'Sweeney Todd' slays 'em

"Sweeney Todd" is a ripping, slashing good time. Buckets of blood, gushers of gore, driven by Stephen Sondheim's driving score — I couldn't have liked it more, but then I have a strong stomach.

This Best of Broadway production, which opened Friday at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center, is the "revisionist" Sweeney, with the cast acting and singing and also playing instruments, being their own orchestra.

I hadn't seen this production before, and was amazed at how well it worked. I was sure that a cello would get smashed at some point, but there was not a single misstep.

Merritt David Janes is outstanding as Sweeney Todd, and Carrie Cimma is wonderful as his partner Mrs. Lovett. (She also plays a mean tuba.)

Duke Anderson is a handsome and believable Anthony, and his singing on "Johanna" was sweet and winsome. Johanna, the object of his love, was played by Wendy Muir, who had to do too much cello playing — rather inhibiting her acting.

David Alan Marshall is the evil Judge Turpin, and he made the most of "Johanna/The Judge's Song," dropped from the original Broadway production as too extreme.

Of course the biggest hit was "A Little Priest," the first act finale. I'm afraid I embarrassed myself just a bit, laughing so much I was gasping for breath. "City on Fire" and "Final Sequence" steam-rollered the action to its grisly conclusion.

The play continues tonight.

Get an early start to Halloween.