Whether you love, hate or are indifferent to them, stage musicals rely on many things in order to succeed. A decent score doesn’t hurt, naturally, but it helps to have a sharp script, continuity, choreography, good acting, tasteful sets, costumes and a reasonable ensemble. When it’s on the money it can be nothing short of breathtaking, but a more recent trend is to put the music itself at centre stage and present the songs in concert form. The line-up is generally star-studded, but the shows generally arrive at the expense of many of the aforementioned crucial elements. Despite the leaner rehearsal period, it’s an easier (and doubtless cheaper) way to stage a production but, for mine, it’s not unlike visiting some actor friends at home and watching them perform scenes from Alien in their living room. No matter how talented they are, it sure ain’t deep space.

Still, as musicals go, Sweeney Todd is an absolute cracker. Stephen Sondheim premiered his ‘black operetta’ in 1979 and, after driving away with a meat wagon full of awards, had theatre luvvies the world over fanning themselves with rapturous abandon and rightfully proclaiming him the new Bard of Broadway. The tale revolves around our man Sweeney, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, who in bloody revenge for the loss of his beloved wife and daughter, sets up shop above a decrepit pie shop where he cuts a swathe through London’s higher classes. In exchange for rent, Sweeney provides the delightfully fiendish Mrs. Lovett with the meat for her pies and a sinister and often hilarious business partnership is formed.

One thing that this version brings to the party that you won’t fit in your average orchestra pit is the San Francisco Symphony. Rest assured that if you are a fan of the music, you are unlikely to hear fuller versions of your favourites than right here. Nothing delivers a dramatic sting quite like a full symphony orchestra all hitting their mark in unison and if you can’t appreciate the addition of a full string section to absolutely anything then perhaps its best you don’t even open the case.

Aside from the wonderfully wicked score, the cast represent some of the biggest names from the world of opera and musical theatre. As could be expected, George Hearn appears to relish the plum role of the Demon Barber and at times (like during the show’s eponymous title track) threatens to blow the covers right off your speakers. Although the role of Mrs Lovett would be better played with a little more whimsy, Patti Lupone (dodgy accent aside) does a serviceable job although, with her rich musical theatre background, she seems occasionally overwhelmed by some of her more operatic peers. The revelation, of course, comes from Neil Patrick Harris in the role of Tobias Ragg. Harris is probably best known for his portrayal of one of the '80s’ more punch-worthy icons, Doogie Howser. Would we have wanted to strangle him less if we had heard him sing? Probably not.

Despite my own half-baked misgivings on the merits of a concert version over a full-blown musical production, Sweeney Todd in Concert still serves its target market well, and if you are a fan of the music then you are unlikely to find it in better shape than right here on this disc.

Thankfully, the production values on Sweeney Todd in Concert are of a very high standard indeed. Given that the stage is dimly lit to better suit the performance's dark content, the clarity and definition of its shadows are excellent with the picture crisp at all times. Generally, the most troublesome visual element to make the transition from live performance to disc successfully is that of stage lighting. There are no such problems here with all colours appearing as rich and as vibrant as their maker intended. Presented in 1.33:1, Sweeney Todd is a benchmark in concert presentation and a perfect example of the levels that can now be achieved. With the DVD market so healthy, why should we settle for less?

It would be a crime to offer a Symphony Orchestra presentation in anything less than full surround and, fortunately for us all, we get the choice of Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 and the old standard Dolby Digital 2.0. Naturally, the two surround options have the most to offer while the stereo mix is still perfectly acceptable and all three capture the feel of live concert performance as well as can be hoped for. There are no noticeable problems with synch or dialogue and even during the quieter moments the orchestration remains crisp. Turn up the volume and just try to remain unmoved when that choir hits full tilt.

Aside from a sparse biography section on the director and only three of the cast, the disc contains a twenty-five minute documentary on the Making of Sweeney Todd. Informative and always interesting, the feature gives a fascinating peek at the backstage workings and preparation needed for a concert of this magnitude. Including all-important insight from an impossibly youthful Stephen Sondheim (the guy is 73 and looks better than half the cast), The Making of Sweeney Todd is in many ways more interesting than its core subject.

Musical Theatre buffs are a funny lot. In their own inimitable way they are as dedicated and as loyal to their heroes as the most slavish, drooling rock music fan. If you number among them and are reading this review, chances are you already own this disc and are wringing your hands and hyper-ventilating over my shabby treatment of Ms Lupone. The point is, Sweeney Todd in Concert caters to a target audience and it is one that will doubtless make them very happy, but maybe its true value lies in its potential to sway those that aren’t already in love with the medium. As good as this disc is, it’s likely destined to preach to the choir.

PS. Nice work, Doogie…