SWEENEY TODD at the Birmingham Rep cast discuss revival | Ramin Karimloo, Meow Meow, & David Bedella INTERVIEW

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Sweeney Todd at the Birmingham Rep – Cast Interview

Podcast: MickeyJoTheatre
Host: MickeyJoTheatre (Mickey-Jo)
Guests: Ramin Karimloo, Meow Meow, David Bedella
Date: June 21, 2026

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Main Theme

This episode brings listeners an in-depth conversation with the stars of the Birmingham Rep’s eagerly anticipated new production of Sweeney Todd: Ramin Karimloo (Sweeney Todd), Meow Meow (Mrs. Lovett), and David Bedella (Judge Turpin). The group discusses the production’s bold choices, the process of tackling Stephen Sondheim’s musical, character development, the resonance of the show’s themes in the present day, and backstage details.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Production Approach and Musical Style

• Chamber-style Sweeney:
  The cast emphasizes the revival’s unique approach, adapting Sweeney Todd to a more intimate, chamber-style staging with a smaller ensemble and orchestra.
  • David Bedella: “It’s a glorious and a big set, but this is a chamber piece… much more exposed and… intimate.” [00:36]
  • Orchestra: Only 9 members, with sampled 1790s organ sounds as the sonic core.
  • Meow Meow: “It’s all built around the organ sounds, really, that they’ve sampled from various 1790s organs.” [01:15]
  • The setting has shifted to Georgian England, focusing on “heightened era of excess,” tying into themes of corruption in the state and church. [08:13]

2. Process of Rehearsing Sondheim

• Ensemble complexities:
  • David Bedella, returning after playing Sweeney previously but now in another role, found a new appreciation:

    “There are harmonies that are beyond belief in this piece... six and seven-part harmonies going in all different clashing directions. It’s really, really difficult.” [02:14]

  • Small company – actors often double with ensemble tracks, resulting in challenging, multifaceted performances.
• First-time Sondheim leads:
  • Ramin Karimloo: Initially intimidated, finds “the reputation of the show is warranted because it is so good and it’s so relevant still, and I’m having a blast.” [03:14]
  • Meow Meow: Fascinated by the depth and flexibility the music offers actors, valuing options for nuanced performance:

    “You don’t feel that it’s driving you, but you still got so many little nuances... which I’m really loving.” [04:01]

3. Characters & Relevance

• On iconic roles:
  • Ramin Karimloo:

    “It wasn’t a role I coveted. It sort of found me at a time when I was, I guess, ready for it... The key for me, I’m finding, is don’t play what you think the reputation is… it’s more about the why of now and the why of me in it now.” [05:37]

  • Meow Meow: Draws connections to morality tales, the Beggars Opera, and the ongoing relevance of obsession, revenge, and survival:

    “Why do we do things? When is it about survival? And when is it, you know, morality? ... There’s centuries, really, of morality tales that are coming out in this Broadway musical, which I love.” [07:01]

  • Modern resonance: The cast repeatedly notes how Sweeney Todd remains resonant given “the state of the world.”

4. Personal Approach & Voice

• David Bedella highlights the rarity of true bass-baritone lead roles:

  “There are so few roles that are written for our vocal range. Especially… the higher you sing, the more you work.” [09:43]

5. Memories of Sondheim & Previous Encounters

• David Bedella: Worked with Sondheim on Road Show, recalls Sondheim’s emotional and supportive response:

  “He came to work with us for a bit and was in tears… said he thought they finally fixed it.” [10:44]

• Meow Meow and Ramin Karimloo share brief stories about meeting Sondheim, reinforcing his openness to new interpretations.
• Sondheim was “not a traditionalist,” loved seeing how each new team reimagined his work. [11:23]

6. Favorite Lyrics and Sondheim’s Wordplay

• Host and actors banter about favorite lines and the “feast” of wordplay.
• MickeyJo: “Shepherd’s pie peppered with actual shepherd on top. You think of that, and that’s reason enough to write the entire show.” [12:16]
• Discussion reveals sly Sondheim references to other musicals (Annie, “Tomorrow”), plus embedded musical in-jokes across the score. [12:47 - 13:12]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why the show feels so electric:
  Meow Meow:

  “It makes us go, why am I laughing? This is horrible. And it’s magnificent and it’s frightening... when it’s really going… it is absolutely terrifying. And I really love that. It’s between fable and truth.” [14:18]

• On what audiences should take away:
  Meow Meow (jokingly):

  “Don’t eat your friends unless it’s in a nice way.” [14:00]
  Karimloo:
  “We can’t sit there and tell the audience what to feel or what their takeaway should be. It’s hopefully sitting uncomfortably being present with us and then seeing what unfolds there.” [16:10]

• On Sondheim’s global mashup:
  Meow Meow:

  “It’s an American man writing his version of Cockney London… I love the cross-cultural thing of it, actually, because that’s the truth of who we are. We’re, you know, all things plus imagination.” [16:33]

• On pies (comic relief):
  Discussion of favorite pies, from blueberry and fruit pies (Bedella and Karimloo) to British savory pies (host) and a running gag about Nutella pies. [17:17–18:54]

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Important Timestamps & Segments

• Production approach and chamber setting: [00:36 – 01:59]
• Challenges of rehearsing Sondheim: [02:14 – 03:07]
• First-time Sondheim actor impressions: [03:14 – 04:01]
• Character and thematic depth: [05:20 – 09:14]
• Historical context and research: [07:01 – 09:43]
• On Sondheim’s visits and flexibility: [10:44 – 11:45]
• Wordplay & lyric love: [12:03 – 13:12]
• Audience takeaway and live theatre magic: [13:57 – 16:33]
• Pie banter & rehearsal anecdotes: [17:03 – 18:54]
• Performance dates and ticket info: [19:30 – 19:48]
• Closing appreciation for Rep theatre and the host: [20:07 – 20:34]

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Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is lively, smart, and filled with warmth, respect, theatre in-jokes, and occasional irreverence. The cast’s camaraderie and mutual admiration for Sondheim and each other shines through, complementing insights with laughter and genuine excitement.

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Final Thoughts

The episode offers an engaging behind-the-scenes look at a fresh, intimate take on Sweeney Todd, highlighting the enduring power of Sondheim’s work and the deep connections actors forge with both material and audience. For fans of musical theatre, Sondheim, or the show, it’s a delicious sampler of what awaits at the Birmingham Rep.

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Transcript

[A]

Oh, my God. Hey. I am here outside of the Birmingham Rep, where a brand new production of Sweeney Todd is currently in rehearsals. I'm here to talk to the show's stars, Ramin Karimlou, Meow Meow. And David Bedella, and see what they can tell me about this revival. Oh, my God. Hey, everybody. Nice to meet you all. Nice to see you all. Sweeney Todd here at the Birmingham Rep. It is selling very quickly. It's a very exciting casting moment. First question, what can you tell me with so far in rehearsals, about what we can expect from this production?

[B]

Would you start, David?

[C]

We're also ready to jump in. Gosh. Intensity, beautiful voices, a really interesting set. I think it's a glorious and a big set, but this is a chamber piece. Originally, it was written by Sondheim as a chamber piece, so we've got very few instruments and it's. It's much more exposed and it's much more intimate. Although we're playing to such a broad house, it's going to be a real mix of. Of feel, I think.

[B]

And what is our orchestra? Is it seven or nine? I think it's nine.

[C]

I don't know, but I know that it's very pair.

[B]

But the noise they make. Yeah, it's loud.

[C]

Something.

[D]

No, it's magnificent. We had a. We had a. Both of you don't mind. We had a little run. We heard the orchestra rehearsing and that was thrilling because it's all built around the organ sounds, really, that they've sampled 1790s various organs. And it's because we're resetting the whole show, so it's quite. Are we allowed to say that?

[B]

I think so, yeah.

[A]

Yeah, you've said it now.

[D]

Yeah, I take it back. I think we've just done a run of Act 1 and so I'm in full hysteria. I would have to say panic mode. Panic hysteria. So let me calm down and say the orchestra. Small but mighty.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Well, let's talk about doing Sondheim, which is my favorite kind of theatre to see. Are the musicals scored by Stephen Sondheim? And you have done Sweeney Todd before?

[C]

Yes.

[A]

And now you're returning to the show playing a different role. How's that? How's that going?

[C]

It's making me realize that I had no idea how hard everyone else works, because Sweeney is rather straightforward. You're always singing the melody of your own song. There are harmonies that are beyond belief in this piece to get through the ensemble of God. That's good. With six and seven part harmonies going in all different clashing directions. It's really, really difficult.

[A]

God, that's hard. Yeah.

[C]

It's not easy. So, yeah, I have an appreciation for the depth of the work that the ensemble has to do. And with us being a smaller company, we are all not just playing our own roles, but stepping into the ensemble tracks when we're not playing our roles.

[A]

That's very interesting. Yeah.

[C]

It's complicated and it's difficult, and I really appreciate what people have gone through before me.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And for the two of you, this is the first sort of fully fledged Sondheim experience. How's that go?

[B]

I'm having a great time. You know, I worked it up in my head so much coming into it. There's a reputation for his work in this show as well, and justifiably so. But I don't want to sit here and go, it's not as complicated as I thought. But it's sort of like it's not. It's one of those things, like, the more you do it, the more you understand who you are, what you're saying, and it's still a work in progress, of course. It's just like anything else. You put your time in it, you dedicate your time to it. You put the work in to understand the piece, to learn the music. So it's. For me, it's been a joy and it's thrilling. And, you know, again, like I said, the reputation of the show is warranted because it is so good and it's so relevant still, and I'm having a blast.

[D]

Yeah. I feel like I'm being fed really enormously by the. You know, not just the cusp, but the music is so layered that it can feed so many. Such a layered performance, I think, in how you attack it. And so this. I don't know, there's so many options. As an actor, you don't feel that it. It's driving you, but you still got so many little nuances that you can find in the depth of it, which I'm really loving. So I just done a tour of the US and nearly every spot I went to, people were quoting lines of Mrs. Lovett to me. And I'd say, oh, oh, is that one of my lines? You know, just the sort of monolithic, you know, the iconic nature of it all. So it's really wonderful to go in and feel absolutely in the truth of what is between Pantomime and Grand Guignol. And for me, being a Brecht fanatic, you know, I feel like the whole thing of all of us being everyone, being all of the parts is actually really super powerful because we're going in and out of playing the characters and the truth of it or the message of it, which I really like that flexibility, if that makes sense.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Often when I talk to actors, Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett are always on the list of roles that people would love to play. What is it about these characters and were they parts that you had coveted with these bucket list roles, or had they not occurred to you? But what's so rewarding as well about doing them?

[B]

Well, it wasn't a role I coveted. It sort of found me at a time when I was, I guess, ready for it. I hope I am. And I'm glad it's worked out this way here in Birmingham with this cast. There's something. Because again, I. I talked about the reputation of it. And the key for me, I'm finding, is don't play what you think the reputation is. Because I. I didn't know anything about Sweeney Todd. The first time I heard it was opening the score when they sent it to me. So it's for me, it's to find my conduit to Benjamin Barker slash Weeny Todd through. Through my truth and what resonates with me and not play the reputation, not play what preceded me. Whether it's helpful as a reference, fine. But it's more about the why of now and the why of me in it now and finding that has been rewarding and realizing that these characters. What's great about the show, it doesn't let the audience sit comfortably and observe you. You're forced to get involved and be uncomfortable, ask questions, why while being thrilled, entertained. It's comical, it's joyous at times, and also very frightening because, you know, when you strip away some of the pantomime that we. That needs to happen in the show, it's pretty relevant, I think, with what we see in the world today.

[D]

That was for me as well. I was, when I was first asked to do it, and I thought a lot about do I want to be doing such a bloody piece? And then I guess with the state of the world, I felt, yes, I think a piece that is really about obsession and revenge and survival couldn't be more relevant. And again, because I love all the sort of the history that I think, not just the Sondheim history of it, but the tendrils that go back of these sort of archetypes that then have this psychology place into them. Why do we do things? When is it about survival? And when is it, you know, morality? And those questions, what's our morality? I think are absolutely relevant. And so I love sort of looking at, you know, to me, I go back to the Beggars opera, John Gay, Thrippani opera coming back into. There's patches of this that are totally the peachums from Thrippani Opera. They are totally about, first comes food, then comes moral. So I feel like there's all these other sort of, you know, centuries, really, of morality tales that are coming out in this Broadway musical, which I love. All the little shards of history that are around when you're bringing these, you know, flicks. Flicks of history in, I suppose. Plus, being as I was saying to Ramin, being a, you know, ridiculous history nut, I've been researching 1790s cookbooks, how to carve meat, you know, things that were. Of course, I think Lovett would have, if she had a cookbook, probably would be older than the period that we've set it in, which is Georgian England. So we're looking much more at much more heightened era of excess. And I think Jo, the director's really wanted to play that revolting degree of rambunctious, you know, the excesses and the corruption, I guess, of the state and the church and really, really heighten that by setting it in the Georgian period, which is pretty interesting.

[A]

Interesting. That's very interesting.

[D]

Yeah. Because we know that in the, you know, the original, there's this notion of machinery and. But what you see in this is humans as machines that will go on. Whether it's about survival or the life force or, you know, sex really stuffs everything up. If you look at everything, it's lust gone awry. That sort of triggers the whole story. So it's quite fascinating.

[C]

So, yeah, your answers are much loftier than mine. Sweeney is a bass baritone. I'm a bass baritone, so I've always been drawn to it. There are so few roles that are written for our vocal range. Do you know what I mean? Especially we live in an age where the higher you sing, the more you work. And so Sweeney's first. You will learn. It's the first thing you hear him sing in the show. I thought, okay, I gotta do that one.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

I don't sound like that.

[D]

You do, but I do. And that's why we're. We're, you know, I'm covering your role, obviously.

[A]

Joanna.

[C]

Joanna.

[A]

But I wanted to ask you as well, because this isn't. Sweeney isn't the only Sondheim that you've done first time I saw you on stage. Roadshow at the Minier Chocolate Factory. And if Sweeney is one of perhaps the best known and most often among the most often produced, Sondheim's Roadshow has really only been done a handful of times. And you got to meet him during that process. Yeah.

[C]

Yes, yes. He came to work with us for a bit and was in tears, actually, the first night he saw it. Said he thought they finally fixed it. They finally got it to the level that they wanted it to be. And we had some lovely times with him. We went to dinner. He. He was very complimentary, is what I'll say. Yeah. And that was a great piece. An interesting piece to work on. It was about the Meisner brothers and. And Mike Gibson and I played the two brothers. It was good fun.

[A]

Could you aspire to any kind of idea of how Steve might perceive this production and the way that it's being reinterpreted?

[C]

Do you know what I think? I mean, my experience of him, he was very interested in new concepts, new takes. What are you gonna do with this? He wasn't a traditionalist. I don't think so. I think he was excited to see all the variations, and I think he'd be pleased with what we've come up with. You know, we don't know what it looks like yet, but we have ideas of what we're growing into. So, yeah, I think he'd enjoy.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. His work is all famously wordy, all of these brilliant lyrics, and this is right up there with some of the best, ingenious, delicious wordplay. Has anyone encountered a favorite lyric that is charming you as you go through this process? It may change from one day to the next.

[C]

That's really hard to just pull something out of the air.

[D]

There are so many. I mean, it is, without doing too many puns, a feast. It is really a feast, isn't it?

[A]

Yours, I think, are probably some of the best.

[D]

Yes. I have to say that.

[C]

Do you have a favorite?

[A]

I mean, shepherd's pie peppered with actual shepherd on top. You think of that, and that's reason enough to write the entire show. You think that comes to mind. And now I have to write an entire musical just around that one. It's all in there.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Do you have a musical in your head that you want to write?

[A]

I have too many other people's musicals. I'd just be plagiarizing little bits from.

[B]

I think they all do that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You can borrow them.

[D]

They do. I mean, we know what. Even sometime with his jokes within you know, repeated jokes within this.

[A]

There's a joke in Annie. Sorry, in Sweeney, that is making fun of Annie in a way, or paying tribute to Annie, perhaps. And it's the. I know why nobody has to take them. I should know. I make them. But good. No, it's tomorrow.

[D]

Tomorrow.

[A]

I love you. Tomorrow.

[C]

Did you know that?

[A]

I did.

[B]

But isn't the full story like it was playing?

[D]

It's a rehearsal or Rehearsal.

[A]

Yes, yeah. That would make perfect sense.

[D]

But there's also a. Somewhere in there as well. There's all sorts of little references the whole way through. And as I say, I can hear all these, you know, the corrals and everything, the morality corrals. They feel like big, you know, so many references. There's a little bit of Prokofiev in there, Peter and the Wolf. There's a lot of little, you know, lovely little tendrils. As I say that, I like Ramin. Worked with Stuv as well, didn't you?

[B]

A little bit, yeah. Prince of Broadway.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

And I met him at a Christmas party. So there you go.

[A]

What is it that you're hoping that audiences are going to take away from this production, from this sort of new interpretation of it?

[C]

Then

[D]

don't eat your friends unless it's in a nice way.

[C]

How do you top that?

[D]

I don't know. What's the alternative? Always travel with a bit of salt.

[B]

Bit of peri. Peri sauce.

[C]

You are vile.

[D]

I think it's. It's. It's so fun. It makes us go, why am I laughing? This is horrible. And it's magnificent and it's frightening. I mean, when. When it's really going. I've got the goosebumps, like, it is absolutely terrifying. And I really love that. It's between fable and truth. And when this is really. I'm doing this to you because when you're on fire, it feels like that, you know, that epicenter of humanity and the rawness of rage, hurt, pain and, you know, broken. Broken love. Where do we put all of that? We have to put it in music. Not stabbing each other. Not pies, exactly. But it is, you know, it's something you hope that people will be moved, but in this state of openness, I think, because it's sort of like, wow. And just. Even the opening with that, you know, with the ensemble, it is absolutely spine tingling. And I get excited about live theatre again, because there's nothing like it. The air is vibrating.

[C]

The intensity of this piece can be felt more than most others. The kind of strong energy that Comes from the stage. You can feel it when we're sitting around the room. When I jumped out of the barber's chair just now and was screaming at you guys, I got off to the side and I could see the hair on my arms was standing up. And I feel that sometimes when the two of you are screaming at each other, it's really intense. It's really intense. And I love pieces of theater that you as an audience member, you sit back and think, oh, my God, oh, my God, that's a wonderful experience. And you know, the live experience, that's

[B]

it right there to piggyback off you and you, it's. You want. Because we can't sit there and tell the audience what to feel or what their takeaway should be. It's hopefully sitting uncomfortably being present with us and then seeing what unfolds there. And for people who are Sondheim fanatics or Sweeney fanatics, at the very least, I'm hoping they're gonna see the show again for the first time.

[D]

You know, it's got something wonderful too about, you know, it's an American man writing his version of Cockney London, but taking bits of earlier. Like, I like. I love the cross cultural thing of it, actually, because that's the truth of who we are. We're, you know, all things plus imagination. So I like the celebration of that. The play of it. Yeah.

[A]

Back on. Don't eat your friends then. Was anyone a big.

[D]

Unless they've asked you to.

[A]

Yeah. Without permission, certainly. Did anyone have a favorite pie before this? And will it have affected your ability to enjoy that piece of a pie?

[C]

Yeah, pie.

[B]

What'd you think he said?

[D]

I thought he said a favorite pie.

[C]

And I was thinking the list is so long.

[B]

Cut his mic. Cut his mic.

[C]

My pie choices remain unchanged. Any pie is a good pie. You know, we don't have meat pies in the United States. We don't. It's not something that we eat regularly. So that whole experience was new to me when I came to the uk. But, you know, I love a good blueberry. Love a good blueberry pie.

[B]

Whatever that was in rehearsal just now. I'm not putting that in my mouth again.

[A]

No.

[C]

Do they have rehearsal props, rehearsal pies, quote, unquote edible.

[D]

I have to say, being such a culinary snob, I did my best. Oh, we are so well supported here. I have to say that being at the rep, being in a, you know, theater company, the studios are making, however, they have been deaf to the consistent request for Nutella pies. And I've noticed that everyone just looks.

[B]

Well, they said they're gonna buy what to get you fresh daily.

[C]

Really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But if you're, like, driving through America, you had a roadside diner.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Bit of pie for dessert. It's gonna be cheese.

[D]

Just cheese.

[B]

Cheese pie.

[D]

Cheese by any kind.

[C]

Clearly. Never been to it.

[B]

You mean cheesecake?

[D]

Yeah, cheesecake,

[B]

cheese pie.

[D]

This is why I shouldn't be left in charge of the kitchen. I can't cook.

[B]

So you're going for a fruit pie as well?

[C]

Like blueberry? Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

[B]

Yeah. I guess I would do some sort of fruit pie, but if there's Nutella involved, sign me up. Make it Joe.

[A]

What?

[B]

What pie you having?

[A]

See, I'm British. I'd like a savory pie. I like a savory pie.

[B]

Something like that.

[A]

Yeah. Something in that kind of a realm.

[D]

I did.

[C]

Those are lush.

[A]

Cold as well.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Little bit of, like, jelly in there.

[B]

My arteries.

[A]

Hopefully strong pie choices served on opening night, which is in just a few weeks. We've established performances begin in slightly more than two weeks.

[D]

Correct.

[A]

It's two weeks on Saturday.

[C]

Yes. July 4th.

[A]

Basically three from July 4th. Performances are selling very fast and very well. The run has been extended through August 15th. Yes, I believe.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

So you'll have chicken and leek.

[D]

I've thought about it.

[A]

Chicken and leek.

[D]

Chicken and leek.

[A]

There you go.

[D]

I would enjoy.

[B]

There you go.

[A]

And on that note, everyone, there are still tickets that you can get for Sweeney Todd at the Rep. I am so excited about this production. What I'm finding out about it, everything, I still don't know about it. And more than anything, I'm very excited to see each of you take these roles. Thank you for taking the time out of rehearsals to tell me about it.

[B]

Nice to meet you properly, Mickey.

[C]

Jo.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

And I think it's great that they're supporting Rep Theater, because I think this is where things begin. This is where the birth of it is before it gets to the West

[A]

End and things like that.

[C]

Well, and before we duck out of here, I want to acknowledge you because I think you're a terrific critic. You are so knowledgeable, and you speak so quickly when on your videos, directly into camera. And I sit there and I just think, God, he just knows everything about everything in theater. I have a great respect for what you do, so congratulations.

[D]

You said that to me before.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you. Well, hopefully that endures after I've shared my thoughts about Sweeney Todd at the Birmingham, which I'm sure I'll enjoy. I'M sure I'll enjoy.

[C]

Oh dear.

[A]

I cannot wait to see it. Thank you all so much. Thank you so much for listening to this interview. Don't forget to book one of the last remaining tickets to Sweeney Todd at the Birmingham Rep. It runs between the 4th of July and the 15th of August. Make sure to subscribe and stay tuned for my review of the show when I see it next month. Until then, I hope everyone is staying safe and that you have a safe, Stagey Damn. For 10 more seconds, I'm Mickey Jo Theater. Oh my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a stagey day. Subscribe.