Josh Groban Replaces Johnny Depp in His Darkest Role: How Did He Do In 'Sweeney Todd'?

The Broadway revival of the Stephen Sondheim masterpiece, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, is underway now at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York. The production boasts an all-star cast of characters, including the golden-throated Josh Groban as Sweeney himself and Stranger Things‘ Gaten Matarazzo as Toby.

Gaten Matarazzo as Toby in Sweeney Todd — Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

The production, as viewed in their performance on the night of Wednesday, May 3, was nothing short of fantastic. The staging was simple, yet inspired, utilizing only a gangway, a tower structure, some movable stairs, and a pie counter to make up the various stagings on set. The show’s famous blood and gore was left mostly up to the imagination, but to great effect, and the famous slide down to hell from the barber’s chair was exactly as smooth an effect as one might hope.

Avid fans of Sondheim’s work and lovers of Tim Burton films alike may be wondering about how the play stacks up when compared to the 2007 film. The two interpretations are very different, but the film definitely takes out many of the signature Sondheim-esque elements – particularly the chorus.

Anyone who saw this production, however, would likely agree that they were one of the best parts of the show; if anything, we could have used more of their frequent creepy, dissonant interludes. They create a level of distance from the story that is necessary to truly appreciate its humor – humor that there is not much of in the film.

That element of humor continues over into the performances of the characters: Annaleigh Ashford creates a hilariously manic picture of Mrs. Lovett, much more similar to Angela Lansbury’s original interpretation than to Helena Bonham Carter’s more solemn, dreary version of the piemaker. If you thought “A Little Priest” was funny before, just wait until you can see this one.

Annaleigh Ashford and Josh Groban performing A Little Priest in Sweeney Todd on Broadway — Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Sweeney himself also contains a softness that you don’t ever see in Johnny Depp’s interpretation of the character.

Depp seems to entirely separate the two personas of Sweeney Todd and Benjamin Barker, and any remaining vestiges of humor he had clearly left him when he changed his name. Groban’s Sweeney, however, clearly still retains much of his original personality – there is darkness in him, but it is covering up the memory of a softer, kinder man, whose dry wit and heavy heart somehow managed to survive his ordeal in Australia.

Josh Groban’s performance is overall a warmer one, and that lends more sympathy to all of his actions as a character. The easiest place to illustrate that difference is the end, when Sweeney accidentally kills his own wife.

In both instances, she is a throwaway kill: He doesn’t know who she is, and he just needs to get her out of there before the judge arrives, and she’s nobody, so surely it won’t matter, right?

In the film, this is exactly how it’s played: Depp’s Todd only looks at her as another body. But in this production, Groban’s Todd still shows hesitation: Killing her is not his first, or even his second, choice. He cries, in anguish, “there’s no time!” before slicing her throat and sending her into the cellar below.

Annaleigh Ashford and Josh Groban with the chorus of Sweeney Todd — Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Similarly, when he finds the body, Depp’s Todd reacts only with a slow sort of shock and anger, as though he is already numbed to what he’s done.

Conversely, Groban’s Todd lets out a strangled, heart-wrenching “OH NO!!!” that pierces the soul, and drives home the central tragedy of the story: That Sweeney Todd became so consumed by wanting revenge for his family that he ended up killing the only family he had left. If he hadn’t disregarded human life as easily as the judge had, he might have avoided his terrible fate.

Overall, this new production of Sweeney Todd puts back all of the wonderful bits of humor and intrigue that the movie took out, while still making itself distinct from the original Broadway production. It has a distinct warmth that one certainly wouldn’t expect from a musical about killing barbershop customers and making them into pies, and it is incredibly different from the Burton film that most people know.

If you have the opportunity to see it, it is not to be missed: Tickets are on sale now.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and may not reflect Inside the Magic as a whole.