Rosalind Ayres directs a stellar cast in this masterly, rediscovered, horror-thriller. Joanne Whalley stars as Mrs Lovett and Martin Jarvis as barber Sweeney Todd with Rufus Sewell, Jonathan Cake, Julian Sands, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Darren Richardson and Ian Ogilvy. Based on the novel by Thomas Prest.

It's 1785 in Fleet Street, during the reign of George III, with so many secrets and lies. What is the peculiar arrangement between Sweeney Todd and pie-shop owner, Mrs Lovett? What happened to the pearls? They were meant for lovely young Joanna. Is her sweetheart Mark lost at sea? What became of the messenger after entering Todd’s shop? Who is the new cook in Mrs Lovett’s bakehouse?

Can loyal Lieutenant Jeffrey (Rufus Sewell) and investigator Sir Richard Blunt (Jonathan Cake) unravel the dark mystery? A grim humour here - if there are killings, where are the bodies?

Cast:
Mrs Lovett…Joanne Whalley
Sweeney Todd…Martin Jarvis
Colonel Jeffrey…Rufus Sewell
Sir Richard Blunt…Jonathan Cake
Mark…Jack Cutmore-Scott
Tobias…Darren Richardson
Joanna…Moira Quirk
Arabella…Elizabeth Knowelden
Mr Oakley…Julian Sands
Major Bounce…Ian Ogilvy
Mr Grant…Alan Shearman
Morgan/Captain…Neil Dickson
Thornhill/Mundel/Crotchet…Matthew Wolf

Original music: A-Mnemonic

Dramatised by Archie Scottney, based on the novel by Thomas Prest

Director: Rosalind Ayres
A Jarvis and Ayres production for BBC Radio 4 Show less