British actress and two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson might be best known to nerds everywhere for her turn as divination teacher Sybill Trelawney in the Harry Potter movies, not to mention Nanny McPhee and her recent portrayal of Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks. But before she was a movie star, Thompson often appeared on the London stage, mostly with her then-husband Kenneth Branagh.
It’s been over twenty-five years since Emma Thompson has appeared in a live stage production, but earlier this year she appeared in a five-night performance of Stephen Sondheim’s classic horror musical Sweeney Todd at Lincoln Center, where she played the murderous meat-pie maker Mrs. Lovett. Her take on the sociopathic shop owner, who harbors a deep love for the vengeful barber upstairs, was met with such praise, she’ll be reprising the role on the London stage next year. (The part of Mrs. Lovett was played by Helena Bonham Carter in the 2007 Tim Burton movie adaptation of Sweeney Todd, because it was a Tim Burton movie and so of course she had to be in it.)
If you can’t make it to London, you’re in luck! PBS will be airing Live From Lincoln Center: Sweeney Todd this Friday, September 26. And thanks to Vulture, we’ve got a sneak peek at Emma Thompson singing “Worst Pies in London” from the classic musical:
