La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts delivers a Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street unlike anything audiences have seen before. Under the imaginative direction of Jason Alexander, the production reimagines Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s dark musical through the setting of an asylum, a bold conceptual choice that reframes the story in haunting and thought-provoking ways. As someone who has seen multiple productions of Sweeney Todd, this interpretation felt entirely new. The asylum setting raises compelling questions throughout the performance: what is real, and what is illusion? That uncertainty deepens the psychological weight of the story and gives the characters an added layer of intensity.

The staging is both beautiful and purposeful, enhancing the production’s emotional impact. Alexander makes striking use of multiple stage levels to visually represent authority, loss, confusion, and emotional fracture. Complementing the staging is a striking lighting design and the use of additional sound elements, which heighten the musical’s frightful tone without overpowering it. These technical choices intensify the unease and suspense while still honoring everything this beloved musical stands for its dark humor, emotional depth, and operatic grandeur.

One of the production’s most striking visual motifs is the use of what appear to be rose petals, symbolizing blood, a detail that reflects just how carefully Jason Alexander considered every aspect of the storytelling. The slow, deliberate movement of the petals, drifting in different directions, reinforces the sense of caution and intention behind the production, underscoring the weight of each action and its consequences. These moments add a poetic quality to the violence, transforming it into something symbolic rather than purely literal.

Without spoiling the production, there is a particularly powerful moment during Sweeney Todd’s psychological breaking point in which Alexander employs circular movement on a repeated loop. This choice vividly illustrates the emotional strain experienced by both Todd and Mrs. Lovett, while also exploring the effects of mental illness, illusion, and reality within the asylum setting. Once again, the audience is left questioning what is real and whether we, as observers, are the ones losing our grip on reality. This moment encapsulates the heart of Alexander’s vision, boldly revealing the deeper meaning behind this reimagined Sweeney Todd. It is a brilliant and unforgettable theatrical choice.

Leslie Margherita, starring as Mrs. Lovett, delivers an exceptional performance, handling every line with precision and charm. Her interpretation of the beloved character is witty, lovely, and genuinely funny, bringing warmth and humanity to a role often played for pure comedy. Opposite her, Will Swenson’s Sweeney Todd offers a perspective rarely explored. Rather than presenting Todd as purely revenge-driven, Swenson focuses on the character’s emotional wounds and humanity. His portrayal emphasizes hurt over hatred, exploring how Todd’s pain fuels his actions as he searches for truth.

While the production retains the eerie, unsettling qualities that define Sweeney Todd, this musical version places its greatest emphasis on metaphor: the corrosive nature of hurt, the consequences of revenge, and the fragile line between sanity and obsession. Jason Alexander’s vision transforms a familiar classic into a deeply affecting psychological experience, one that respects the legacy of the musical while daring to challenge the audience in new and powerful ways.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Musical Thriller directed by Jason Alexander plays performances until February 22, 2026 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Get Your Tickets!