The brief started as dark and shadowy, but as rehearsals went on and the characters took shape, Sweeney Todd grew into a far deeper and more personal design. Eerie uplighting and backlighting defined the world of Fleet Street, and saturated red marked Todd's most violent turns, from "Epiphany" to the killings in the barber's chair.

It was just as important to light the other sides of these characters: the tenderness between Anthony and Johanna, and the darkly comic, slightly mad partnership between Todd and Mrs Lovett. Giving those moments warmer, softer looks meant the darkness of the rest of the show hit harder.

Haze was a particular challenge. It was the first time haze had been used in the venue, and we had to change machines at the last minute. Getting an even spread across the stage took a lot of trial and error with placement, but we got there, and the beams it revealed became a key part of the show's look.