Backwell School pupils real stars of Sweeney Todd

JOHNNY Depp will not be in the audience to watch Sweeney Todd performed at Backwell School as he is in Australia.

Last week when ticket sales were a little sluggish some bright spark thought it would be a good idea to leak news that Mr Depp had been invited, said a source close to the school.

But on the eve of the show tickets for the tradition Victorian melodrama are almost sold out.

Box office finance officer Dawn Williams said the gossip about Mr Depp had everyone smiling at a pre-production meeting and boosted sales.

She said: “It is always good for publicity; we giggled in our briefings meeting.

“The excitement in the school is definitely building and I am sure the performances by the young actors will rival those of Mr Depp in the Tim Burton production.

“We are almost sold out with just a small number of tickets remaining which I am taking reservations for to allow people to pay on door.”

In 2008 it was reported Mr Depp had bought a house near Bath; that he had been spotted shopping in Portishead and he had ‘consulted’ local celebrity Carol Vorderman about the best local schools to educate his children.

A Clevedon garage owner is adamant Mr Depp pulled into his forecourt for petrol.Nailsea School students were certain US teen idol Hannah Montana was about to be arrive for an assembly at the start of term at their Mizzymead Rise comprehensive.

The truth was it was an actor who played Sid in Tracey Beaker back in 2002 and others who had once had bit parts in Casualty.

Nailsea people will remember when Kylie Minogue was buying Tyntesfield and Cliff Richards wanted a pad at Fedden Village because it had tennis courts.

Backwell School pupils, teachers and ancillary staff are certain the real stars of Sondheim’s classic musical will be the youngsters both on stage, front of house and the backstage helpers.

This darkly humorous and a little scary show tells the story of a Fleet Street barber who is transported to a penal colony for a crime he did not commit,

Sweeney Todd returns to London looking for vengeance.

The evil truths he uncovers upon his return push him to the edge of madness and beyond.

Musically and visually ambitious, the show involves more than 60 students from Year 10–13 in production, performance or technical roles. 

Backwell School is a specialist school in performing and visual arts and the professional quality of the school productions is well known – the anti-hero Sweeney no doubt will make us infamous, says its website preview.

Students throughout the school have been involved in the preparation of this production. 

Year 9 art students made masks, A-level textiles students did the designing and making of the costumes, history students researched and created the foyer display on Victorian values and Level 2 creative and media diploma students took charge of publicity.

The show opens on Tuesday, February 2 and runs until Friday, February 5, at 7.30 pm.

Tickets cost £8, (£6 for concessions). To reserve one of the few unsold tickets and pay at the door call 01275 465941 mornings only or call is at the school reception between 1–1.45 pm.