To call Tooting Arts Club’s production of Sweeney Todd a massive success is somewhat of an understatement! A sold-out house every night, glowing reviews across the board, and even a visit from the show’s creator, Stephen Sondheim – it really couldn’t have gone any better for them! We caught up with producer Rachel Edwards for a quick chat about it.

Hi Rachel! Thanks for talking to us. So, what gave you the idea to stage Sweeney in Harrington’s Pie Shop?

Well, last year we were looking around for new spaces in Tooting – after all, we’re a theatre company for the community based in the community. As we don’t have a dedicated theatre, we’re constantly on the hunt for somewhere innovative and original to stage a new show. This led me to Harrington’s Pie Shop, and I suddenly thought, “wouldn’t it be great to do Sweeney here?” It’s also Sondheim’s original idea that Sweeney should be staged in a small space, so it was ideal!

How did it all come together?

I approached Harrington’s in March, and they loved the idea. We then had to apply for the rights to stage the play, and that took a few weeks to come through. After that we started raising funds, planning, auditioning etc! Once we were up and running, it all went miraculously smoothly!

What did Harrington’s think of it?

They loved it! And they were so supportive. We were careful not to interfere with the day to day running of the shop, we didn’t want to be an imposition. Dave, the pie maker, would cook pies whilst the cast and crew were getting ready. But not only that, they’d support us every step of the way, even doing our washing when needed! They were amazing, completely invaluable and we couldn’t have done it without them!

And there was the odd Hollywood star dropping in?

Yeah, James Franco somehow heard about it and came along!  He was lovely, and we think he had a great time (his Twitter account suggests as much).

Hollywood stars are all very well, but tell us about Stephen Sondheim turning up?

Yes, how amazing! He’s always aware of his productions around the world, so came along on the last night. You could’ve heard a pin drop when he turned up, everyone was in awe! He seemed to really like it and spent a lot with the cast afterwards, he was so kind and enthusiastic and it was of course wonderful to have him there. I was a very emotional moment for everyone, an amazing honour and a life memory that we’ll all cherish! So special!

It really capped off a brilliant eight months. Everyone worked so hard, and I’m amazed by what we achieved. It was an incredible experience and everyone was fantastic – not just the cast and crew, but the pie shop, Anton’s Barber Shop across the road (who hosted our box office and bar) and the community as a whole. We’ve been so touched by all the positive comments, and by everyone’s enthusiasm and support for the project. It was a real lesson on what’s possible!

Will there be a repeat performance?

Possibly, we hope to! We’d very much like to.

What’s next for Tooting Arts Club?

We’re gonna have a lie-down! But we’ve got a few ideas, we’ll be back in 2015!