Amelia Broome and Christopher Chew

Having directed Sweeney Todd twice before at other venues, Veloudos decided to take a fresh approach by viewing the story from the perspective of the title character, more so than that of his partner in crime, Mrs. Lovett, the pie shop proprietor. That being said, Amelia Broome deserves equal billing with Chew as she finds numerous ways to bring out the facets of her character whose love for Todd motivates her choices and seals her fate. They have many delicious scenes together, the best of which ("A Little Priest") finds them hatching their plan to eliminate the evidence of his dastardly deeds, while filling the coffers of her failing establishment. Broome's Lovett is more shrewd than shrew, more nurturer than nag, and focuses on her softness and sense of reason more than her obvious bizarre ideas.

As soon as Chew emerges from the midst of the Company in the opening scene, with his blazing eyes and shaggy mutton chops, he is a force commanding the stage. Although it is unlikely that you will look away, if you close your eyes when he sings, you know that his voice—angry, plaintive, powerful and more—is what Sweeney is supposed to sound like. However, he also builds the character from the vengeful Benjamin Barker who returns to London from exile into the madman who will remove anyone who gets in the way of his ultimate goal. Makeup helps to change his appearance, but the verisimilitude of Chew's performance as Sweeney is in his eyes and his fiendish expression.

On the same lofty level is Phil Tayler's performance as Tobias, the dim but affectionate young man whom Mrs. Lovett takes under her wing after Sweeney's impulsive act leaves him unemployed. Tayler captures Toby's childlike spirit and trusting innocence, and conveys his intense loyalty in the heartfelt "Not While I'm Around" when the veil is lifted and his mistrust of the barber takes shape. The chemistry between Tayler and Broome is palpable and he shadows her like a loving pet, even as he tiptoes around Sweeney as if fearing a swift kick (or worse).

Sam Simahk (the appropriately named Anthony Hope) and Meghan LaFlam (Johanna) are an ideal pair as the young lovers struggling to be together. Their innocence and desperation make us root for them as she tries to avoid marriage to Judge Turpin, her much older guardian who is a pedophile and Sweeney's quarry. A rising senior at The Boston Conservatory making her Lyric Stage debut, LaFlam has the voice of a songbird ("Green Finch and Linnet Bird") and doesn't miss a step on Johanna's path from sweet, young virgin to discovering first love to the panicked prey when she attempts to flee from Turpin's ardor. With a matinee idol face and the silky voice to go with it, Simahk is an endearing good guy hoping to rescue the fair maiden, but he quickly grows wiser as he takes his lumps along the way.

As much as we cheer on the youngsters, if this were a silent movie, we'd jeer and hiss at Paul Soper's Turpin and his sidekick, the oily, nefarious Beadle played by Remo Airaldi. They are so good at being bad that their appointments with destiny can't come quickly enough. Both of these veteran performers are welcome additions to Lyric's roster. The operatic vocalizing of Davron S. Monroe (Adolfo Pirelli) packs a punch, and his foppish charlatan is a cross between Little Richard and The Drowsy Chaperone's Aldolpho. Lisa Yuen plays the Beggar Woman less pitifully than I have seen before, but replaces that condition with a higher quotient of crassness and urgency.

The ensemble members play the townspeople, those who patronize the pie shop and the barber shop, and the lunatics who reside in Fogg's Asylum. However, the elite eight—Rishi Basu, Teresa Winner Blume, Shonna Cirone, Serge Clivio, Christina English, Sarah Kornfield, Aaron Michael Ray, Matt Spano—collectively comprise another "character" in the play that has a constant presence—a Greek Chorus, in effect. And, oh, the voices in that chorus! Their impact cannot be overstated nor sufficiently praised, but Veloudos and Goldberg have molded them into a cohesive force that does justice to Sondheim's incredible and challenging score.

The direction and staging by Veloudos take full advantage of the two-tiered set designed by Janie E. Howland, with its spiral staircase and useful trap doors, as well as the two alleyways which lead out of the theater to the lobby. The lighting design by Franklin Meissner, Jr. employs shadows and darkness, as well as lots of red, to imply menace, danger and blood. Costumes by Rafael Jaen primarily feature dingy, drab tones, evoking poverty, ashes and death. Kudos to dialect coach Bryn Austin for authentic accents across the entire cast, and the sound design by Andrew Duncan Will allows the dialogue, singing, and music to be heard clearly. Credit Omar Robinson for choreographing the action, and there's plenty of it.

Following the success of the Lyric Stage's record-breaking production of Into the Woods in the spring, it's great news for Sondheim aficionados that Veloudos has chosen to try his hand again on the composer's masterpiece. Drawing on his past experiences with the show, his love for Sondheim and his track record of making magic in this intimate space, Veloudos and company succeed in crafting a piece of theater that is transporting. Expect to lose your head at Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street performances through October 11, 2014, at The Lyric Stage Company, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA; Box Office 617-585-5678 or www.lyricstage.com.

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by Hugh Wheeler, From an Adaptation by Christopher Bond; Directed and Staged by Spiro Veloudos; Music Director, Jonathan Goldberg; Scenic Design, Janie E. Howland; Costume Design, Rafael Jaen; Lighting Design, Franklin Meissner, Jr.; Sound Design, Andrew Duncan Will; Dialect Coach, Bryn Austin; Action Choreography, Omar Robinson; Assistant to the Director, Sarah Metcalf; Production Stage Manager, Nerys Powell; Assistant Stage Manager, Margaret Kayes

Cast: Christopher Chew, Amelia Broome, Sam Simahk, Meghan LaFlam, Phil Tayler, Paul C. Soper, Remo Airaldi, Lisa Yuen, Davron S. Monroe, Rishi Basu, Teresa Winner Blume, Shonna Cirone, Serge Clivio, Christina English, Sarah Kornfeld, Aaron Michael Ray, Matt Spano

Photo: Mark S. Howard