Thea and Jonathan Avis, who own Meat Street Pies, will be dressing in Victorian costumes and taking dubious inspiration from Mrs. Lovett and the Demon Barber of Fleet Street as a run of Sweeney Todd kicks off May 4.
The pair, who hand-make a delicious selection of meat pies and can be seen at local farmers markets and other locations citywide, will be outside the Westbury Theatre, setting the culinary stage for this infamous tale.
The musical tells the story of Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber who seeks vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, the resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop. Mrs. Lovett’s luck sharply shifts when Todd’s blood lust inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the unsuspecting people of London lining up to sample her sumptuous creations.
Thea Avis said she had never heard of the 1979 musical, adapted by Stephen Sondheim from a play by Christopher Bond, before being approached by the show’s producers — Elope Musical Theatre.
At first, the pair of entrepreneurs were worried about the “unsavoury potential” of being associated with Mrs. Lovett’s product. But after watching a taping of the 1982 Broadway stage version starring the delightful and comical Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett, they decided it would be a fun project to be involved with.
Meat Street Pies will set up outside the Westbury Theatre to deliver its handmade pies to theatre patrons during an upcoming run of Sweeney Todd, a musical about a pie maker who works with unusual ingredients.
Evening performances run nightly (no show Monday, Tuesday) at 7:30 p.m. until May 13. Meat Street Pies will be outside the theatre (10330 84 Ave.) at 5 p.m. each evening of the run.
Meat Street Pies, which specializes in Cornish pasties, pot pies and quiches, make a variety of fillings for their products and have gluten-free and vegetarian options. They have named their Sweeney Todd pies for various characters in the production — I won’t spoil the fun by revealing which ones, but steak and kidney (naturally) is on the menu. Watch for Meat Street sausage rolls and finger foods during intermission.
At the end of the production, a little boy eats a pie on stage that will be made by Meat Street, too.
Tickets for Sweeney Todd are available online through tixonthesquare.ca, in person at the Churchill Square location, by phone (780-420-1757) or at the door. Tickets are $30, or $25 for students and seniors.
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