Perhaps one of the best reasons to attend the present revival of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” is to hear the exceptional score by the late Stephen Sondheim, gloriously presented by a twenty-six-piece orchestra, which resounds through the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, echoing a menagerie of emotional themes. There is a Brecht-Weil semblance, as a populace from London’s underbelly appears, and approaches the audience at the edge of the stage in a grim stylized manner, to sing the terse lyrics of “The Ballad of Sweeny Todd.” It sets the tone and certainly reveals that this will not be your typical Broadway show, but one of the greatest musicals of our time.

The plot revolves around a barber who was unjustly convicted by the evil Judge Turpin (a despicable Jamie Jackson) who coveted his wife and harbors his infant daughter Johanna (a lovely Maria Bilbao) after sentencing him to life in Australia. He escapes, is rescued at sea by a sailor named Anthony, (a stable Jordan Fisher), and upon his return he takes the name of Sweeney Todd (a striking Josh Grobin). Sweeney rents a space above the suffering pie shop owned by the widow, Mrs. Lovett, (an outlandish Annaleigh Ashford), who recognizes him from the past. He sets up shop and seeks his revenge by slitting the throats of his clients, whose mutilated bodies are then processed for her delicious pie fillings. To say the least, it does not end well.

Mr. Sondheim’s music fuels the grotesque and twisted story, while sometimes the adroit lyrics and fast paced patter exaggerate any comedy that might be squeezed out of a gruesome situation. The balance is absolute genius. The deft direction of Thomas Kail does not stray too far from the original and the characters appear to be more vivid and real, accentuating a down-trodden quality that enhances the human condition. Mr. Kail also allows comedy to cut through the macabre storyline without sacrificing the dark tone. Perhaps the most impressive element of this production is the lighting design by Natashia Katz.  Ms. Katz creates atmospheric shadows to conceal morose characters, pools of light that appear on the stage like an oasis, gleaming shafts cutting sharp angles across the stage, precise blocks of illumination changing scenes quicker than the blink of an eye and an overall proposition of doom and gloom. The scenic design by Mimi Lien serves the action as well do the costumes designed by Emilio Sosa.

For the most part the cast is brilliant with vocals that soar in tune with the lush orchestrations as well as characterizations that complement the lyrics. As Sweeney Todd there is probably no better match than Josh Groban vocally, as he captures every syllable with perfect tone and diction. However, Mr. Groban does fall short in his characterization of a revengeful, sinister, throat-slitting murderer. Subtle would be fine but innocuous is unacceptable. Annaleigh Ashford is remarkable as Mrs. Lovett coaxing every bit of outlandish comedy out of the offbeat, manipulating, pie shop owner. She never appears as a cartoon but a sad, lonely widow who has fallen on hard times, and partners with a murderer in hopes of a better domesticated life. This is very evident in her execution of the song “By the Sea”. Her performance is exceptional. Jordan Fisher turns in a respectable Anthony with a sweet vocal and heartfelt attraction to Johanna. Gaten Matarazzo inhabits the quirky orphan Tobias with a soft shell and a bleeding heart. It is a complicated role with a wide range of emotions which Mr. Matarazzo handles exceptionally well. He delivers a haunting rendition of “Not While I’m Around”. Jamie Jackson creates a repulsive Judge Turpin with no redeeming qualities.

All the components of this production blend well to create an incredible theatrical experience. However, the star of this or any other incarnation will always be the magnificent score, which in this case is compounded by lush orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, for an extraordinary twenty-six-piece orchestra.