Sweeney Todd Facts and Information
The Tony Award-winning musical written by Hugh Wheeler with song and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim is back in theaters, that is, of course, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This historic and beautifully dark tale of Sweeny Todd after fifteen years of being held on false charges in Australia, and all he comes back to after that, and the revenge he seeks on the Judge Turpin Who imprisoned Sweeney Todd, and then raped his deceased wife.
In the beginning of Sweeney Todd, Todd and his friend Anothony Hope are taking a ship to London finally heading back to his old home and now abandoned apartment. Hope is just that, hopefull for starting his new life back in London, whereas Sweeney Todd is anything but hopefull. He returns to meet up with Mrs. Lovett, who has a pie shop below his now vacant old apartment. When Sweeney Todd meets up with Mrs. Lovett, she starts to tell him of how terrible times are, of her terrible pies, and of he terrible things that happened to the man that used to live above her, whom she remembers as Benjamin Barker the barber. Barker was wrongfully accused and sentenced to fifteen years in Australia by the evil Judge Turpin, who wanted to take Barker's wife from him. After Barker was sent away, Lovett goes on to tell Todd, the Judge raped Barker's wife and she then killed herself. Ever since then, Barker's daughter has been a ward of Judge Turpin. Mrs. Lovett then realizes that this man she is telling this terrible tale to, Sweeney Todd, is the former Benjamin Barker.
Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett then ban together to make justice from this mess. Todd goes through town, and starts a commotion with the new town barbers, as well as noticing the judge's ward. This is when Sweeney Todd and all of its bloodshed begin. First off is an old assistant of Benjamin Barkers, Danny O'Higgins. O'Higgins pulls the blackmail card on Sweeney Todd after realizing his true identity, and with this and a little pre-death tease, O'Higgins death comes with a slit to the throat by Sweeney Todd. Sweeney Todd only worsens with hate and deep anger, and after luring the Judge Turpin to get a trim from him (to impress his ward he wants to marry, Johanna), he is ready to kill. Because of an interruption by Anthony, who professes his hopes to marry Johanna. After the failed attempt to murder the judge, Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett go maniacal and decide to use O'Higgins' dead body in her pies.
In the beginning of the second act of Sweeney Todd, Mrs. Lovett and her new secret ingredient in her pies are selling like crazy. Business is booming, even though there is a crazy beggar lady always around the pie shop. Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett now have the barber trim, kill, cut, and serve down to a science. Todd has begun to get past his hopes of Johanna, and Mrs. Lovett has moved on to hopes of Sweeney Todd and her forever.
Sweeney Todd then sets up Anthony for failure, to lure the judge to his shop. The worker in the pie shop, Toby, becomes cautious of what is going on, so Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett decide to dispose of him and others in the town who are starting to question the pie shop and it's smells as well.
The action in Sweeney Todd reaches on the edge of your seat capacity when Johanna is being broken out of an asylum the judge put her in by Anthony, Toby is missing, and the Beggar Lady is trying to warn Sweeney Todd of Mrs. Lovett. At this time Judge Turpin is about to get a cut, so Sweeney Todd slits and kills the Beggar Lady. With Judge Turpin in his hands, Sweeney Todd unmasks his identity and slits the judges throat. Johanna had witnessed it all, and as Sweeney Todd was about to off her, Mrs. Lovett 's scream got Johannah to run away without death.
The bitter end of Sweeney Todd unfolds as Sweeney learns that the Beggar Lady he killed was his wife, who had gone insane and not killed herself. Sweeney learns of the lies of Mrs. Lovett and kills her, then Toby comes in and kills Sweeney Todd. Anthony, Johanna, and a few others come to find all of the bloodshed as Toby, who has gone completely insane, returns to his meat grinding duties.
Sweeney Todd ends in sadness and death, but a beautiful tragic and moving masterpiece to be able to see in theater with breathtaking accompanying musical song and dance.
Musical Performances:
Prologue
Organ Prelude
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd - Company
Act I
No Place Like London - Todd, Anthony, Beggar Woman
The Barber and His Wife - Todd
The Worst Pies in London - Mrs. Lovett
Poor Thing - Mrs. Lovett, Todd
My Friends - Todd, Mrs. Lovett
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (reprise) - Ensemble
Green Finch and Linnet Bird - Johanna
Ah, Miss - Anthony, Johanna, Beggar Woman
Johanna - Anthony
Pirelli's Miracle Elixir - Tobias, Todd, Mrs. Lovett, Ensemble
The Contest - Pirelli
The Contest (Tooth-Pulling Sequence)- Pirelli, Tobias
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (reprise) - Ensemble
Johanna (Judge's Song) - Judge Turpin
Wait - Beggar Woman, Mrs. Lovett, Todd
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (Three Tenors) - Ensemble
Kiss Me - Johanna, Anthony
Ladies in Their Sensitivities - Beadle Bamford
Kiss Me (Quartet) - Beadle Bamford, Johanna, Anthony, Judge Turpin
Pretty Women - Todd, Judge Turpin
Epiphany - Todd
A Little Priest - Todd and Mrs. Lovett
Act II
God, That's Good! - Tobias, Mrs. Lovett, Todd, Ensemble
Johanna (Quartet) - Anthony, Todd, Johanna, Beggar Woman
By the Sea - Mrs. Lovett, Todd
Wigmaker Sequence; The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (reprise) - Todd, Anthony, Ensemble
The Letter - Ensemble
Not While I'm Around - Tobias, Mrs. Lovett
Parlour Songs (Sweet Polly Plunkett) - Beadle Bamford, Mrs. Lovett, Tobias
Parlour Songs Part II (The Tower of Bray) - Beadle Bamford, Mrs. Lovett, Tobias
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (reprise) - Ensemble
Fogg's Asylum; Fogg's Passacaglia - Ensemble
City On Fire - Ensemble, Johanna, Anthony
Searching - Todd, Mrs. Lovett, Anthony, Johanna, Beggar Woman
Searching Part II (Beggar Woman's Lullaby)- Beggar Woman
The Judge's Return - Todd, Judge Turpin
Final Sequence - Todd, Mrs. Lovett, Tobias
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (Epilogue) - Company
Past, Present, and Future Theater Shows
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