"Most musicals don't have a particularly strong story," says Sondheim. "The popular ones have a lot of good songs and moments, but you can't do most of them many different ways. Because of its melodrama and because of its setting, Sweeney offers many different ways to try it.

"I remember when I was at college, one of the English professors made what seems an obvious point, but it wasn't obvious to me at the age of 17, that one of the things that keeps Hamlet alive is that every generation brings something new to the performance. It isn't just the poetry; it's that every time you do Hamlet you can take a different view of it—and that's what keeps theatre alive.

"With musicals, the audience tend to want to see what they've seen before. Whereas people who go to Hamlet want to see something different."

That comment is revealing. Sondheim's entire, varied career has been based on the premise that you can use the musical as a vehicle to explore complex themes and tell uncompromising stories. He works like a playwright rather than a musical composer.

In the olden times this game was known by the name of "Hood-man Blind," as in those days the child that was chosen to be "blind man" had a hood placed over his head, which was fastened at the back of the neck.

In the present day the game is called "Blind Man's Buff," and very popular it is among young folk.

Before beginning to play, the middle of the room should be cleared, the chairs placed against the wall, and all toys and footstools put out of the way. The child having been selected who is to be "Blind Man" or "Buff," is blindfolded. He is then asked the question, "How many horses has your father got?" The answer is "Three," and to the question: "What color are they?" he replies: "Black, white, and gray." All the players then cry: "Turn round three times and catch whom you may." Buff accordingly spins round and then the fun commences. He tries to catch the players, while they in their turn do their utmost to escape "Buff," all the time making little sounds to attract him. This goes on until one of the players is caught, when Buff, without having the bandage removed from his eyes, has to guess the name of the person he has secured. If the guess is a correct one, the player who has been caught takes the part of "Buff," and the former "Buff" joins the ranks of the players.

Thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative in vaccines, is suspected of causing autism and other neurological disorders in children. A recent review by a panel of prominent scientists found no evidence for the much-publicized autism link; nonetheless thimerosal is no longer used in most vaccines, flu shots being the chief exception.