‘The Wonderful and Surprising History of Sweeney Todd’ by Robert L. Mack
Exploring an urban legend
By Martin Rubin, Special to The (L.A.) Times
December 20, 2007
There is seemingly nothing on the subject of the tale of Sweeney Todd — from its roots in reality, to its finding its way into folklore and subsequently literature, and then onto innumerable stages and the screen — which Robert L. Mack has not explored in “The Wonderful and Surprising History of Sweeney Todd: The Life and Times of an Urban Legend.” It is an immensely detailed and far-reaching book that might be considered the last word in program notes to Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s stage musical and its movie version directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, which opens Friday. …
—For Martin’s complete review, click here, or go to the LA Times home page, http://www.latimes.com/ and search for sweeney todd mack –the search box is at center of the home page just under the masthead.