Welcome to the WAOS website. WAOS has existed as a musical society since the early 1900s with its first full musical show, Gilbert & Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore being staged in April 1922. 

Sweeney Todd 2010!

Our next production, Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is to be staged at the Public Hall in Witham from Monday 25th to Saturday 30th October 2010. 

Tickets are now on sale - details on how to order are on the Box Office section as well as a downloadable copy of our order form. 

Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Sweeney Todd’ is a thrilling tale of vengeance and true love, featuring some of the finest music ever written for the theatre. Set in Victorian London it tells the infamous story of Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street, who forms an enterprising business relationship with Mrs Lovett, the proprietor of the downstairs pie-shop. 

Returning to the greedy streets of London after being wrongly exiled, Sweeney is gripped by revenge, blinded by rage and desperate for the throat of Judge Turpin who ravaged his wife after unjustly sending him away.  With the amorous pie-shop owner Mrs Lovett whispering in his ear, Sweeney embarks upon a murderous campaign to right the wrongs he has endured, re-opening his Fleet Street barber shop and slitting the throats of his customers before they are turned into London’s tastiest pies. 

Although the subject matter is a little gruesome in parts and parents may consider it unsuitable for young children, Sondheim’s exciting score underpins a production of spine-tingling wit, humour and tenderness that has been acclaimed by critics and audiences alike – including Oscar and Golden Globe success for Tim Burton’s big screen box office hit, which starred Johnny Depp.  

Our exciting new production will be directed by Nikki Mundell-Poole with the orchestra under the direction Phil Thoms.