Tooting Arts Club

CRITICS CHOICE: Danny Coleman-Cooke’s Pick of 2015

News, Off West End, Reviews, West End
Siobhan McCarthy and Jeremy Secomb in Tooting Arts Club's Sweeney Todd.

We asked each of our reviewers to nominate their favourite show of 2015. Danny Coleman-Cooke was quick with his reponse – Sweeney Todd by Tooting Arts Club with Jeremy Secomb and Sionhan McCarthy. Sweeney Todd was a spell-binding production that remained in my head for days afterwards. An eerie and perfectly chosen venue combined with a first-class cast and some highly intelligent staging. The most intimate and engaging production I’ve ever seen that rightly got a standing ovation afterwards. It was so good that even Sondheim gave it rave reviews! The show was transferred to a recreation of Harrington’s Pie And Mash Shop on Shaftesbury Avenue with the help of Cameron Mackintosh. See choices from Tim Hochstrasser and Douglas Mayo

Tooting Arts Club Presents Barbarians

News, Off West End
Barbarians presented by Tooting Arts Club at Central St Martins

Following the enormous success of their production of Sweeney Todd at Harrington’s Pie and Mash Shop, Tooting Arts Club will revive their production of Barbarians by Barrie Keeffe at the former Central Saint Martins School of Art Building in Soho. In 1977, Britain had just emerged from a worldwide recession. It was the Queen’s silver jubilee year but Paul, Jan and Louis had little to celebrate. With widespread youth unemployment and little opportunity on the horizon, there was anarchy in the air. Barbarians follows the fluctuating fortunes of its three male characters on a journey that is as humorous as it is brutal, to the soundtrack of The Clash, the Sex Pistols and the Jam. Saint Martins provides the perfect setting, steeped in the punk culture of that time, to revive this acclaimed production which is as relevant now as it was then. “I’m delighted that Barbarians is going to … Read more

Sweeney In A Pie Shop Cast Announced

News, Off West End
Sweeney Todd at Harringtons Pie Shop

London is awash with productions of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd at the moment. Perhaps one of the most interesting is taking place at Harrington’s Pie and Mash Shop in Tooting, South London. This site-specific production by Tooting Arts Club will see audiences congregate at Anton’s barber shop before being shown to Harrington’s, where the decor, little changed since it was opened in 1908, will provide the setting for Mrs Lovett’s infamous establishment. Mrs Lovett will be played by Siobhan McCarthy who was Olivier nominated as the original Donna in Mamma Mia!, and is also known for playing Roisin Connor in ITV’s Bad Girls. Siobhan will be joined by Jeremy Secomb as Sweeney. Jeremy’s West End Credits include The Phantom Of the Opera and Priscilla. Other casting includes David Freeman as Judge Turpin, Ian Mowatt as Beadle Bamford, Kiara Jay as Pirelli/Beggar Woman, Nadim Naaman as Anthony Hope, Grace Chapman as … Read more