the genius that be stephen sondheim be never more prominently display a it be in his 1979 musical thriller sweeney todd and a gothic and gory and grisly and yet delicious musical concoction about a demented barber who return to london to exact revenge on the evil judge who not only have him permanently exile from london and but who be also raise his daughter a his own and plan to marry her to shield her from all the evil of the world . the barber find love and sympathy and and assistance from a lonely pie shop owner who have her own agenda where todd be concern . this musical rock broadway and win nine tony award and include best musical and best actress in a musical ( angela lansbury ) . the production be film in it entirety in 1982 with angela lansbury recreate her broadway role a mrs. lovett and the daffy pie shop owner who find a practical use for the head that todd make mincemeat out of . george hearn and who replace len cariou on broadway and be electrify in the title role and so much so that you have to wonder why he wasn not originally cast in the role . lansbury and hearn be rivet from start to finish and commit 100 % to their ghoulish character aid and by a first rate sondaheim score and probably the close thing sondheim have write to an opera . lansbury shine on the bad pie in london and by the sea . george hearn stop the show with epiphany and be also compel during pretty woman and a duet he sing with judge turpin and the man he have swear revenge on . cris groendahl be vocally impressive a antony and the young sailer who rescue todd and fall for his daughter johanna . betsy joselyn be a little over the top a johanna and really push vocally to the point that during green funch and linnet bird she actually drive her voice off pitch during a couple of moment . the rest of the cast be first rate and especially edmund lyndeck a judge turpin who get to perform johanna in this production and which be cut from the original production and ken jennings a toby and whose gorgeous tenor fill the auditorium on not while i be around . but it be breathtaking musical score by stephen sondheim and the mesmerizing performance by lansbury an especially george hearn that make this night of gothic musical theater an experience that stay with you long after curtain call . not for all taste and but if youre game and have strong heart and sweeney todd be a joy for all music theater lover and a must for fan of stephen sondheim and angela lansbury .