Attend the Tale: 'Sweeney Todd' Exclusive with Helena Bonham Carter

On a cold, drizzly day (somewhat suitable, one might say) at the Claridge's Hotel, there was a feeling of excitement in the air that you could cut with a knife as the cast and creative team of the highly-anticipated new movie-musical Sweeney Todd crowded a press junket in London.

In a very special BroadwayWorld exclusive, London reporter Nick Hutson provides a very special Q/A series with the likes of Johnny Depp, renown composer Stephen Sondheim; plus stars  Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, and director Tim Burton and the stars of tomorrow Ed Sanders, Jayne Weisner and Jamie Campbell Bower. 

Stay Tuned as BroadwayWorld brings you even more exclusive content and features on Sweeney Todd! In theatres for limited national release December 21, 2007 and wide January 11, 2008.

HELENA BONHAM CARTER (MRS. LOVETT)

The movie now presents another ingenious interpretation of this infamous character.  Helena talked about how she first discovered her when she was only just thirteen.

Helena Bonham Carter: I saw it when I was thirteen; when I first heard it I was thirteen and I loved it.  I loved the score and it was before it had come over it was in America – New York and I loved it.

Contrary to common belief Helena has to audition for any movie she's involved in under Tim's direction.   We asked her what the audition process for Sweeney was like.

Helena Bonham Carter: He (Burton) came to me and said, you know, "I am going to do Sweeney Todd," which we both knew we loved; one of our mutual passions was the musical.  I remember when we were getting together we played it; we courted over Sweeney Todd! So he knew that…he also knew that I've always wanted to learn to sing so he said "Look, how about this: I think you're right for it. You know, I want you to be considered because you shouldn't be not considered just because you go out with me, however you're going to have to audition along with anyone else who wants to." They have to audition anyone who goes up for it because they have to sing and he said "It's up to you" and I said of course I'll go for it because if I don't get the part, at least I'll have learnt to sung or had the voice lessons that I've always wanted to do anyway so I went to a singing teacher. Tim said "On top of that I don't want to have ultimate approval – it's Sondheim who will ultimately cast", so it was scary, I just had no choice because I so loved Sondheim.  I so love the part and I love the material and the music and the lyrics and he's a genius, so I just thought I can't lose.  It's a tall order anyway to learn to sing in three months so I'll have a good excuse if I don't get it so I did it. I auditioned for Tim on video and he didn't talk about it for five weeks…that was tough.  Then he auditioned other people…didn't talk about it…he didn't talk about and then finally he said "You know what, I think you're alright and you can sing this part".  Luckily Sondheim, a week later, saw them and he agreed with Tim.  Also, you know what, I didn't want to be cast if I was not up to it – I would've hated it.  It would have been horrible for the film and horrible for me and horrible for us, so we just had to go through that.

Helena saw the musical when she was thirteen, but what first attracted her to the musical?

Helena Bonham Carter: I think, to be honest, the music.  For some reason viscerally the music.  There's some such beautiful tunes frankly – and there's a yearning and there's a sort of romance to it…and humor.  Songs like "Pretty Women" and "Johanna" and I love "A Little Priest too."  I just love the music and it's so heart rending.