to lead you.
“Of course, there’s a responsibility that comes with a role people know so well, but for me the focus is always on staying present with it rather than trying to measure up to anything outside the room.
“The richness of the writing gives you permission to explore, to sit in the contradictions, and to trust that if you honour what’s there, something truthful will come through.”
Premiered on Broadway in 1979, Sweeney Todd is often described as one of the most demanding musical theatre roles to sing but Ramin says it is about working with the music.
“I think ‘challenge’ can sometimes be the wrong word - it’s more about precision and trust. With Sondheim, the music and the text are so intricately connected that you can’t separate the two. Every rhythm, every shift in melody is carrying thought, so the work is really about honouring that rather than trying to push against it.
“If you stay present and let the writing lead, it actually supports you. The discipline is in listening closely enough to follow it, rather than imposing something on top of it.”
Sondheim, whose other works include Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George, is a stalwart of 20th century musical theatre with Sweeney Todd being one of his most popular shows.
“I think Sweeney Todd works on a few levels at once,” Ramin says. “It has the scale and thrill of something almost operatic but at its core it’s a very human story about loss, love, and what happens when those things become distorted. That combination makes it both entertaining and unsettling in equal measure.
“I think Sweeney Todd works on a few levels at once,” Ramin says. “It has the scale and thrill of something almost operatic but at its core it’s a very human story about loss, love, and what happens when those things become distorted. That combination makes it both entertaining and unsettling in equal measure.
“And then, of course, you have the writing. Stephen Sondheim created something incredibly rich. It’s dark, it’s funny, it’s precise and it doesn’t ask the audience to sit comfortably. It invites them to lean in, to question, and to recognize elements of themselves in places they might not expect. That’s what gives it a kind of lasting power.”
For Ramin, the attraction of the show is not just having the chance to play Sweeney but being able to do so in a new production here in Birmingham.
“What really drew me in was the opportunity to work with Joe Murphy. From our first conversations, there was an energy and openness that felt both inspiring and supportive. It didn’t feel like coming in with fixed ideas, but rather the chance to explore something together.
“What really drew me in was the opportunity to work with Joe Murphy. From our first conversations, there was an energy and openness that felt both inspiring and supportive. It didn’t feel like coming in with fixed ideas, but rather the chance to explore something together.
“That sense of collaboration is hugely important to me. The Rep has a real history of nurturing bold, actor-led work, and this felt like the right place and the right people to take on something as rich and demanding as this piece.”
He is looking forward to spending time in the city.
“I wouldn’t say I know Birmingham particularly well, even though I have worked there a few times over the years. But that is actually something I’m looking forward to changing. There’s something nice about arriving somewhere without too many preconceptions and allowing yourself to discover it as you go.
“I wouldn’t say I know Birmingham particularly well, even though I have worked there a few times over the years. But that is actually something I’m looking forward to changing. There’s something nice about arriving somewhere without too many preconceptions and allowing yourself to discover it as you go.
“For me, it’s often less about ticking off specific places and more about getting a feel for the city, its rhythm, its people, its character. That usually ends up feeding the work in ways you don’t expect, so I’m looking forward to spending time there and letting that side of it reveal itself.”
And he hopes his portrayal of Sweeney will also bring new revelations to the audience. “I came to the piece without a long personal history with it, so I didn’t feel tied to any one interpretation from the outset. That’s been quite freeing in a way, because it allows you to approach it with fresh eyes and let the work speak to you as you go.
“I hope audiences feel engaged by it, that they lean in, that it stays with them in some way, whether that’s through the music, the story or something more personal. It’s a piece that doesn’t sit comfortably and I think there’s something valuable in that. If it sparks a reaction or a conversation, then it’s doing its job.”
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street plays Birmingham Rep between 4 July and 9 August, see www.birmingham-rep.co.uk for more details and tickets.
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