Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Episode 1

What is Fleet Street barber Sweeney Todd鈥檚 secret? Why do his customers keep disappearing? What鈥檚 the link with Mrs Lovett鈥檚 pie-shop? And a string of valuable pearls?

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鈥檚 shop? Who is the new cook in Mrs Lovett鈥檚 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鈥oanne Whalley
Sweeney Todd鈥artin Jarvis
Colonel Jeffrey鈥ufus Sewell
Sir Richard Blunt鈥onathan Cake
Mark鈥ack Cutmore-Scott
Tobias鈥arren Richardson
Joanna鈥oira Quirk
Arabella鈥lizabeth Knowelden
Mr Oakley鈥ulian Sands
Major Bounce鈥an Ogilvy
Mr Grant鈥lan Shearman
Morgan/Captain鈥eil Dickson
Thornhill/Mundel/Crotchet鈥atthew 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 大象传媒 Radio 4

57 minutes

Last on

Sat 9 Dec 2023 15:00

More episodes

Previous

You are at the first episode

Next

See all episodes from Sweeney Todd and the String of Pearls

Broadcasts

  • Sun 14 Mar 2021 15:00
  • Sat 9 Dec 2023 15:00